Psalm LXXI
David, in confidence of faith, and experience of God’s favour, prayeth both for himself, and against the enemies of his soul.—He promiseth constancy.—He prayeth for perseverance.—He praiseth God, and promiseth to do it cheerfully.
In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.
Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me.
Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.
Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
For thou art my hope, O Lord God: thou art my trust from my youth.
By 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.
I am as a wonder unto many: but thou art my strong refuge.
Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.
Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.
For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together,
Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him.
O God, be not far from me; O my God, make haste for my help.
Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt.
But I will hope continually, and yet will praise thee more and more.
My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.
I will go in the strength of the Lord God; I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.
O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.
Now 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.
Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!
Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.
I 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.
My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.
My 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.
This Psalm is a general prayer; which, I think, may be very properly used in the person of the whole church against all her enemies and persecutors who are now or ever shall be, unto the end. “Forsake me not,” saith he, “in the time of mine old age,” &c. and although this may more especially apply to the prophet himself, as praying for divine protection under his infinite temptations; yet the words may be appropriately applied to the last times, and to the close of the church militant before the last day. For the church has her old age also: and Christ himself and his apostles have foretold, “That in the latter days perilous times shall come:” as Daniel also prophesied, that the truth should be persecuted and iniquity should abound: and this we have experienced under Mahomet, and the Pope, to our infinite peril and sorrow.
Hence, in verses 15–17, the prophet foretells the justice and righteousness of God. “My mouth (saith he) shall show forth thy righteousness. O God thou hast taught me from my youth, and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. Now also, when I am old and grey-headed, &c.” This prophecy may be of singular use to us, and apply to us very appropriately: because God has, as it were, brought us back out of hell, and from the depths of the earth, and has made the light of his word to shine again, by which our consciences have a firm and eternal consolation. These our times are like the times of Elias and Enoch: for they commonly say of us, ‘These men will subvert antichrist, and restore all things!’