Westminster Annotations, Psalms · Psalm 71
PSAL. LXXI.
Vers. 1. IN thee, O Lord, do I put my trust] Psal. 31. 1. He prayeth to God with full assurance of faith, that he will deliver him from his adversaries.
V. 2. Deliver me in thy righteousnesse] By declaring thy self true of thy promise.
V. 3. Be thou my strong habitation] Heb. be thou to me for a rock of habitation.
thou hast given commandment] Or, give commandment.
thou hast given commandment to save me] Psal. 69. 28. Thou hast infinite means, and all creatures are at thy commandment, therefore shew some signe that I shall be delivered.
V. 4. out of the hand of the wicked] He meaneth some princicipall adversary.
V. 5. thou art my trust from my youth] He strengthneth his faith by the experience of Gods ben…fits, who did not onelyonly preserve him in his mothers belly, but took him thence, and ever since hath preserved him.
V. 6. from the womb] Psal. 22. 9, 10. Isai. 46. 3.
V. 7. I am a wonder unto many] All the world wondereth at me, because of my miseries; as well they in authority, as the common people: yet being assured of thy favour, I remain stedfast.
V. 9. in] Or, to.
in the time of old age] Thou that didst help me in my youth, when I was full of strength, help me till I be old: or, now I am old and weak, help me so much the more.
V. 10. against] Or, of.
lay wait for] Heb. wat…h, or observe.
V. 11. God hath forsaken him] Thus the wicked both blaspheme God, and triumph against his saints, as though he had forsaken them, if he suffer them to fall into their hands.
V. 12. O my God] In calling him his God, he putteth back the false reports of the adversaries, that said, God hath forsaken him, psal. 22. 1.
make haste for my help] Psal. 70. 1.
V. 13. confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul] Psal. 35. 4, 26.
V. 15. for] Or, though, as psal. 4. 8.
for I know not the numbers thereof] Because thy benefits toward me are innumerable, I cannot but continually meditate and rehearse them.
numbers thereof] Psal. 40. 5.
V. 16. I will go in in the strength of the Lord] I will remain stedfast, being upholden by the power of God.
V. 17. thou hast taught me from my youth] By instruction and experience.
V. 18. Now also] He desireth, that as he hath begun, so he would continue his benefits, that his liberality may have perfect praise.
when I am old] Heb. unto old age, and gray hairs. And by consequence, in more danger and need of help, v. 9.
old] Vers. 9.
untill I have shewed thy strength unto this generation] Deliver me now, that I may praise thee for this deliverance, both in word and writing.
thy strength] Heb. thine arm.
V. 19. Thy righteousnesse also] The just performance of thy promise, v. 2.
O God] His faith breaketh thorow all tentations, and by this exclamation, he praiseth the power of God.
O God, who is like unto thee?] Psal. 89. 6, 8.
V. 20. shewed me] Heb. made us to see: That is, to endure, as Psal. 34. 12. and 89. 49. and 27. 4.
and sore troubles] As he confesseth, that God is the onelyonly author of his deliverance: so he acknowledgeth, that these evils were sent unto him by Gods providence.
V. 22. with the psalterie] Heb. with the instrument of psal…erie.
even thy truth, O my God] He confesseth that his long tarriance would be well recompensed, when God should perform his promise.
V. 23. my soul which thou hast redeemed] For there is no true praising of God except it come from the heart.
V. 24. My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousnesse] He promiseth to delight in nothing, but wherin God may be glorified.