Psalms 71:12

_O GOD, BE NOT FAR FROM ME: O MY GOD, MAKE HASTE FOR MY HELP._ O God, be not far from me - (Psalms 22:11.) O MY GOD, MAKE HASTE FOR MY HELP - (Psalms 40:13.)...

12._O God! be not far from me. _It is scarcely possible to express how severe and hard a temptation it was to David, when he knew that the wicked entertained the persuasion that he was rejected of God. They did not without consideration circulate this report; but after having seemed wisely to weigh all circumstances, they gave their judgment on the point as of a thing which was placed beyond all dispute. It was therefore an evidence of heroic fortitude on the part of David, (110) thus to rise superior to their perverse judgments, and, in the face of them all, to assure himself that God would be gracious to him, and to betake himself familiarly to him. Nor is it to be doubted that, in calling God _his God, _he makes use of this as a means of defending himself from this hard and grievous assault....

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....

O GOD, BE NOT FAR FROM ME - See the notes at Psalms 22:11. O MY GOD, MAKE HASTE FOR MY HELP - See the notes at Psalms 40:13....

EXPOSITION Psalms 71:1 is, like so many others, a psalm divided between complaint and praise. It is comparatively wanting in originality, being, to a very great extent, an echo of other psalms, especially Psalms 22:1, Psalms 31:1, Psalms 35:1, and Psalms 40:1. Complaint, mingled with prayer, occupies the first half (Psalms 40:1); praise and thanksgiving the second (Psa 40:14 -24). The authorship of the psalm is very doubtful, as it has no "title," and fe

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 Psalms 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 Psalms 119:94

Psalms 71:1. _In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion._ There is his trust, and there is his fear; his trust he dares to avow, his fear he turns into a prayer. Psalms 71:2. _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._ «Be thou my strong habitation whereunto I may continually resort.» Not merely now and then a hiding-place in emergency, but my constant abode, my home, so that from morning to night I may come to thee, and feel myself secure. «Thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.» You see he knows that God has

Psalms 71 Israel's Song of Hope _ 1. Declaration of trust (Psalms 71:1)_ 2. Anticipations of faith (Psalms 71:12) 3. Revival and victory (Psalms 71:19) This Psalm, which bears no inscription whatever, gives another prophetic picture of the faith and the anticipations of faith as found in the godly of Israel, when the salvation is about to come out of Zion. They look to Him who is all sufficient to deliver and to save them. The Psalm may well be called Israel's song of hope. It abounds in many beautiful, refreshing statements, equally precious to us....

LXXI. A PSALM OF GRATITUDE FOR GOD'S CONSTANT CARE OF HIS SERVANT FROM YOUTH TO OLD AGE. The Psalmist expresses himself in language borrowed from older sources. PSALMS 71:1. Quoted from Psalms 31. Use is also made of Psalms 22. But the Psalmist is a man of original power, and the Ps. has a definite character of its own. He has powerful enemies and has been brought to death's door, but he is full of trust that God, who has led him from his infancy, will lead him to the end. He is already growing old. The writer cannot be speaking in the name of Israel (see Psalms 71:9). Psalms 71:6_ c_. Read, my hope shall be continually in thee....

Repeated deprecations and prayers....