“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. 

Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man. 

For you, O Lord, are my hope, 

my trust, O Lord, from my youth. 

Upon you I have leaned from before my birth; you are he who took me from my mother's womb. My praise is continually of you."  Psalm 71:1-6

Psalm 71 introduces us to a man who is a believer and has seen troubles, hardship, and difficult days. But in the midst of his pain, he remembers, celebrates, and resolves to honor the Lord.

CONSIDERATIONS:

1. Remembering (pondering deeply) the character of God (v.1-3,6).

We can continually come to the Lord because He is the inexhaustible fountain of goodness and mercy.

"How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light."  Psalm 36:7-9

2. Rejoicing in the thousands of ways the Lord has been faithful and merciful (v. 5-6,17).

"You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it."  Psalm 139:5-6

3. The importance of embracing an unbeatable, invincible, unconquerable “leaning into the wind” hope (v. 14-15,20-21).

"But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge."  Psalm 71:14-15

"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. You will increase my greatness and comfort me again."  Psalm 71:20-21

4. Living with a compelling purpose.

"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."  Psalm 71:18

"Eighty and six years have I served him, and he has done me no wrong; How can I blaspheme my king (and savior) who saves me? ...You threaten the fire that burns for an hour, and in a little while is quenched; but you know not of the fire of the judgment to come; the fire of eternal punishment reserved for the ungodly period but why do you delay? Bring what you will.”  Polycarp

5. Having a sense of gladness in the Lord (v. 22-23).

"I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praises to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel. My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed. And my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long, for they have been put to shame and disappointed who sought to do me hurt."  Psalm 71:22-24

The daily habit/pursuit of rejoicing in the gospel of “it is finished” (John 19:20) or the gospel of “done."