May 22, 2023 - Psalms 68-72

The Psalmist declares, “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” (Ps 71:5,6). He also looks to his last days: “Do not cast me off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength is spent” (Ps 71:9). And again: “O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. 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” (Ps 71:17,18).

Sometimes we hear these amazing testimonies of how God has redeemed people from the most awful conditions of unbelief and sin, and indeed, those are examples of God’s amazing and powerful grace and ability to save even the most hardened of sinners. But how amazing when God calls a young man or woman to himself and keeps that person for an entire lifetime! And how great a blessing to that person! And how great a blessing to that person’s family! And how great a blessing to that person’s church! Indeed, how great a blessing to the world!

God, you’re my everlasting hope,

I lean upon your truth;

your hands have held my childhood up,

and strengthened all my youth;

still has my life new wonders seen

unfolding every year;

behold, my days that yet remain,

I trust them to your care.

Then, in the history of my age,

when others view my days,

they’ll read your love on every page,

in every line, your praise. –Isaac Watts (1740)