Lord’s Day, Vol. 8 No. 45
Thou Art My Hope
Psalm 71:5 For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.
The psalmist declares that the Lord God is his hope. And he declares it by experience that his God has been his hope for many years, since the time of his youth. There is certainty for one who anchor his life in God. “Hope” for the psalmist means “certainty”. He declares in Psalm 71:1 In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion. Faith in God brings certainty to the psalmist’s life. It takes away confusion. God’s Word provides the needful guide to direct our paths therefore we navigate with certainty through life under the guidance of God.
The psalmist is now in his old age – Psalm 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. He continues to hope in God. He seeks the Lord’s help to guide him so that he may continue to declare the faithfulness of God in his life to the present generation and those to the generation to come. He writes his “memoirs” as it were.
(1) Our Source of Hope
This psalm is a testimony that all who hope in God will not be disappointed. Through all the trials and testing of life, the psalmist declared, “thou art my rock and my fortress.” Rock and Fortress are used together to refer to God as the psalmist’s shelter, protection and deliverer. There was stability in life as he lean upon God continually through prayer throughout his life – Psalm 71:3 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. God has undertaken to care for him and He will be true to His promise because all-power is with Him.
God answers his prayer. He has been the psalmist’s help. Therefore, he declared in Psalm 71:14 But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more. His experience has been that God has continually been his able Helper. He found God most reliable and trustworthy As such, his heart is filled with praise and thanksgiving towards Him – Psalm 71:15 My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the
day; for I know not the numbers thereof. He lost count of the times that God helped him, he is filled with grateful adoration toward his God.
He calls Him “Lord” meaning “Master”. He willingly submit to God as the Determiner of his life. It was his Lord who gave him the gift of physical life – Psalm 71:6 By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother’s bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee. And it is his Lord who gave him the gift of spiritual life, that is, redeeming his soul – Psalm 71:23 My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed. The psalmist’s sins has been dealt with by his God, whom he addressed as “the Holy One of Israel” – Psalm 71:22 I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel. He extols the righteousness of God – Psalm 71:19 Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!
(2) Our Strength for Tomorrow
He looks ahead of life, hopeful, full of hope. He has full confidence in his Lord God to care for him even in his old age. All else may fail in the world around him but God has continually and increasing strengthen and comfort him, reminding him of His unceasing care for him – Psalm 71:21 Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.
We need to be reminded of our privilege as believers that we have a great God who loves us and we are his precious people. He will not leave us nor forsake us. We should continue to hope in Him, find strength in Him.
The secret of strength with God is to spend time in the study and meditation of His Word, knowing Him more and more, deeper and deeper. It is to spend time in fellowship with Him through prayer.
As we mature toward old age, let us not only hid God’s Word in our minds but more importantly in the heart. When we can no longer see so well, read so well, listen so well, we can find Him in the depths of our heart. Let us take time to meditate and memorize Scripture. In this psalm, there are several golden verses that I would recommend for your careful study:
Psalm 71:3 Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou artmy rock and my fortress.
Psalm 71:8-9 Let my mouth be filled withthy praise and withthy honour all the day. 9 Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.
Psalm 71:14 But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.
Psalm 71:16 I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.
Psalm 71:23 My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.
May He comfort our hearts. Amen.
Yours lovingly,
Pastor Lek Aik Wee