Psalm 71: Tell of His Wonderful Works!

​Key Verse
15 My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge.
 
Meditation
No matter what your predicament, here is a prescription: Share the faithful deeds of the Lord to strengthen your soul and fortify your faith.
 
King David wrote Psalm 71 in his “old age,” (9) petitioning God to pummel his enemies as he praised God for His victory. This trajectory is evidenced by the first and last verses of today’s reading, “let me not be put to shame” (1) transformed to praise: “my tongue will tell of your righteous help… for (my enemies) have been put to shame…” (24).  God alone is our rock and refuge (1-3) whom we trust to rescue us (4-6). God is our strength (7-11) and hope in time of need (12-14).
 
The pivot from petition to praise is proclamation of the Lord’s righteous acts (15-19). God has been faithful. God will be faithful. God has protected and provided. God will protect and provide. God will resurrect the soul who celebrates His covenant faithfulness (20). God will increase His greatness (21) and lead us to praise (22), joy (23), and security (24). God’s sovereign grace compels us to tell of His righteous help all day long (24)! Sharing God’s faithfulness by celebrating His wonderful works transforms struggles into singing.
 
God has taken what the enemy intended for evil and used it for good. And God will do it again. 
 
Share the faithful deeds of the Lord to strengthen your soul and fortify your faith through seasons of struggle. Tell the great works of our faithful God to revive your heart and move from pain to praise.
 
Today’s Reading
In you, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame! 2 In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; incline your ear to me, and save me!
3 Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. 4 Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.

5 For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth. 6 Upon you I have leaned from before my birth; you are he who took me from my mother's womb. My praise is continually of you. 7 I have been as a portent to many, but you are my strong refuge. 8 My mouth is filled with your praise, and with your glory all the day.
9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength is spent.

10 For my enemies speak concerning me; those who watch for my life consult together 11 and say, “God has forsaken him; pursue and seize him, for there is none to deliver him.”
 
12 O God, be not far from me; O my God, make haste to help me! 13 May my accusers be put to shame and consumed; with scorn and disgrace may they be covered who seek my hurt. 14 But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more. 15 My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge. 16 With the mighty deeds of the Lord God I will come; I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.
 
17 O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. 18 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.
 
19 Your righteousness, O God, reaches the high heavens. You who have done great things, O God, who is like you? 20 You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again. 21 You will increase my greatness and comfort me again. 22 I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praises to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel.

23 My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed.24 And my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long,
for they have been put to shame and disappointed who sought to do me hurt.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially the focus on proclaiming the righteous actions of the Lord?
 
-Do you tell of the faithfulness of the Lord to others? Why or why not? Does this lead you to focus more on your pain and problems than His personal love and care for you?
 
-Which promises of Psalm 71 are most inviting to you, empowering you to share the faithfulness of God with others?
 

Key Verse
15 My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge.