Psalm for a Dark Night: Psalm 71
It is no question that every person that is living or has ever lived, goes through trials in his life…Christians are not excluded
The question is, how will a Christian handle those trials when they come
David wrote most of the book of Psalms that you have in your Bible, and most scholars agree that Psalm 71 is one of those Psalms…so I’m approaching the study of this Psalm from that perspective
David had his share of trials in life and we can learn from David how he handled those trials
- Trials come from many turns in life
For example:
- Wicked people who don’t like us
We find that in v4:
Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.
David had many foes that opposed him and fought against him
The word “cruel” in v4 is the root word for “leaven” that means something that grows and spreads
When someone has it out for you or is opposing you, it is easy for their opposition to grow as they convince others to oppose you as well
There were people who didn’t like David, even his sons… and they were always gathering a mob of people around them to go up against David
May have happened to you at one point or another: someone spreads rumors and lies about you to damage you and benefit them
- Old age with an uncertain future
Psalm 71:9 (ESV)
Do not cast me off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength is spent.
Trials come our way simply because we are getting older
Infirmities, sicknesses, lack of mobility and the ability to care for yourself
Affliction in old age is no respecter of persons; Christian or not
We are people before we are anything else, and all people suffer trials in the latter stages of life
And then we have:
- Unfaithful friends that turn on us
Psalm 71:10–11 (ESV)
For my enemies speak concerning me; those who watch for my life consult together and say, “God has forsaken him; pursue and seize him, for there is none to deliver him.”
In v10-13, David speaks of being opposed in his role as king
His friends see that he is going through trials and they presume that God has forsaken him
As I said a minute ago, even David’s own sons turned against him
Terrible hurt can come from those who called themselves our friends and when we get into trouble, they turn from us
Something dies in us when we are faced with this kind of unfaithfulness between friends, even worse when it’s family as was in David’s case
And then sometimes our trials come from God
- Trials that come from a God who loves us
Psalm 71:20 (ESV)
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.
Sometimes God allows trials and troubles in our life…we need to get hold of that
Sometimes he allows us to go through trouble to make us wiser and stronger
At times, God sends trials our way to put us in a position of needing Him, first and foremost
Maybe we haven’t been putting God first in our lives and that’s why trouble comes our way to help us realize that
So, we would agree that trials and troubles come from many sources…I just named a few…you could name more
Now, let’s consider:
- The emotions that trials can cause us
Whether it’s a tragedy that you learn of or the news of bad health about you or a loved one or wicked people causing you trouble or uncertainty about the future…trials can cause various feelings to rise up in us
- The feeling of vulnerability
Psalm 71:7 (ESV)
I have been as a portent (miracle) to many, but you are my strong refuge.
Men especially, become very vulnerable to that which they cannot control…
We make the best plans that we can about how our life is going to go, how we’re going to finish well
Then something happens that short-circuits all that and we feel powerless to do anything about it
We get sick or our job looks like it’s going to run out a few years before we could retire
How did David handle that feeling of vulnerability?
He looked to God, his strong refuge
David wasn’t sure what he was going to do, but he knew that God did and he knew that there was no better one to look to than God
- The feeling of insecurity
Psalm 71:9 again says:
Do not cast me off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength is spent.
I don’t know if David was in his later years, but we do know old age brings with it a handful of temptations to feel insecure
Health is not what it used to be and then there is the loss of mental faculties
More of our friends are dying and we might start feeling that God has forsaken us
God has not forsaken us, nor will he ever forsake his children
He knows we need him more and more with every day that passes
David called God his strong refuge, his rock and his fortress!
When all the things that once provided security begin to fade away, God is still a secure and strong rock to cling to
- The feeling of dependency
One of the great characteristics of strong people is their self-reliance, their independence
They make their own decisions, chart their own course…until a stronger event happens in their life
Then they want God to come quickly and fix it!
12 O God, be not far from me; O my God, make haste to help me!
For the first time, the independent person realizes that they aren’t as independent as they thought and realize how much they need God to see them through
I have a word for us: no matter how independent you think you are, know that you need God.
We’ve spoken about the many of the sources trials come from and the emotions that trials cause us…now:
- How to respond when trials come
First, we should prepare now for trials to come
You’ve either just been through a trial, you are in the middle of a trial, or you are heading into one…but trials come
How should we respond when they come?
- Make God your focus
Psalm 71:1–3 (ESV)
In you, O LORD, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame!
In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; incline your ear to me, and save me!
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.
Sometimes when we are in the middle of a trial, we make the trial our focus
But David didn’t. Over and over in this psalm, he talks about the character of God: his glory, his power and strength, and his faithfulness
One thing you must never lose sight of in the midst of your own suffering is the righteousness and goodness of God
It is because of God’s goodness that we are able to trust him because we know that God is going to do right by us
Other people will have words of encouragement and wisdom and remedy for our trials, but at the end of the day there is only one person that you can put your full faith and trust in: God
Only he knows the reasons and the results of your situation
Another way that you and I should respond to trials is:
- Remember other times when God has been good to you
Psalm 71:6 (ESV)
Upon you I have leaned on from before my birth; you are he who took me from my mother’s womb. My praise is continually of you.
Several verses in this psalm is where David is remembering all the times God has been good to him
Susie and I were talking about this the other day. We looked back over our marriage and remembered all the times God has been faithful and concluded that He has never let us down.
Remembering all the times God has been faithful to you will encourage you in the middle of a trial that He will be faithful to you once again
Lean on him and you won’t be disappointed
And then we should respond by:
- Praise God!
Often in this psalm, David praises God for his goodness and faithfulness
In our worship services, when we sing to God, we are actually learning to praise him
Pay attention to the words that you are singing
Sing out big and strong…don’t worry about what your neighbor thinks…it is God you are singing to and singing for…and he loves your praise
Then whenever you go through a trial, God will put a song of praise in your heart to help you through
I listen to a lot of Christian music on the radio: “The Message” on Sirus XM or the K-LOVE station in Jackson
Heard a fairly new praise song by Michael W. Smith: the lyrics are few but powerful: “This is how I fight my battles” “It may look like I’m surrounded but I’m surrounded by you.”
- Re-dedicate yourself to God
Remember we are talking about how to respond to trials
- Make God your focus
- Remember the other times when God has good to you
- Praise God
- Re-dedicate yourself to God
Psalm 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.
There you have you’re marching orders. God has more he wants you to do.
Our prayer is God use me until you are finished with me
Use me to pass on the knowledge of Jesus to the next generation!
Re-dedicate yourself to that idea
Re-commit yourself to God
Psalm 71:21 (ESV)
You will increase my greatness and comfort me again.
Life’s not easy, but it can be victorious in Christ Jesus
With the grace of God and faith in Jesus, you can face every trial and be victorious
If you are not facing a trial right now, praise him and prepare for what’s coming
God wants to make you great for his purposes
Will you allow Him to do that through the dark nights of your life?