Psalms 71:18

_NOW ALSO WHEN I AM OLD AND GRAYHEADED, O GOD, FORSAKE ME NOT; UNTIL I HAVE SHEWED THY STRENGTH UNTO THIS GENERATION, AND THY POWER TO EVERY ONE THAT IS TO COME._ Now also when I am old and grey-headed, O God, forsake me not - Hebrew, 'And even unto old age and hoar hairs;' to which Isaiah 46:3 refers. He repeats the prayer of Psalms 71:9, with the beautiful variation which brings into view God's strength as supporting the petitioner's failing strength - "forsake me not when MY strength faileth" (Psalms 71:9). FORSAKE ME NOT, UNTIL I HAVE SHOWED THY STRENGTH - literally, 'thy arm,' not my arm (Psalms 44:3)....

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 promi...

Verse Psalms 71:18. _OLD AND GREY-HEADED_] In the _ninth_ verse Psalms 71:9 he mentioned the circumstance of _old age_; here he _repeats_ it, with the addition of _hoary-headedness_, which, humanly speaking, was calculated to make a deeper impression in his favour. Though all these things are well known to God, and he needs not our information, yet he is pleased to say, "Come now, and let us _reason_ together." And when his children plead and reason with him, they are acting precisely as he has commanded....

NOW ALSO WHEN I AM OLD AND GREY-HEADED - Margin, “unto old age and grey hairs.” This does not necessarily mean that he was then actually old and grey-headed, but it would imply that he was approaching that period, or that he had it in prospect. The time of youth was past, and he was approaching old age. The literal rendering would be, “And also unto old age and grey hairs, do not forsake me.” This is the prayer of one who had been favored in youth, and in all his former course of life, and who now asked that God would continue his mercy, and not forsake him when the infirmities of age drew on. FORSAKE ME NOT - Still keep me alive. Give me health, and strength, and ability to set forth thy praise, and to make known thy truth. See the notes at Psalms 71:9. Until I have showed thy stre

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

NOW ALSO, WHEN I AM OLD AND GRAYHEADED, O GOD, FORSAKE ME NOT,.... A repetition of his request, Psalms 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" e; 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 Chri

This Psalm, written by an old man, is specially suitable for an old man. It is numbered seventy-one, and it may suit those who have reached that age; but it is also appropriate to us all in prospect of the days of feebleness that will come to us, sooner or later, if we are spared to grow old. Psalms 71:1. _In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion._ «Stand by me, O Lord, for I only stand as thou upholdest me; and if thou shouldest leave me, after I have trusted in thee, what could I say or do? Therefore, O Jehovah, since I put my trust in thee, ‘let me never be put to confusion.'» Psalms 71:2. _Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape:_ «I am like a poor dove taken in a net, I cannot get away. Stretch out thine hand,

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....

NOW ALSO. Yea also. WHEN. AM OLD AND GRAYHEADED. to old age and gray hairs. THY STRENGTH. Thine arm; "arm" being put by Figure of speech _Metonymy_ (of Cause), App-6, for the wonders wrought by it. EVERY ONE THAT IS TO COME.. special reading called. Sevir (App-34) reads "all who are to come"....