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Psalm Seventy-one
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 71
This
psalm is without a title, but is thought to be David's: the Septuagint and
Vulgate Latin versions, and all the Oriental ones, ascribe it to him; and both
the subject and style show it to be his. According to the title of the Syriac
version, it was composed by him when Saul made war against the house of David;
but this is not likely, since it was written by him in his old age, Psalm 71:9; rather,
according to Kimchi and Arama, it was penned when he fled from his son Absalom:
there are several things in it which incline to this. The Septuagint and
Vulgate Latin versions call it
"A
Psalm of David, of the sons of Jonadab, and of the first that were carried
captive;'
and
so the Ethiopic and Arabic versions. Apollinarius says the sons of Jonadab
composed it; but without any foundation for it; and the Syriac version is, it
is a prophecy concerning the sufferings and resurrection of the Messiah; and so
Jerom and others interpret it. The literal meaning respecting David seems best,
though it may be applied to the church, and to any believer in distress.
Theodoret thinks it was written by David in the person of the captives in
Babylon.
Psalm 71:1 In
You, O Lord,
I put my trust; Let me never be put to shame.
YLT
1In Thee, O Jehovah, I have
trusted, Let me not be ashamed to the age.
In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust,.... The Targum is,
"in
thy Word;'
See
Gill on Psalm 31:1;
let me never be put to confusion; or "be
ashamed"; see the note as before.
Psalm 71:2 2 Deliver
me in Your righteousness, and cause me to escape; Incline Your ear to me, and
save me.
YLT
2In Thy righteousness Thou
dost deliver me, And dost cause me to escape, Incline unto me Thine ear, and
save me.
Deliver me in thy righteousness,.... By it, or "for
the sake of it"F17בצדקתך
"propter justitiam tuam", Pagninus, Piscator; so Schmidt. ; See Gill
on Psalm 31:1;
and cause me to escape; present danger, and out
of the hands of enemies, as well as wrath to come, and eternal death; which
nothing but the righteousness of God can deliver from, or cause to escape;
incline thine ear unto me; or "bow it";
See Gill on Psalm 31:2;
and save me; out of all troubles and afflictions, and from wicked and
unreasonable men.
Psalm 71:3 3 Be my strong refuge, To
which I may resort continually; You have given the commandment to save me, For
You are my rock and my fortress.
YLT
3Be to me for a rock -- a
habitation, To go in continually, Thou hast given command to save me, For my
rock and my bulwark [art] Thou.
Be thou my strong habitation,.... This is very
appropiately said, when David was driven out of his dwelling place, and palace
at Jerusalem, by his son, as Kimchi observes. When God's people have no certain
dwelling place, which is sometimes their case, they always find one in the
Lord; particularly in his heart's love; for he that dwelleth in love dwelleth
in God, 1 John 4:16; and a
strong habitation he is: wherefore he is called a strong rock, a strong hold, a
strong tower; he is as a wall of fire around his people, a munition of rocks;
his salvation is as walls and bulwarks, and his power as a garrison in which
they are kept. The psalmist adds,
whereunto I may continually resort; or "may go into
daily"F18לבוא תמיד
"ut ingrediar jugiter", Pagninus; so Junius & Tremellius,
Piscator. , in times of danger and distress, for safety; the name of the Lord
being a strong tower, whither the righteous run, and are safe, Proverbs 18:10; and
his perfections, his power, faithfulness, lovingkindness, and unchangeableness,
being as so many secret chambers, where they may enter into, and hide
themselves, till calamities are over, Psalm 57:1; and
every day indeed for food, for comfort, for refreshment and pleasure, through
communion with him; and God in Christ is always to be come at: Christ is the
way of access and acceptance; and through his blood, sacrifice, and
righteousness, the believer has boldness to enter into the holiest of all, and
go up to the seat of God, the throne of his grace; and even to enter into him
himself, who has been the dwelling place of his people in all generations, Psalm 90:1;
thou hast given commandment to save me; either to the
ministering angels, as Aben Ezra and Kimchi interpret it, comparing it with Psalm 91:11; or
rather to his Son, in the council and covenant of grace and peace; when he
enjoined him the salvation of his people, which he readily agreed to, and with
which David was acquainted, Psalm 40:7; of this
command our Lord speaks, John 10:18; and to
which he was obedient, Philemon 2:8; it
may respect David's salvation from present trouble, and his assurance of it,
believing that the Lord had determined it, and by his mighty power would effect
it; see Psalm 44:4;
for thou art my rock and my fortress; see Psalm 18:2.
Psalm 71:4 4 Deliver me, O my God, out
of the hand of the wicked, Out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
YLT
4O my God, cause me to
escape From the hand of the wicked, From the hand of the perverse and violent.
Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked,.... Meaning
Absalom his son, as Arama, who had risen up in rebellion against him; and he
may not only intend him, but all those wicked men that had joined with him: it
was David's mercy he had a covenant God to go to, and could claim his interest
in him, who had power to deliver him, and from whom he might expect it;
out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man; or
"leavened"F19חומץ "malitiae
fermento prorsus corrupti", Michaelis, "secundum", Gejerum &
Gussetium; so Ainsworth. ; a sour ill natured man; one leavened with malice and
wickedness: perhaps Ahithophel is intended. It may be applied to any wicked, lawless,
and tyrannical persecutor of God's people; and particularly to the lawless and
wicked one, the man of sin, the son of perdition, antichrist, 2 Thessalonians 2:4.
Psalm 71:5 5 For You are my hope, O
Lord GOD;
You are my trust from my youth.
YLT
5For Thou [art] my hope, O
Lord Jehovah, My trust from my youth.
For thou art my hope, O Lord God,.... The
object, ground, and foundation of it, even of present deliverance, and of
future and eternal salvation;
thou art my trust from
my youth; in whom he trusted in his youthful days, of which there is an
eminent instance in 1 Samuel 17:33.
Psalm 71:6 6 By You I have been upheld
from birth; You are He who took me out of my mother’s womb. My praise shall
be continually of You.
YLT
6By Thee I have been
supported from the womb, From my mother's bowels Thou dost cut me out, In Thee
[is] my praise continually.
By thee have I been holden up from the womb,.... Supported
in being, upheld in life, and sustained with food and raiment, and followed
with the mercies and blessings of life from thence to this present moment;
which the psalmist takes notice of, as he does of what goes before and follows
after, to encourage his faith and hope in God as to present deliverance;
thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels; See Gill on Psalm 22:9; the
Syriac version is, "thou art my hope from my mother's bowels"; the
Arabic version, "thou art my helper"; and the Septuagint and Vulgate
Latin versions, "thou art my protector"; the word is only used here,
and in Psalm 90:10; and is
there rendered "cut off"; the Lord was, as it were, his "cutter
off"F20נוזי "excisor meus",
Gejerus. ; that cut the navel string, and loosed him from his mother, and
safely brought him into the world, and preserved him ever since: wherefore he
adds,
my praise shall be continually of thee; as the God of
nature and providence; and also as the God of grace, who had blessed him both
with temporal and spiritual blessings; and these being continued with him, he
determines that God should be the subject of his praise always. The Targum is,
"in
thy Word my praise is continually.'
Psalm 71:7 7 I have become as a wonder
to many, But You are my strong refuge.
YLT
7As a wonder I have been to
many, And Thou [art] my strong refuge.
I am as a wonder unto many,.... To the multitude, to
the populace, or "to the great"F21לרבים
"multis vel magnis", Piscator; so Ainsworth. and mighty; and indeed
to both: which respects not his wonderful preservation from the womb, he had
before observed; nor his being in a wonderful manner raised to the throne of
Israel; nor the wonderful things and amazing exploits done by him, and
victories he obtained; nor the wonderful instances of divine grace and goodness
to him; but rather the forlorn and distressed state and condition he was now
in, being obliged to quit his palace, and flee from the face of his son,
accompanied only with a few of his servants; and so was a shocking sight, a
spectacle, as the apostle says of himself, to others, to the world, to angels,
and to men, 1 Corinthians 4:9;
so the Messiah and his children are said to be set for signs and wonders, Isaiah 8:18; and
Joshua and his fellows to be men wondered at, Zechariah 3:8; as
the saints are by themselves, that they should partake of such favours; and by
the angels, that they should be the objects of electing, redeeming, calling,
adopting, justifying, and pardoning grace; and by the world, that they should
choose to suffer affliction and reproach for Christ, bear it with so much
patience, and be supported, and thrive under it; see 2 Corinthians 6:8;
but thou art my strong refuge; or "my
refuge of strength"F23מחסי עז "refugium meum roboris", Gejerus. ; his refuge
and strength, as in Psalm 46:1; his
refuge, to which he betook himself, when refuge failed him, and no man cared
for him, and which he found to be a strong one, and in it safety.
Psalm 71:8 8 Let my mouth be filled with
Your praise And with Your glory all the day.
YLT
8Filled is my mouth [with]
Thy praise, All the day [with] Thy beauty.
Let my mouth be filled with thy praise,.... Or
"thy praise shall fill my mouth"F24ימלא
פי תהלתך ; which shows that
his heart was affected with the goodness of God to him, and that he had a deep
impression and sense of it upon him; for out of the abundance of the heart the
mouth speaks; and for the mouth to be filled with the praise of God, is to
speak largely, publicly, and with great delight, in the praise of God, his
divine perfections and benefits;
and with thy honour all
the day; the excellency of his nature, the glory of his majesty, the
honour due unto him, on account of his being, attributes, and blessings of
providence and grace; a work to be employed in all the day, evening, morning,
and at noon; as often as prayer is made to God, praise, honour, and glory,
should be given him; since his mercies are new every morning, and they continue
all the day long; his goodness endures for ever.
Psalm 71:9 9 Do not cast me off in the
time of old age; Do not forsake me when my strength fails.
YLT
9Cast me not off at the time
of old age, According to the consumption of my power forsake me not.
Cast me not off in the time of old age,.... The Lord
never casts off nor casts away his people, whom he foreknew; they are near unto
him; they are on his heart, and are engraven on the palms of his hands; and
they shall never be removed from his heart's love, nor out of his arms, nor out
of his covenant, and shall always be the objects of his care: he bears and
carries them to old age, and even to hoary hairs: the Lord had been the guide
of David's youth, and his trust then, Psalm 71:5; and now
he desires he would be the staff of his old age; at which age he was when
Absalom rebelled against him;
forsake me not when my strength faileth: as it does
when old age comes on; then the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong
men bow themselves, and especially at death, when flesh and heart fail; but God
will never forsake his people, neither in youth nor in old age, neither in life
nor at death.
Psalm 71:10 10 For my enemies speak
against me; And those who lie in wait for my life take counsel together,
YLT
10For mine enemies have
spoken against me, And those watching my soul have taken counsel together,
For mine enemies speak against, me,.... Or "say unto
me"F25אמרו לי
"dixerunt mihi", Montanus. what is expressed in the following verse,
"God hath forsaken him"; and so these words are a reason of the above
petitions: or "mine enemies speak to me"; or "of me"F26"De
me loquuti sunt, vel loquuntur", Tigurine version, Junius &
Tremellius, Gejerus, Michaelis. ; not good, but evil, and so the Targum
paraphrases it,
"for
mine enemies speak evil against me;'
or
concerning me. David had his enemies, and many, as Ahithophel, and others, who
spake against him to the people, and thereby drew many with them into rebellion
against him; and particularly Shimei spoke against him, and cursed him, calling
him a bloody man, a man of Belial, 2 Samuel 16:7;
and they that lay wait for my soul; or "life";
that laid snares for him; or lay in ambush, and sought for an opportunity to
take away his life: or "they that keep my soul", or "life"F1שמרי נפשי "custodientes
animam meam", Pagninus, Montanus; "custodiebant", V. L. ; that
were his bodyguards that were about his person for the preservation of him; and
so the Targum seems to understand it;
take counsel together; lay schemes and form
plots how to destroy him, as Ahithophel did, 2 Samuel 16:20.
Psalm 71:11 11 Saying, “God has forsaken
him; Pursue and take him, for there is none to deliver him.”
YLT
11Saying, `God hath forsaken
him, Pursue and catch him, for there is no deliverer.'
Saying, God hath forsaken him,.... Good men may seem to
others to be forsaken of God; and they themselves may sometimes think they are;
and they may be forsaken for a small moment, when God withdraws his gracious
presence, or does not afford immediate help; but never finally and totally.
This David's enemies concluded, from the distressed condition he was in, being
obliged to leave his family and court, and flee from his son, and wander up and
down with a small retinue; and this they said to one another, to encourage
themselves to lay violent hands upon him, which they thought they might do with
ease and impunity; wherefore it follows,
persecute and take him; pursue after him eagerly
and diligently; lose no time; and, when come up to him, seize upon him, without
any fear of God or man;
for there is none to deliver him; out of our
hands. God will not, for he has forsaken him; and men cannot, for he has not an
army sufficient to defend him or recover him.
Psalm 71:12 12 O God, do not be far from
me; O my God, make haste to help me!
YLT
12O God, be not far from me,
O my God, for my help make haste.
O God, be not far from me,.... God is everywhere,
at hand and afar off, with regard to his being, power, and providence; his
glorious presence is in heaven, his gracious presence is with his people; but,
when he hides his face, he seems to be at a distance; and this they cannot
bear, and therefore deprecate it; see Psalm 10:1;
O my God, make haste for my help; he knew that his help
was in God, and that there was none for him elsewhere; and that he could help
him when none else could, and was a present help in time of trouble; and it
being such a time with him, and his case desperate, he desires the Lord that he
would make haste; and he addresses him as his own God, the consideration of
which encouraged his faith and hope in him, and carried in it an argument to
help him; see Psalm 119:94.
Psalm 71:13 13 Let them be confounded and
consumed Who are adversaries of my life; Let them be covered with
reproach and dishonor Who seek my hurt.
YLT
13They are ashamed, they are
consumed, Who are opposing my soul, They are covered [with] reproach and
blushing, Who are seeking my evil,
Let them be confounded,.... See Psalm 70:2;
and consumed; like smoke;
see Psalm 37:20; as
antichrist will be with the breath of Christ's mouth, and the brightness of his
coming, 2 Thessalonians 2:8;
that are adversaries to my soul; that hated him with a
diabolical hatred, as the devil hates the souls of men, and who has his name "Satan"
from the word here used; all wicked men are Satans, full of enmity against God,
and all good men; and such were David's enemies, spiteful and malicious, and
nothing would satisfy them but his life;
let them be covered with reproach and dishonour; as with a
garment:
that seek my hurt; see Psalm 35:26; as
Absalom and his company; so Arama.
Psalm 71:14 14 But I will hope
continually, And will praise You yet more and more.
YLT
14And I continually do wait
with hope, And have added unto all Thy praise.
Verse 14
But I will hope continually,.... For deliverance and
salvation from present outward troubles, for; more grace here and glory
hereafter: it is the excellency of the grace of hope to be exercised in times
of affliction and distress, and with Abraham to believe in hope against hope;
and then it is that this grace is eminently and remarkably useful: it is an
anchor to the soul when in distress, which keeps it firm and steadfast; and an
helmet, which covers the head in the day of battle; in the exercise of which
the believer glories in tribulation: it is an abiding grace, and should be
continually exercised by those that have it, which is to abound in it; but this
must be through the power of the Holy Ghost, Romans 15:13;
and will yet praise thee more and more; or "will
add to all thy praise"F2והוספתי על כל תהלתך
"omnibus laudibus tuis adjiciam", Tigurine version. ; to former
praises and thanksgivings, fresh ones, as his mercies were renewed to him, and
he was daily loaded with benefits.
Psalm 71:15 15 My mouth shall tell of
Your righteousness And Your salvation all the day, For I do not know their
limits.
YLT
15My mouth recounteth Thy
righteousness, All the day Thy salvation, For I have not known the numbers.
My mouth shall show forth thy righteousness,.... Both his
punitive justice in taking vengeance on his enemies, agreeably to the above
imprecations; and his faithfulness in the performance of promises of good
things unto him; as also his essential righteousness displayed and glorified in
the redemption that is by Christ; and particularly the righteousness of Christ,
accepted of God, and imputed by him; which the psalmist with his mouth declared
his faith in, expressed his joy at, and set forth in a strong manner the glory
and excellency of it, and determined to make mention of it, and of that only,
as in Psalm 71:16;
and thy salvation all the day; both temporal
and eternal; the glory of both, and praise for the same;
for I know not the numbers thereof; of that
righteousness and salvation, the numerous blessings which are contained in
them; see Psalm 40:5; or
"though I know not the numbers of them"F3כי "quamvis", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator,
Gejerus; So Ainsworth. ; though he could not fully declare the glories and
excellencies of the righteousness and salvation of God, and the numerous
mercies and rich grace included in them; yet he would attempt to set them forth
in the best way he could, though in a feeble and imperfect manner.
Psalm 71:16 16 I will go in the strength
of the Lord GOD;
I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.
YLT
16I come in the might of the
Lord Jehovah, I mention Thy righteousness -- Thine only.
I will go in the strength of the Lord God,.... Go on
praising him, as he had determined to do in the preceding verses; not in his
own strength, knowing that his heart was not always disposed aright or prepared
and fit for such service; and that though the daily continuance of favours
required constant praise, yet he needed always the aids of divine grace to
raise his affection and song: or "I will go into the strengths of the Lord
God"F4בגברות "in
fortitudines", Montanus; "in potentias", V. L. Vatablus. ; the
power of God is expressed in the plural number, to show the greatness of it,
which is as a garrison to the believer; see 1 Peter 1:5; a
strong hold, a strong tower, a strong habitation, as in Psalm 71:3; into
which he goes by faith, and is there safe, in all times of distress and danger:
or the sense is, that he would go into the house of God, the temple and
sanctuary, and in his strength perform the duties of public worship there; and
it may include all religious actions, private and public, and every, spiritual
undertaking; which ought to be attempted and performed, not in our own
strength, but in the strength of the Lord: man is become, through sin, a weak
and impotent creature; though he is very hard to be brought to a sense and
acknowledgment of his weakness; true believers are sensible of it, and own it;
and such, knowing that there is a sufficiency of strength in Christ for them,
look and go to him for it; to do otherwise, to attempt to do anything in our
own strength, betrays our weakness, folly, and vanity, and is dangerous,
attended with bad consequences, and never succeeds well: the Apostle Peter is
an instance of this, Matthew 26:33;
I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine
only; and that before the Lord himself: not his own righteousness,
which he knew would not justify him in his sight, nor render him acceptable to
him; nor furnish out a plea or argument why he should receive any favour from
him; and therefore resolves not to mention it; but the righteousness of Christ,
which is the righteousness of God, which he approves of, accepts, and imputes.
This is a pure, perfect, and spotless righteousness, which God is well pleased
with; honours his law, satisfies his justice, and so justifies in his sight;
and renders person and service acceptable to him; and therefore with great
pleasure and boldness, may be mentioned unto as it should be to Christ himself
also; by ascribing it to him, as the author of it; by expressing a desire to be
found in it; to have faith of interest in it, and joy on account of it; and by
owning him openly and freely as the Lord our righteousness: and we should make
mention of it to others, in praise of it; extolling it as the righteousness of
God, and not a creature; and so sufficient to justify many, even all the seed
of Israel; as the best robe of righteousness, better than the best of man's,
better than Adam's in innocence, or than the angels' in heaven; as a law
honouring and justice satisfying one, and as an everlasting one. And we should
put ourselves in mind of it, and, by repeated acts of faith, put it on as our
justifying righteousness; since much of our joy, peace, and comfort, depend
upon it. And this, and this only, is to be made mention of; it is only in the
Lord that there is righteousness: as there is salvation in him, and in no
other, so there is righteousness in him, and in no other; wherefore no other is
to be mentioned along with it: justification is not partly by Christ's
righteousness, and partly by our own; but only by his, and through faith in it;
see Romans 9:32.
Psalm 71:17 17 O God, You have taught me
from my youth; And to this day I declare Your wondrous works.
YLT
17God, Thou hast taught me
from my youth, And hitherto I declare Thy wonders.
O God, thou hast taught me from my youth,.... The
corruption of human nature; the weakness and impotence of it, to everything
that is spiritually good; and the need of continual strength and grace from
Christ, to go to him for righteousness and strength, life and salvation, and to
walk by faith on him; the doctrine of justification by the righteousness of Christ,
and the insufficiency of his own; the will, ways, and worship of God; and all
the duties of religion, prayer, praise, &c. and whoever were the
instruments, or whatever were the means, of teaching David these things, he
ascribes it to God. Whether his parents, or the priests and Levites, taught him
the sacrifices and ordinances of the law, it was the Lord that blessed
instructions to him; and that taught him by providences and precepts, and by
his Holy Spirit. And a wonderful blessing it is to be taught of God, and not of
men, things relating both to doctrine and practice; and it is an addition to it
to be taught these things early, as David was from his youth; and therefore the
Lord was so soon the object of his faith and trust, Psalm 71:5; and, as
Timothy, from a child, was acquainted with the holy Scriptures, and the things
contained in them, which are able to make wise unto salvation, Isaiah 29:13;
and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works: not only of
nature and providence, but of grace; the treasuring up of all grace, and the
blessings of it in Christ; the work of redemption by him; the work of
regeneration and conversion by his Spirit; and the perseverance of the saints
by his grace and strength; which are all wonderful and amazing. And as the
psalmist saw his interest in these things, and had an experience of them, he
declared them to others for their encouragement, and to the glory of all the
three Persons; see Psalm 66:16.
Psalm 71:18 18 Now also when I am
old and grayheaded, O God, do not forsake me, Until I declare Your strength to this
generation, Your power to everyone who is to come.
YLT
18And also unto old age and
grey hairs, O God, forsake me not, Till I declare Thy strength to a generation,
To every one that cometh Thy might.
Now also, when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not,.... A
repetition of his request, Psalm 71:9; with a
reason annexed to it, suggested in the following words:
until I have showed thy strength unto this generation; or,
"thine arm"F5זרועך
"brachium tuum", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version, Junius
& Tremellius, Piscator, &c. ; which sometimes the Messiah, Isaiah 53:1; who is
the power of by whom he made the worlds, and in whom all things consist; and
who has wrought out the salvation people; and is the arm on which they lean,
and they are upheld. And the psalmist may be thought to desire that he might be
continued a little longer, and be favoured with the presence of God, and the
influences of his Spirit and grace; that he might show forth in prophecy, both
by word and writing, to the men of the then present age, more things concerning
the person, office, and grace of Christ; his sufferings, death, resurrection
from the dead, and session at the right hand of God; things which are spoken of
in the book of Psalms. Sometimes the arm of the Lord denotes his power and
strength, Psalm 44:3; and so
it may be taken here; and the next clause seems to be an explanation of it:
and thy power; or "even
thy power",
to everyone that is to come; that is, to come into
the world, that is to be born into it; namely, the power of God, not only in
creating all things out of nothing, and supporting what is made; but in the
redemption of men, in the conversion of sinners, and in the preservation of the
saints, and in enabling them to hold on and out unto the end: and which is
shown forth by the psalmist in what he has committed to writing; and which
continue, and will continue, to the end of the world, for the instruction of
those that come into it; see Psalm 22:31.
Psalm 71:19 19 Also Your righteousness, O
God, is very high, You who have done great things; O God, who is
like You?
YLT
19And Thy righteousness, O
God, [is] unto the heights, Because Thou hast done great things, O God, who
[is] like Thee?
Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high,.... Or,
"unto the place on high"F6עד
מרום "usque in excelsum", Pagninus,
Montanus, Gejerus; "in altum usque", Junius & Tremellius,
Piscator. ; it reaches unto heaven, as the mercy, truth, and faithfulness of
God, are said to do, Psalm 36:5. The
righteousness of Christ is accepted of with God the Father in heaven; it is in
Christ, who is there at the right hand of God; and it is higher and infinitely
above any righteousness of a creature, angel's or man's;
who hast done great things; in nature, in forming
the world out of nothing, and in upholding all creatures in their beings; in
providence, in governing the world, and ordering all things in it for the best,
and to answer the wisest purposes; in grace, in the salvation of lost sinners
by Christ; in the justification of them by his righteousness; and in the
atonement and pardon of their sins, through his blood and sacrifice; in the
regeneration of them by his grace; in making and performing exceeding great and
precious promises, and in giving them eternal life;
O God, who is like unto thee? either for greatness or
goodness; for power or for mercy; for justice, truth, and faithfulness; for the
perfections of his nature, or the works of his hands; and to be praised,
reverenced and adored, as he is; see Psalm 89:6.
Psalm 71:20 20 You,
who have shown me great and severe troubles, Shall revive me again, And bring
me up again from the depths of the earth.
YLT
20Because Thou hast showed me
many and sad distresses, Thou turnest back -- Thou revivest me, And from the
depths of the earth, Thou turnest back -- Thou bringest me up.
Thou, which hast
showed me great and sore troubles,.... Or, "made him
to see"F7הראיתנו "fecisti me
videre", Vatablus, Cocceius, Gejerus; "videre et experiri fecisti
nos", Michaelis. ; that is, to experience. David had his troubles, and
these were great, both as to quantity and quality; and very grievous and hard
to be borne, and were very trying and afflictive: some outward, such as he
endured when persecuted by Saul; and afterwards in his own family, though the
incest of Ammon, the murder of him by Absalom, and Absalom's rebellion against
him; the curses of Shimei, and the bickerings of the sons of Zeruiah; with many
others: and some inward, arising from the corruptions of his heart, the hidings
of God's face, and the temptations of Satan. His experience of all which he
ascribes, not to instruments or second causes, but to God himself; who had
either laid them upon him, or suffered them to befall him, for wise ends of his
glory, and his servant's good. There is in this clause and the following, a
"Keri" and a "Cetib"; according to the "Cetib", or
writing in the text, it is, "who hast showed us"; and so the Targum
renders it: but according to the "Keri" in the margin, and the
points, it is as we read; so it is in the Septuagint and Oriental versions, and
both may be retained; for David's troubles, and those of other saints, are much
the same;
shalt quicken me again; either raise him from so
great a death of afflictions, in which he seemed to be as a dead man, both by
himself and others, to a more comfortable and happy state and condition, in
which he might live more free from vexation and trouble: or, in a spiritual
sense, quicken him, being dead and lifeless, in the exercise of grace, and
discharge of duty; which is usually done by the word and ordinances, and to
purpose, by the discoveries of the love of God, which excite grace, and animate
to duty. And this is God's work, and may be called a quickening again in
distinction from the first quickening, when dead in trespasses and sins;
and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth; expressive of
a very low estate, either of body or mind, into which he had been brought; see Psalm 130:1. Could
the psalm be understood of Christ, this and the preceding clause might be
applied to his resurrection from the dead; see Ephesians 4:9; and
to the resurrection of the saints; on which the faith of Christ and his people
is exercised,
Psalm 71:21 21 You shall increase my
greatness, And comfort me on every side.
YLT
21Thou dost increase my
greatness, And Thou surroundest -- Thou comfortest me,
Thou shalt increase my greatness,.... His temporal
greatness, as he did, by crushing the rebellion of his son; returning him to
his palace and family; and giving him rest from his enemies all around: and his
spiritual greatness, by favouring him with his presence; by shedding abroad his
love in his heart; by enlarging his experience; increasing his faith, causing
his love to abound, and him to grow in every grace, and in the knowledge of
Christ;
and comfort me on every side; by his Spirit, word, and
ordinances; by his truths and promises; with his rod and staff; and with mercy,
grace, and lovingkindness. The phrase denotes the abundance of comfort, which
should come as it were from every quarter, and encompass him about.
Psalm 71:22 22 Also with the lute I will
praise You—And Your faithfulness, O my God! To You I will sing with the
harp, O Holy One of Israel.
YLT
22I also thank Thee with a
vessel of psaltery, Thy truth, O my God, I sing to Thee with a harp, O Holy One
of Israel,
I will also praise thee with the psaltery,.... An
instrument of music; See Gill on Psalm 33:2;
even thy truth, O
my God; that is, his faithfulness in fulfilling his promises, which is
never suffered to fail;
unto thee will I sing with the harp; another instrument of
music; and both typical of the spiritual melody in the heart, which believers
make in praising the Lord, when they sing the Lamb's new song; see Revelation 14:2;
O thou Holy One of Israel; the God of Israel, that
dwells among them, and sanctifies them; and who is essentially and perfectly
holy in himself, and in all his ways and works; the remembrance of which
occasions praise and thankfulness, Psalm 97:12.
Psalm 71:23 23 My lips shall greatly
rejoice when I sing to You, And my soul, which You have redeemed.
YLT
23My lips cry aloud when I
sing praise to Thee, And my soul that Thou hast redeemed,
My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee,.... Both with
vocal and instrumental music; this is praising the Lord with joyful lips, Psalm 63:5;
and my soul, which thou hast redeemed; signifying
that it would not be lip labour, or bodily service, only that he should
perform; but that his heart would go along with his lips in praise; and that
under a sense of redeeming love, than which nothing can more strongly engage in
such work, Psalm 103:1. For
the redemption of the soul is exceeding precious; being the contrivance of
infinite wisdom, the fruit of divine grace, and owing to the blood and
sacrifice of Christ.
Psalm 71:24 24 My tongue also shall talk
of Your righteousness all the day long;
For they are confounded, For they are brought to shame Who
seek my hurt.
YLT
24My tongue also all the day
uttereth Thy righteousness, Because ashamed -- because confounded, Have been
those seeking my evil!
My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long,.... See Gill
on Psalm 71:16;
for they are confounded; his adversaries, for
whose confusion he prayed, Psalm 71:13;
for they are brought unto shame that seek my hurt; as Absalom
and Ahithophel, being both brought to a shameful end.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》