Psalms 71:12-16 (ESV)
O God, be not far from me;
O my God, make haste to help me!
May my accusers be put to shame and consumed;
with scorn and disgrace may they be covered
who seek my hurt.
But I will hope continually
and will praise you yet more and more.
My mouth will tell of your righteous acts,
of your deeds of salvation all the day,
for their number is past my knowledge.
With the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD I will come;
I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.
Old age has many challenges. Psalms 71 is a song written by an old person and for old people. Note:
Psalms 71:9 (ESV)
Do not cast me off in the time of old age;
forsake me not when my strength is spent.
Psalms 71:18 (ESV)
So even to old age and gray hairs,
O God, do not forsake me,
until I proclaim your might to another generation,
your power to all those to come.
By the time you get to old age, you do gather accusers, as the above section of the song tells us. When you get older you can bet on finding people who will, at some point, scorn you. In old age you will find someone who wants to hurt you. That sounds so grim. But, the above psalm is also full of hope. The response of the aged is to:
1. Hope continually in God’s power.
2. Praise more and more.
3. Tell of God’s righteous acts.
4. Tell all God’s deeds every day.
5. Recognize that we can’t count God’s marvelous deeds and great acts of love.
The writers final answer toward those who would hurt him and accuse him and those who are out to destroy him is to ... I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.
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