You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again. – Psalm 71:20
Psalm 71 has been called the Senior Citizen’s Psalm. It speaks of God’s faithfulness across the span of life, praising and glorifying the Father for the many ways He has demonstrated His love and tender care. Theologian Charles H. Spurgeon said, “We have here the prayer of the aged believer, who in holy confidence of faith, strengthened by a long and remarkable experience, pleads against his enemies, and asks further blessings for himself.” Even by the end of the psalm, the writer says he will continue to speak of God’s “righteous help all the day long.” There is no retirement for the Christian.
However, there is assisted living! The follower of Christ who has had the joy of walking in the Lord’s ways a good part of his life, understands that it is God who has seen him through everything that came his way—his troubles and calamities as well as the victories and triumphs—and that the same God also continues to strengthen him and revive him. Pastor and evangelist F. B. Meyer said, “Never doubt God. Never say that He has forsaken or forgotten. Never think that He is unsympathetic. He will quicken again.”
Pastor David Guzik, in his commentary Enduring Word, says, “The psalmist knew the faithfulness of God through his younger years and now asked that God continue that faithfulness in his old age and as his strength fails. He knew that man’s strength diminishes with old age, but God’s strength does not.” Pray for the many in America’s leadership who are aging and do not know the Lord that they would turn to God for wisdom and salvation. Life and strength are sustained by God alone.
Today’s Verse: Psalm 71:20
You who have made me see many troubles and calamities
will revive me again;
from the depths of the earth
you will bring me up again
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Recommended for further reading: Psalm 71:17-24
O God, from my youth you have taught me,
and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.
18 So even to old age and gray hairs,
O God, do not forsake me,
until I proclaim your might to another generation,
your power to all those to come.
19 Your righteousness, O God,
reaches the high heavens.
You who have done great things,
O God, who is like you?
20 You who have made me see many troubles and calamities
will revive me again;
from the depths of the earth
you will bring me up again.
21 You will increase my greatness
and comfort me again.
22 I will also praise you with the harp
for your faithfulness, O my God;
I will sing praises to you with the lyre,
O Holy One of Israel.
23 My lips will shout for joy,
when I sing praises to you;
my soul also, which you have redeemed.
24 And my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long,
for they have been put to shame and disappointed
who sought to do me hurt.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
