Psalms 71:6

_FOR THOU ART MY HOPE, O LORD GOD: THOU ART MY TRUST FROM MY YOUTH._ -The prayer in Psalms 71:4 is followed, first, by the basis on which it rests (Psalms 71:5); then by an expanded form of it (Psalms 71:9). Verse 5. FOR THOU ART MY HOPE - i:e., my object of hope (Psalms 40:4). O LORD GOD - _ 'ADONAAY_ (H136) _ YAHWEH_ (H3068), implying a fullness of power, dominion, and unchangeable faithfulness, which fits Him for being his constant trust. MY TRUST FROM MY YOUTH. He does not hereby commend his

6._Upon thee have I been sustained from the womb. _This verse corresponds with the preceding, except that David proceeds farther. He not only celebrates the goodness of God which he had experienced from his childhood, but also those proofs of it which he had received previous to his birth. An almost similar confession is contained in Psalms 22:9, by which is magnified the wonderful power and inestimable goodness of God in the generation of men, the way and manner of which would be altogether incredible, were it not a fact with which we are quite familiar. If we are astonished at that part of the history of the flood, in which Moses declares (Genesis 8:13) that Noah and his household lived ten months amidst the offensive nuisance produced by so many living creatures, when he could not draw the breath of life, have we not equal

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....

BY THEE HAVE I BEEN HOLDEN UP FROM THE WOMB - From the beginning of my existence. The “idea” in all this is, that, since God had sustained him from his earliest years - since he had shown his power in keeping him, and manifested his care for him, there was ground to pray that God would keep him still, and that he would guard him as old age came on. The sentiment in this verse is substantially the same as in Psalms 22:9. See the notes at that passage. MY PRAISE SHALL BE CONTINUALLY OF THEE - My praise shall ascend to thee constantly. I will not cease to praise thee. Compare the notes at Psalms 22:25....

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

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; Psalms 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 Psalms 90:10; and is there rendered "cut off"; the Lord was, as it were, his "cutter off" t; that cut the navel string, and loosed him from his m

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....

FROM THE WOMB. Compare Jeremiah 1:5. Some have supposed that this Psalm was written by Jeremiah. See note on Psalms 71:22. But even then it points to Christ....