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Psalms 71

24 verses

TL;DR

A psalm of trust and endurance, where the psalmist appeals to God for deliverance and reaffirms faith amid aging and adversaries.

Summary

The psalm opens with a declaration of trust in the LORD, pleading for protection from confusion and wickedness. It portrays God as a steadfast refuge, rock, and fortress, emphasizing the psalmist’s reliance from youth to old age. The psalmist acknowledges enemies who claim God has forsaken him, yet maintains hope and vows continual praise. He recalls God’s guidance from birth and expresses gratitude for God’s wondrous works. In the later verses, the psalmist implores that God not abandon him in old age, and asks that the righteous be revealed and enemies be condemned. The psalm concludes with promises of praise, singing with the psaltery and harp, and a commitment to proclaim God’s righteousness forever.

Outline
  1. 1-8: Appeal for trust and deliverance; God as refuge.
  2. 9-14: Fear of abandonment, enemies’ accusations, steadfast hope.
  3. 15-18: Praise, strength, youth teaching, old age commitment.
  4. 19-24: Praise through music, final declarations of righteousness and triumph over enemies.
Themes
Trust in GodDeliverance from enemiesHope amid agingWorship through musicGod’s righteousness
Keywords
trustdeliverancehopestrengthworshiprighteousnesssalvationenemyold age
People
LordGod
Places
Things
rockfortresspsalteryharpwombstrengthrighteousnesssalvation
Key Verses
  • Psalms 71:1: Opening affirmation of trust and plea for divine guidance.
  • Psalms 71:14: Vow to continue praising despite adversity.
  • Psalms 71:22: Commitment to worship with instruments, emphasizing worship as response.
Questions
  • 1. How does the psalmist’s view of God evolve from youth to old age?
  • 2. In what ways does the psalm use musical imagery to convey worship?
  • 3. What is the significance of repeating the themes of ‘rock’ and ‘fortress’ throughout the psalm?
  • 4. How does the psalm address the emotional impact of enemies claiming God’s abandonment?
  • 5. How can the psalm’s themes of trust and hope be applied to contemporary spiritual struggles?
Sentiment

mixed
The psalm expresses both deep trust and moments of fear, leading to a balanced emotional tone.