Psalm 71 - An Open Book

Psalm 71 🔊 1In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion. 2Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me. 3Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress. 4Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man. 5For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth. 6By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee. 7I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge. 8Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day. 9Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth. 10For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together, 11Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him. 12O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help. 13Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt. 14But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more. 15My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof. 16I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only. 17O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. 18Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come. 19Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee! 20Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth. 21Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side. 22I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel. 23My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed. 24My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt.

Today's Scripture Meaning rayers that God would deliver and save. (1-13) Believing praises. (14-24) Verses 1-13: David prays that he might never be made ashamed of dependence upon God. With this petition every true believer may come boldly to the throne of grace. The gracious care of Divine providence in our birth and infancy, should engage us to early piety. He that was our Help from our birth, ought to be our Hope from our youth. Let none expect ease or comfort from the world. Those who love the Lord, often are hated and persecuted; men wondered at for their principles and conduct; but the Lord has been their strong refuge. The faithful servants of God may be assured that he will not cast them off in old age, nor forsake them when their strength fails. Verses 14-24: The psalmist declares that the righteousness of Christ, and the great salvation obtained thereby, shall be the chosen subject of his discourse. Not on a sabbath only, but on every day of the week, of the year, of his life. Not merely at stated returns of solemn devotion, but on every occasion, all the day long. Why will he always dwell on this? Because he knew not the numbers thereof. It is impossible to measure the value or the fulness of these blessings. The righteousness is unspeakable, the salvation everlasting. God will not cast off his grey-headed servants when no longer capable of labouring as they have done. The Lord often strengthens his people in their souls, when nature is sinking into decay. And it is a debt which the old disciples of Christ owe to succeeding generations, to leave behind them a solemn testimony to the advantage of religion, and the truth of God's promises; and especially to the everlasting righteousness of the Redeemer. Assured of deliverance and victory, let us spend our days, while waiting the approach of death, in praising the Holy One of Israel with all our powers. And while speaking of his righteousness, and singing his praises, we shall rise above fears and infirmities, and have earnests of the joys of heaven. The work of redemption ought, above all God's works, to be spoken of by us in our praises. The Lamb that was slain, and has redeemed us to God, is worthy of all blessing and praise.

Today's Scripture Application Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today we continue in the Book of Psalm with Chapter 71. In our text today we see a theme of God's constant help - from childhood to old age our lives are a testimony of what God has done for us. In making application we see that our Christian lives are a book. A book of testimony to the Glory of God working in and through the life of a believer. Our lives are not perfect but the life of a believer should be lived as an open book in a world that desperately needs to see Christ. How about you? Do you live your life as an open book before others in your life? Let us learn from our Psalm and text today to remember that our Christian life should be an open book and although we are not to be "of the world" but are to live "in the world" as an open book of the love, redemption, and victory that comes from a life in Christ-Jesus.

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