When it is said
On Pentecost, Orthodox Christians kneel at the Vespers that follow the Liturgy. The first of the kneeling prayers asks God, in the words of verse 9, to “forsake us not in the days of our old age, when our strength faileth us”.
Anyone growing older can pray the psalm at home, and a family might read it aloud with a parent or grandparent.
Where it comes from
Author by tradition
Who wrote it?
The Hebrew text gives Psalm 71 no heading and names no author. The Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures) numbers it Psalm 70 and adds a heading of its own. It credits the psalm to David and says it was “sung by the sons of Jonadab, and the first that were taken captive.”
The Hebrew with the Jewish Publication Society’s English (Mechon Mamre); L. C. L. Brenton, The Septuagint in English
Old age, asked twice
The psalm turns to old age twice. In verse 9 the one praying asks God not to cast him off when his strength fails. In verse 18 he asks again, now “old and grey”, and gives his reason. He still has God’s strength to tell to the next generation.
What the words mean
The verses left out
Verse 13 asks that the psalmist’s enemies be covered with shame and disgrace. Verses 10 and 11 lead up to it, telling how those enemies plot and say that God has left him. Verse 24 ends on their shame. This page leaves out only those four verses, so the psalm can be prayed simply as a prayer for old age.
The Scripture in it
In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame. In Your justice, rescue and deliver me; incline Your ear and save me. Be my Rock of refuge, where I can always go. Give the command to save me, for You are my Rock and my fortress. Deliver me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and ruthless. For You are my hope, O Lord GOD, my confidence from my youth. I have leaned on You since birth; You pulled me from my mother’s womb. My praise is always for You. I have become a portent to many, but You are my strong refuge. My mouth is filled with Your praise and with Your splendor all day long. Do not discard me in my old age; do not forsake me when my strength fails.
Be not far from me, O God. Hurry, O my God, to help me.
But I will always hope and will praise You more and more. My mouth will declare Your righteousness and Your salvation all day long, though I cannot know their full measure. I will come in the strength of the Lord GOD; I will proclaim Your righteousness—Yours alone. O God, You have taught me from my youth, and to this day I proclaim Your marvelous deeds. Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, until I proclaim Your power to the next generation, Your might to all who are to come. Your righteousness reaches to the heavens, O God, You Who have done great things. Who, O God, is like You? Though You have shown me many troubles and misfortunes, You will revive me once again. Even from the depths of the earth You will bring me back up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once again. So I will praise You with the harp for Your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praise to You with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel. When I sing praise to You my lips will shout for joy, along with my soul, which You have redeemed.
Bible text: Berean Standard Bible, public domain.