Slices
Prepare
Take a moment to reflect on the difficult seasons of your life. Some may have been long ago and others more recent. How do you see God present and active in those tough times? Take your time to reflect and pray about this.
Bible passage
Psalm 71
1 In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
2 In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me;
turn your ear to me and save me.
3 Be my rock of refuge,
to which I can always go;
give the command to save me,
for you are my rock and my fortress.
4 Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,
from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel.
5 For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord,
my confidence since my youth.
6 From my birth I have relied on you;
you brought me forth from my mother’s womb.
I will ever praise you.
7 I have become a sign to many;
you are my strong refuge.
8 My mouth is filled with your praise,
declaring your splendour all day long.
9 Do not cast me away when I am old;
do not forsake me when my strength is gone.
10 For my enemies speak against me;
those who wait to kill me conspire together.
11 They say, ‘God has forsaken him;
pursue him and seize him,
for no one will rescue him.’
12 Do not be far from me, my God;
come quickly, God, to help me.
13 May my accusers perish in shame;
may those who want to harm me
be covered with scorn and disgrace.
14 As for me, I shall always have hope;
I will praise you more and more.
15 My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds,
of your saving acts all day long –
though I know not how to relate them all.
16 I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign Lord;
I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.
17 Since my youth, God, you have taught me,
and to this day I declare your marvellous deeds.
18 Even when I am old and grey,
do not forsake me, my God,
till I declare your power to the next generation,
your mighty acts to all who are to come.
19 Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens,
you who have done great things.
Who is like you, God?
20 Though you have made me see troubles,
many and bitter,
you will restore my life again;
from the depths of the earth
you will again bring me up.
21 You will increase my honour
and comfort me once more.
22 I will praise you with the harp
for your faithfulness, my God;
I will sing praise to you with the lyre,
Holy One of Israel.
23 My lips will shout for joy
when I sing praise to you –
I whom you have delivered.
24 My tongue will tell of your righteous acts
all day long,
for those who wanted to harm me
have been put to shame and confusion.
Explore
Psalm 71 is like an elaboration on the cry of Psalm 70 with a lifelong perspective. In Psalm 70, David struggled with his circumstances, needing God’s help and wanting it hastily. Here, he fills out the story with more details.
Whatever the challenging circumstance, God is his people’s faithful helper and a safe rock of refuge (v 3). He was there before and during our birth (v 6). God can be our confidence from youth and on through life (v 5). From youth to grey hair, God remains our helper (vs 17,18). When our strength is gone, he is still there (v 9).
As weak humans, we may look vulnerable, and the psalmist writes of how enemies say God has forsaken him and that he will not be delivered. However, we may go through many trials, but the psalmist again asks that God will make haste to deliver him (v 12). Despite this, all day long, for the whole of our lives, the psalmist declares, ‘I shall always have hope’ (v 14).
Respond
Look over this beautiful psalm and select two or three descriptions of God’s care that stand out to you. Pray about these in thanks for past help and also in anticipation of (known or still unknown) future needs.
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Genesis 22,23; Psalms 5,6
Pray for Scripture Union
Pray that the 30 young people who attended the SU Ukraine Youth Weekend ‘Who is Your God?’ based on Daniel 3 last October will continue to grow in faith and will serve God faithfully. Pray for safety and protection.
