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Commentary on Psalms 71 verses 1–13
Two things in general David here prays for - that he might not be confounded and that his enemies and persecutors might be confounded.
I. He prays that he might never be made ashamed of his dependence upon God nor disappointed in his believing expectations from him. With this petition every true believer may come boldly to the throne of grace; for God will never disappoint the hope that is of his own raising. Now observe here,
1.How David professes his confidence in God, and with what pleasure and grateful variety of expression he repeats his profession of that confidence, still presenting the profession of it to God and pleading it with him. We praise God, and so please him, by telling him (if it be indeed true) what an entire confidence we have in him (Psa 71:1): "In thee, O Lord! and in thee only, do I put my trust. Whatever others do, I choose the God of Jacob for my help." Those that are entirely satisfied with God's all-sufficiency and the truth of his promise, and in dependence upon that, as sufficient to make them amends, are freely willing to do and suffer, to lose and venture, for him, may truly say, In thee, O Lord! do I put my trust. Those that will deal with God must deal upon trust; if we are shy of dealing with him, it is a sign we do not trust him. Thou art my rock and my fortress (Psa 71:3); and again, "Thou art my refuge, my strong refuge" (Psa 71:7); that is, "I fly to thee, and am sure to be safe in thee, and under thy protection. If thou secure me, none can hurt me. Thou art my hope and my trust" (Psa 71:5); that is, "thou hast proposed thyself to me in thy word as the proper object of my hope and trust; I have hoped in thee, and never found it in vain to do so."
2.How his confidence in God is supported and encouraged by his experiences (Psa 71:5, Psa 71:6): "Thou hast been my trust from my youth; ever since I was capable of discerning between my right hand and my left, I stayed myself upon thee, and saw a great deal of reason to do so; for by thee have I been holden up from the womb." Ever since he had the use of his reason he had been a dependent upon God's goodness, because ever since he had had a being he had been a monument of it. Note, The consideration of the gracious care which the divine Providence took of us in our birth and infancy should engage us to an early piety and constant devotedness to his honour. He that was our help from our birth ought to be our hope from our youth. If we received so much mercy from God before we were capable of doing him any service, we should lose no time when we are capable. This comes in here as a support to the psalmist in his present distress; not only that God had given him his life and being, bringing him out of his mother's bowels into the world, and providing that he should not die from the womb, nor give up the ghost when he came out of the belly, but that he had betimes made him one of his family: "Thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels into the arms of thy grace, under the shadow of thy wings, into the bond of thy covenant; thou tookest me into thy church, as a son of thy handmaid, and born in thy house, Psa 116:16. And therefore," (1.) "I have reason to hope that thou wilt protect me; thou that hast held me up hitherto wilt not let me fall now; thou that madest me wilt not forsake the work of thy own hands; thou that helpedst me when I could not help myself wilt not abandon me now that I am as helpless as I was then." (2.) "Therefore I have reason to resolve that I will devote myself unto thee: My praise shall therefore be continually of thee;" that is, "I will make it my business every day to praise thee and will take all occasions to do it."
3.What his requests to God are, in this confidence.
(1.)That he might never be put to confusion (Psa 71:1), that he might not be disappointed of the mercy he expected and so made ashamed of his expectation. Thus we may all pray in faith that our confidence in God may not be our confusion. Hope of the glory of God is hope that makes not ashamed.
(2.)That he might be delivered out of the hand of his enemies (Psa 71:2): "Deliver me in thy righteousness. As thou art the righteous Judge of the world, pleading the cause of the injured and punishing the injurious, cause me in some way or other to escape" (God will, with the temptation, make a way to escape, Co1 10:13): "Incline thy ear unto my prayers, and, in answer to them, save me out of my troubles, Psa 71:4. Deliver me, O my God! out of the hands of those that are ready to pull me in pieces." Three things he pleads for deliverance: - [1.] The encouragement God had given him to expect it: Thou hast given commandment to save me (Psa 71:3); that is, thou hast promised to do it, and such efficacy is there in God's promises that they are often spoken of as commands, like that, Let there be light, and there was light. He speaks, and it is done. [2.] The character of his enemies; they are wicked, unrighteous, cruel men, and it will be for the honour of God to appear against them (Psa 71:4), for he is a holy, just, and good God. [3.] The many eyes that were upon him (Psa 71:7): "I am as a wonder unto many; every one waits to see what will be the issue of such extraordinary troubles as I have fallen into and such extraordinary confidence as I profess to have in God." Or, "I am looked upon as a monster, am one whom every body shuns, and therefore am undone if the Lord be not my refuge. Men abandon me, but God will not."
(3.)That he might always find rest and safety in God (Psa 71:3): Be thou my strong habitation; by thou to me a rock of repose, whereto I may continually resort. Those that are at home in God, that live a life of communion with him and confidence in him, that continually resort unto him by faith and prayer, having their eyes ever towards him, may promise themselves a strong habitation in him, such as will never fall of itself nor can ever be broken through by any invading power; and they shall be welcome to resort to him continually upon all occasions, and not be upbraided as coming too often.
(4.)That he might have continual matter for thanksgiving to God, and might be continually employed in that pleasant work (Psa 71:8): "Let my mouth be filled with thy praise, as now it is with my complaints, and then I shall not be ashamed of my hope, but my enemies will be ashamed of their insolence." Those that love God love to be praising him, and desire to be doing it all the day, not only in their morning and evening devotions, not only seven times a day (Psa 119:164), but all the day, to intermix with all they say something or other that may redound to the honour and praise of God. They resolve to do it while they live; they hope to be doing it eternally in a better world.
(5.)That he might not be neglected now in his declining years (Psa 71:9): Cast me not off now in the time of my old gage; forsake me not when my strength fails. Observe here, [1.] The natural sense he had of the infirmities of age: My strength fails. Where there was strength of body and vigour of mind, strong sight, a strong voice, strong limbs, alas! in old age they fail; the life is continued, but the strength is gone, or that which is his labour and sorrow, Psa 90:10. [2.] The gracious desire he had of the continuance of God's presence with him under these infirmities: Lord, cast me not off; do not then forsake me. This intimates that he should look upon himself as undone if God should abandon him. To be cast off and forsaken of God is a thing to be dreaded at any time, especially in the time of old age and when our strength fails us; for it is God that is the strength of our heart. But it intimates that he had reason to hope God would not desert him; the faithful servants of God may be comfortably assured that he will not cast them off in old age, nor forsake them when their strength fails them. He is a Master that is not wont to cast off old servants. In this confidence David here prays again (Psa 71:12): "O God! be not far from me; let me not be under the apprehension of thy withdrawings, for then I am miserable. I my God! a God in covenant with me, make haste for my help, lest I perish before help come."
II. He prays that his enemies might be made ashamed of their designs against him. Observe, 1. What it was which they unjustly said against him, Psa 71:10, Psa 71:11. Their plot was deep and desperate; it was against his life: They lay wait for my soul (Psa 71:10), and are adversaries to that, Psa 71:13. Their powers and policies were combined: They take counsel together. And very insolent they were in their deportment: They say, God has forsaken him; persecute and take him. Here their premises are utterly false, that because a good man was in great trouble and had continued long in it, and was not so soon delivered as perhaps he expected, therefore God had forsaken him and would have no more to do with him. All are not forsaken of God who think themselves so or whom others think to be so. And, as their premises were false, so their inference was barbarous. If God has forsaken him, then persecute and take him, and doubt not but to make a prey of him. This is talking to the grief of one whom God has smitten, Psa 69:26. But thus they endeavour to discourage David, as Sennacherib endeavoured to intimidate Hezekiah by suggesting that God was his enemy and fought against him. Have I now come up without the Lord against this city, to destroy it? Isa 36:10. It is true, if God has forsaken a man, there is none to deliver him; but therefore to insult over him ill becomes those who are conscious to themselves that they deserve to be for ever forsaken of God. But rejoice not against me, O my enemy! though I fall, I shall rise. He that seems to forsake for a small moment will gather with everlasting kindness. 2. What it was which he justly prayed for, from a spirit of prophecy, not a spirit of passion (Psa 71:13): "Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul. If they will not be confounded by repentance, and so saved, let them be confounded with everlasting dishonour, and so ruined." God will turn into shame the glory of those who turn into shame the glory of God and his people.
Why do I say this? "For mine enemies have spoken against me, and they that were keeping watch for My soul, have taken counsel together [Psalm 71:10]: saying, God has forsaken Him, persecute Him, and seize Him, for there is no one to deliver Him" [Psalm 71:11]. This has been said concerning Christ. For He that with the great power of Divinity, wherein He is equal to the Father, had raised to life dead persons, on a sudden in the hands of enemies became weak, and as if having no power, was seized. When would He have been seized, except they had first said in their heart, "God has forsaken Him?" Whence there was that voice on the Cross, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" So then did God forsake Christ, though "God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself," [2 Corinthians 5:19] though Christ was also God, out of the Jews indeed according to the flesh, "Who is over all things, God blessed for ever," [Romans 9:5] — did God forsake Him? Far be it. But in our old man our voice it was, because our old man was crucified together with Him: [Romans 6:6] and of that same our old man He had taken a Body, because Mary was of Adam. Therefore the very thing which they thought, from the Cross He said, "Why have You forsaken Me?" [Matthew 27:46] Why do these men think Me left alone to their evil? What is, think Me forsaken in their evil? "For if they had known, the Lord of glory they had never crucified. [1 Corinthians 2:8] Persecute and seize Him." More familiarly however, brethren, let us take this of the members of Christ, and acknowledge our own voice in these words: because even He used such words in our person, not in His own power and majesty; but in that which He became for our sakes, not according to that which He was, who has made us.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 71:11 powerfully captures the malicious taunts of the psalmist's adversaries, who falsely declare that God has utterly abandoned him. This perceived divine desertion emboldens them to relentlessly pursue, persecute, and seize the psalmist, convinced that no one will intervene to deliver him from their grasp. The verse encapsulates the profound spiritual and physical assault faced by the righteous when enemies misinterpret their suffering as evidence of God's absence, thereby justifying their own wicked intentions and demonstrating a profound spiritual blindness.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Psalms 71 is a poignant prayer of an aging psalmist, likely a king or a prominent leader, facing severe distress and opposition in his later years. It functions as both a lament and a profound declaration of trust, characterized by fervent pleas for divine deliverance and protection, interwoven with confident affirmations of God's lifelong faithfulness. The psalmist vividly recounts God's steadfast care from his earliest days, declaring, "For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth. Upon you I have leaned from birth" (Psalms 71:5-6). This deep-rooted confidence stands in stark contrast to the present attacks of his enemies. Verse 11 specifically articulates the cruel accusations and malevolent intentions of these adversaries, providing the immediate backdrop for the psalmist's urgent cries for God to "make haste to help me!" (Psalms 71:12). This verse marks a critical low point in the psalmist's experience, exposing the depth of the spiritual warfare he endures as his very faith is directly challenged by the venomous words of his foes.
Historical & Cultural Context: While the specific historical setting of Psalms 71 is not explicitly stated, the themes resonate deeply with the experiences of numerous righteous individuals in ancient Israel who faced unjust persecution, often from those within their own community or from foreign adversaries. The accusation of divine abandonment was a common and devastating taunt in the ancient Near East, especially against those who professed faith in their deity. To be "forsaken by God" implied a catastrophic loss of divine favor, protection, and power, which would naturally embolden enemies to act without fear of retribution. Such taunts were designed not only to humiliate and shame but also to break the spirit and faith of the accused, leading them to despair. The psalmist's vulnerability, possibly exacerbated by old age or a period of national distress, would have made him an easy target for those seeking to exploit perceived weakness and consolidate their own power.
Key Themes: Psalms 71:11 contributes significantly to several overarching themes within the psalm and the broader book of Psalms. Firstly, it highlights the pervasive theme of false accusation of divine abandonment, a recurring motif where adversaries question God's presence or power in the lives of His faithful, famously echoed in the taunt, "Where is your God?" (Psalms 42:3). This taunt aims to undermine the believer's faith and hope, leading to despair. Secondly, the verse underscores the motivation for persecution, revealing how a distorted view of God's justice or perceived divine indifference can fuel human malice and embolden wicked actions. The enemies believe they have a free hand because "there is none to deliver him." Thirdly, and crucially, it sets the stage for the essential theme of divine deliverance and unwavering trust. Despite the enemies' slanderous claims, the psalmist's subsequent fervent prayers throughout Psalms 71 demonstrate his steadfast conviction that God is indeed his "rock and my fortress" (Psalms 71:3) and ultimate rescuer, even when all human hope seems lost.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 71:11 employs several powerful literary devices to convey the psalmist's plight and the nature of his enemies. The most prominent is Direct Speech, as the enemies' taunts are quoted verbatim, lending immediate dramatic impact and authenticity to their malice. This direct quotation highlights the intensely personal and verbal assault the psalmist endures. There is also a strong element of Dramatic Irony, as the reader, and indeed the psalmist himself, knows that the enemies' assertion ("God hath forsaken him") is profoundly false, contrasting sharply with God's covenant faithfulness and the psalmist's lifelong experience of divine care. This creates tension and underscores the spiritual blindness and wickedness of the adversaries. Furthermore, the verse utilizes Contrast, setting the enemies' false belief in divine abandonment and their active malevolence against the psalmist's unwavering (though challenged) trust in God as his lifelong deliverer. The phrase "none to deliver him" also functions as a form of Hyperbole from the enemies' perspective, an exaggerated and unfounded claim designed to justify their actions and utterly demoralize the psalmist.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 71:11 speaks to the profound theological truth of God's unwavering faithfulness, even when circumstances suggest otherwise or when adversaries declare His absence. The enemies' taunt, "God hath forsaken him," is a direct assault on the character of God and the faith of His servant. Yet, the entire biblical narrative, particularly the prophetic and wisdom literature, consistently affirms that God does not abandon His covenant people, even in their suffering or discipline. This verse thus serves as a stark reminder that the world often misinterprets divine silence or trials as abandonment, when in reality, God is often most profoundly present and at work in the midst of adversity, refining faith and demonstrating His power. The psalmist's subsequent fervent prayers for deliverance are a testament to his enduring conviction that God remains his ultimate refuge and rescuer, directly refuting the lie of his persecutors and affirming divine sovereignty.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 71:11 offers a poignant mirror for believers navigating trials and opposition in their own lives. It reveals the insidious nature of spiritual warfare, where adversaries, whether external persecutors or internal struggles like doubt and despair, seek to undermine our faith by suggesting God has abandoned us. In moments of deep suffering, when prayers seem unanswered, and circumstances appear to contradict God's promises, it is alarmingly easy to internalize the lie that we are forsaken. This verse powerfully reminds us that such accusations are often the very tactics of the enemy, designed to strip us of hope, isolate us, and embolden those who wish us harm. Our response, like the psalmist's, must be to cling even more tightly to the truth of God's unchanging character and His covenant faithfulness, articulated throughout Scripture. We are called to stand firm in prayer, trusting that even when we feel weakest, God remains our steadfast Deliverer, and His presence is most profoundly felt and proven in the crucible of our trials. Our deliverance may not always manifest as immediate rescue from physical harm, but it will always involve the preservation of our soul, the strengthening of our faith, and the ultimate triumph of His righteous purposes in our lives.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "God hath forsaken him" truly mean in this context, and is it biblically accurate?
Answer: In Psalms 71:11, "God hath forsaken him" represents the malicious and false accusation of the psalmist's enemies. They interpret his suffering and vulnerability as definitive proof that God has withdrawn His favor, protection, and presence from him, thereby justifying their own persecution. From a biblical perspective, this statement is entirely inaccurate when applied to a faithful servant of God. While God may allow His people to experience trials, even to the point of feeling abandoned (as seen in the anguished cry of the suffering servant in Psalms 22:1), He unequivocally promises never to truly forsake or abandon His own. Passages like Deuteronomy 31:6 and Hebrews 13:5 explicitly state God's unwavering commitment to His people, even unto death. The enemies' statement is a taunt, a lie designed to break the psalmist's spirit and faith, and to remove any perceived divine obstacle to their wicked intentions.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 71:11 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The accusation "God hath forsaken him" echoes the very cry of Jesus on the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46). While the psalmist's enemies falsely accused him of divine abandonment, Jesus truly bore the weight of humanity's sin, experiencing a unique and profound separation from the Father as He "who knew no sin became sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21). His enemies, much like the psalmist's, mocked Him, believing He was utterly abandoned and helpless: "He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him" (Matthew 27:43). Yet, in His perceived weakness and abandonment, Christ was accomplishing the very work of redemption. His "forsakenness" was not a sign of the Father's indifference but the ultimate act of self-sacrificial love, allowing Him to identify with every human cry of despair and to secure eternal deliverance for all who believe. Through His death and glorious resurrection, Christ decisively refuted the lie that God abandons His own, demonstrating that even in the deepest darkness, God's faithfulness prevails, and there is indeed one who can deliver—the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. His victory ensures that those who trust in Him will never truly be forsaken, for "neither death nor life... nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39).