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David penned this psalm in his old age, as appears by several passages in it, which makes many think that it was penned at the time of Absalom's rebellion; for that was the great trouble of his later days. It might be occasioned by Sheba's insurrection, or some trouble that happened to him in that part of his life of which it was foretold that the sword should not depart from his house. But he is not over-particular in representing his case, because he intended it for the general use of God's people in their afflictions, especially those they meet with in their declining years; for this psalm, above any other, is fitted for the use of the old disciples of Jesus Christ. I. He begins the psalm with believing prayers, with prayers that God would deliver him and save him (Ps 71:2,4), and not cast him off (Ps 71:9) or be far from him (Ps 71:12), and that his enemies might be put to shame, Ps 71:13. He pleads his confidence in God (Ps 71:1,3,5,7), the experience he had had of help from God (Ps 71:6), and the malice of his enemies against him, Ps 71:10,11. II. He concludes the psalm with believing praises (Ps 71:14, etc.). Never was his hope more established, Ps 71:16,18,20,21. Never were his joys and thanksgivings more enlarged, Ps 71:15,19,22-24. He is in an ecstasy of joyful praise; and, in the singing of it, we too should have our faith in God encouraged and our hearts raised in blessing his holy name.
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David Professes His Confidence in God; Believing Prayers
繁體中文
大衛宣告他對神的信靠；出於信心的祈求
¹ 耶和華啊，我投靠你；求你叫我永不羞愧！ ² 求你憑你的公義搭救我，救拔我；側耳而聽，拯救我！ ³ 求你作我居住的磐石，使我可以時常投靠；你又下令救我，因為你是我的巖石、我的山寨。 ⁴ 我的神啊，求你救我脫離惡人的手，脫離不義和強暴人的手！ ⁵ 因為主耶和華你是我的盼望，從我年幼你就賜我所倚靠的。 ⁶ 我從出母胎就被你扶持；使我有倚靠的那位是你，使我出母腹的是你。我必常常讚美你！ ⁷ 許多人以我為怪，但你是我堅固的避難所。 ⁸ 我的口終日充滿你的讚美和你的榮耀。 ⁹ 我年老的時候，求你不要丟棄我；我力氣衰弱，求你不要離棄我！ ¹⁰ 因我的仇敵議論我；那些尋索我命的，一同商議， ¹¹ 說：神已經離棄他；我們追趕他、捉拿他吧，因為無人搭救他。 ¹² 神啊，求你不要遠離我！我的神啊，求你速速幫助我！ ¹³ 願那些與我性命為敵的，羞愧被滅；願那尀謀害我的，受辱蒙羞！
大衛在此一般地為兩件事禱告——願他自己不致抱愧，又願他的仇敵和逼迫者反致抱愧。
一、他求自己永不被那對神的倚靠所羞辱，也不致在他信心的期待中失望。每一個真信徒都可以帶著這懇求坦然來到施恩寶座前；因為神絕不使他自己所激發的盼望失望。如今在此請留意，
1. 大衛如何宣告他對神的信靠，並以何等愉快的、豐富的表達變化，重複他這信靠的宣告，仍將這宣告獻給神、以此向他懇求。我們藉著告訴神（這若是真的）我們對他有何等完全的信靠，來讚美神、討他喜悅（詩 71:1）：「耶和華啊！惟獨你，我投靠。」——無論別人如何，我揀選雅各的神為我的幫助。那些完全以神的充足和他應許的真實為滿足、並在此倚靠中——視之為足以補償他們——甘願為他行事、受苦、失喪、冒險的人，可以真實地說：「耶和華啊，我投靠你。」那些要與神打交道的人，必須憑信心打交道；我們若羞於與他打交道，便表明我們不信靠他。「你是我的巖石、我的山寨」（詩 71:3）；又「你是我的避難所、我堅固的避難所」（詩 71:7）——就是說：「我投奔你，並確知在你裏麵、在你的保護之下必得安全。你若護衛我，無人能傷害我。」「你是我的盼望、我的倚靠」（詩 71:5）——就是說：「你在你的話中將自己作為我盼望和信靠的正當對象擺在我麵前；我曾盼望你，並發現如此行並不徒然。」
2. 他的信靠如何因他的經歷而得著支持和鼓勵（詩 71:5、6）：「你從我年幼就是我倚靠的」——自從我能分辨左右手以來，我便倚靠你，並看見許多理由如此行；因為*「我從出母胎就被你扶持。」*自從他能運用理智以來，他便一直倚賴神的良善，因為自從他有存在以來，他便一直是神良善的記念。請注意：思想神聖護理在我們出生和嬰孩時期對我們的恩惠眷顧，當吸引我們早早敬虔、並恒久獻與他的榮耀。那從我們出生作我們幫助的，當從我們幼年作我們的盼望。我們若在能事奉神之前便從神領受了這麼多憐憫，我們在能事奉之時便不可耽延。這在此作為詩人在現今困境中的支持；不僅因為神曾賜他生命和存在——將他從母腹帶入世界、並保守他不至於一出母胎便死亡、不在出腹之時斷了氣——更因為神早早就使他作了自己家中的人：「使我有倚靠的那位是你——使我出母腹的是你——將我接入你恩典的懷抱、你翅膀的蔭下、你約的捆綁之中的那位；你將我接入你的教會，作你使女的兒子、生在你家中的人（詩 116:16）。所以，」(1)「我有理由盼望你必保護我；你既扶持我直到如今，必不任我現在跌倒；你既造了我，必不撇棄你手所造的工；你既在我不能自助之時幫助了我，必不在我如今如同那時一般無助之時丟棄我。」(2)「所以我有理由決心獻自己給你：我的讚美因此必常常歸於你」——就是說：「我必以每日讚美你為我的事，並把握一切機會如此行。」
3. 他在這信靠中向神有甚麼懇求。
(1) 願他永不羞愧（詩 71:1）——願他不致在所盼望的憐憫上失望，以致為他的盼望羞愧。我們都可以憑信心如此禱告：我們在神裏的信靠不致成為我們的羞愧。神榮耀的盼望，是不至於羞愧的盼望。
(2) 願他得脫仇敵之手（詩 71:2）：「憑你的公義搭救我。」作為世界的公義審判官——為受屈者申冤、刑罰加害者——求你以某種方式使我逃脫（神必在試探中開一條出路，林前 10:13）：「側耳聽我的禱告」，並應允它，救我脫離我的患難（詩 71:4）。「我的神啊，救我脫離那些要將我撕碎之人的手。」他為搭救提出三個理由：[1] 神已給他盼望搭救的鼓勵：「你又下令救我」（詩 71:3）——就是說，你已應許如此行；而神的應許如此有效，以致常常被稱為命令，如同那句：「要有光，就有了光。」他一發命，便成全了。[2] 他仇敵的特徵：他們是「惡人、不義和強暴人」，神向他們顯現反對他們，乃是他榮耀所關（詩 71:4），因為他是聖潔、公義、良善的神。[3] 許多眼睛注視著他（詩 71:7）：「許多人以我為怪」——人人都等著看，我如此異乎尋常的患難、並我所宣稱如此異乎尋常對神的信靠，其結局將如何。或作：「我被看為怪物，是人人所避諱的；所以若耶和華不作我的避難所，我便完了。人離棄我，但神必不。」
(3) 願他常在神裏麵尋得安息與安全（詩 71:3）：「求你作我居住的磐石」——求你作我*「可以時常投靠的安息磐石」。*那些在神裏麵有家、與他相交而活、又信靠他的人——那些時常憑信心和禱告投靠他、眼目常常向著他的人——可以應許自己在神裏麵有一個堅固的居所，這居所本身永不倒塌、也永不致被任何入侵的勢力攻破；他們也必受歡迎在一切場合時常投靠他，不至因來得太頻繁而被責備。
(4) 願他有持續向神感恩的材料，並常在其中從事這令人愉快的工作（詩 71:8）：「願我的口充滿你的讚美」——正如如今充滿我的怨言一般；那時我便不致為我的盼望羞愧，我的仇敵反要為他們的狂妄羞愧。那些愛神的人喜歡讚美他，並渴望終日如此行——不僅在早晚的敬拜中，不僅*「一日七次」（詩 119:164），更是「終日」*——在他們所說的一切話中，夾雜一些或可歸與神榮耀和讚美的話。他們決心活著便如此行；他們盼望在那更好的世界中永遠如此行。
(5) 願他在衰殘的年日不被忽視（詩 71:9）：「我年老的時候，求你不要丟棄我；我力氣衰弱，求你不要離棄我！」請留意：[1] 他對老年軟弱的天然感覺：「我力氣衰弱。」從前有強壯的身體、活潑的心思、敏銳的視力、洪亮的聲音、有力的四肢——唉！到了老年，這一切都衰敗了；生命延續，力量卻消失，或變成他的「勞苦愁煩」（詩 90:10）。[2] 他在這些軟弱之下，對神同在繼續與他同在的敬虔願望：「主啊，求你不要丟棄我；那時不要離棄我。」這暗示他若被神離棄，便看自己為完了。被神丟棄、被神離棄，在任何時候都是可畏懼的事，特別是在老年、在我們力量衰殘之時；因為神是我們心中的力量。但這也暗示他有理由盼望神不會丟棄他；神忠心的僕人可以舒暢地確信：神不會在他們年老之時丟棄他們，也不會在他們力量衰殘之時離棄他們。他是一位不慣於丟棄老僕人的主人。在這信靠中大衛再次禱告（詩 71:12）：「神啊，求你不要遠離我」——不要讓我處在你掩麵不顧的感覺之下，因為那時我便悲慘了。「我的神啊！」——與我立約的神——「求你速速幫助我」——免得我在幫助來到之先便滅亡。
二、他求他的仇敵因對他的計謀而抱愧。請留意：1. 他們不公正地怎樣論到他（詩 71:10、11）。他們的計謀深沉而絕望；這是針對他的性命：「那些尋索我命的」（詩 71:10），並且*「與我性命為敵」（詩 71:13）。他們的勢力和計謀聯合：「他們一同商議。」他們在舉止上十分狂妄：他們說：「神已經離棄他；我們追趕他、捉拿他吧。」他們的前提全然虛假——因為一個敬虔人落在極大的患難中、並在其中持久、又不如他所期望的那樣快得解救，所以神已經離棄他、不再與他相干了。並非一切被神離棄的人都自以為如此，也非別人以為如此的人就都是如此。而他們的前提既屬虛假，他們的推論便更屬野蠻。若神已經離棄他，那麼就追趕他、捉拿他吧，並毫不懷疑地必能將他當作獵物。這乃是「論到那受神擊打之人、加重他憂傷的談話」（詩 69:26）。但他們如此企圖使大衛灰心，正如亞述王西拿基立企圖以暗示神是他的仇敵、與他爭戰來威嚇希西家。「我現在上來攻擊這城、要毀滅它，豈不是耶和華的意思嗎？」（賽 36:10）。誠然，若神離棄了一個人，便無人能搭救他；但因此向那人誇耀，對那些自己明知理當永遠被神離棄的人而言，並不相宜。但「我的仇敵啊，不要向我誇口！我雖跌倒，必再起來。」那似乎暫時離棄的神，必以永遠的慈愛聚集。2. 他本於預言之靈——不是出於激情之靈——所公正地祈求的，是甚麼（詩 71:13）：「願那些與我性命為敵的，羞愧被滅。」*若他們不肯因悔改而抱愧、以致得救，就讓他們以永遠的羞辱抱愧、以致滅亡。那些使神和他百姓的榮耀變為羞愧的，神必將他們的榮耀變為羞愧。
英文原文
David Professes His Confidence in God; Believing Prayers
¹ In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.
² Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me.
³ Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.
⁴ Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
⁵ For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.
⁶ By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.
⁷ I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge.
⁸ Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.
⁹ Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.
¹⁰ For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together,
¹¹ Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him.
¹² O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help.
¹³ Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt.
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 (Ps 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 (Ps 71:3); and again, "Thou art my refuge, my strong refuge" (Ps 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" (Ps 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 (Ps 71:5,6): "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, Ps 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 (Ps 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 (Ps 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, 1Co 10:13): "Incline thy ear unto my prayers, and, in answer to them, save me out of my troubles, Ps 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 (Ps 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 (Ps 71:4), for he is a holy, just, and good God. [3.] The many eyes that were upon him (Ps 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 (Ps 71:3): Be thou my strong habitation; be 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 (Ps 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 (Ps 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 (Ps 71:9): Cast me not off now in the time of my old age; 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, Ps 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 (Ps 71:12): "O God! be not far from me; let me not be under the apprehension of thy withdrawings, for then I am miserable. O 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, Ps 71:10,11. Their plot was deep and desperate; it was against his life: They lay wait for my soul (Ps 71:10), and are adversaries to that, Ps 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, Ps 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 (Ps 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.
14-24
Joyful Praises; Rejoicing in Hope
繁體中文
喜樂的讚美；因盼望而喜樂
¹⁴ 我卻要常常盼望，並要越發讚美你。
¹⁵ 我的口終日要述說你的公義和你的救恩，因我不知道其數目。
¹⁶ 我要憑主耶和華的力量行；我要提到你的公義，唯獨提到你的。
¹⁷ 神啊，你從我年幼就教訓我；直到如今我傳揚你奇妙的作為。
¹⁸ 神啊，我到年老髮白的時候，求你不要離棄我，等我將你的能力指示下代，將你的大能指示後來的人。
¹⁹ 神啊，你的公義甚高；你曾行大事；神啊，誰像你！
²⁰ 你是叫我經歷許多極大艱難的，必再叫我活過來，必從地的深處救上我來。
²¹ 求你使我越發偉大，又四面環繞地安慰我。
²² 我的神啊，我要鼓瑟讚美你，讚美你的誠實；以色列的聖者啊，我要彈琴歌頌你。
²³ 我歌頌你的時候，我的嘴唇和我所救贖的靈魂都必大大歡呼。
²⁴ 並且我的舌頭必終日講論你的公義，因為那些謀害我的人已經蒙羞受辱了。
大衛在此因信靠神、盼望神而處於聖潔的喜樂與讚美的振奮之中；二者並見於詩71:14，那裏他的聲調突然顯著地轉變；他的懼怕盡都平息，他的盼望升高，他的祈求化為感恩。「任憑我的仇敵說甚麼要使我絕望的話，我卻要常常盼望， 無論在何境遇，在最陰暗的日子也要盼望；我要靠盼望而活，並要盼望到底。」我們既盼望那位永不失信的主，就不要讓我們對他的盼望失效，這樣我們就必越發讚美他。「他們越辱罵我，我越要緊緊依附你；我要越發讚美你，比已往更美更好。」我們活得越久，就當越發熟練於讚美神，也越發在其中豐盛。我要在凡你一切讚美之上再加增，加在我迄今所獻一切讚美之上，因為全都太少了。當我們已盡所能說了神的恩典的榮耀之後，仍有更多可說；這是一個永無窮盡的主題，所以我們永不當對此生厭。現在請看，在這些經節中，
一、他的心如何在信與望中得以堅立；心能如此堅立是美事。請看，
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他所盼望的是甚麼（詩71:16）。(1.) 神的大能：我要憑主耶和華的力量而行， 不是在絕望中坐下，而是振奮自己、在自己的工作與爭戰中發奮，要出去、要前行，不是憑自己的力量，而是憑神的力量——否認自己的充足，惟獨倚靠他那全足的神——在護理之工的力量中，也在恩典的力量中。我們辦神的事總當憑他的力量而行，舉目仰望他在我們裏頭運行，使我們立志行事。(2.) 神的應許：我要提到你的公義， 就是說，你對你所說每一句話的信實，你安排的公正，以及你對那信靠你的百姓的恩慈。這一切我要作為我求憐憫的憑據提出。這話也可恰當地應用於基督的義——那義稱為本於信的神的義，並有律法和先知為證；我們必須靠神的力量得着幫助，靠基督的義得着悅納。在耶和華那裏有我的公義與力量（賽45:24）。
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他所盼望的是甚麼。
(1.) 他盼望神在他年老時不撇棄他，而要對他如一直以來那樣，直到末了（詩71:17-18）。請看此處：[1] 他年幼時神為他所作的：你從我年幼就教訓我。 他幼年時父母所給的良好教養與教訓，他承認自己有責任因此大大感謝神，視之為大恩惠。從年幼——從幼年——就受神教導，得以明白聖經，這是有福的事，也是我們理當稱頌神的。[2] 他中年時為神所作的：他曾傳揚神一切奇妙的作為。年少時未受善教的人，長大了就要行善，並要繼續將所領受的傳遞出去。我們當承認神向我們所施的一切恩惠之工都是奇妙的作為——驚訝他竟為我們這樣不配的人作了這麼多——並當以宣揚這些作為為我們的事，為神的榮耀、為別人的益處。[3] 他如今年老時所求於神的：我到年老髮白的時候， 正在向這世界死、快到另一個世界去的時候，神啊，求你不要離棄我。 這是他懇切所求、滿有把握所盼望的。那些從年幼就受神教導、又一生以榮耀神為業的人，可以確信神在他們年老髮白之時必不撇棄他們，不使他們無助無慰，反要使他們年老那些艱難的日子成為他們最好的日子，成為他們能有理由說自己因之喜樂的日子。[4] 他在年老時打算為神作的：「我不但要藉着自己的經歷，向這一代顯明你的能力，還要把我的觀察記錄下來，為後世的好處存留，如此就傳給每一個將來的人。」我們活着一日，就當盡力榮耀神、造就人；那些對神的良善有最深、最久經歷的人，當善用自己的經歷去造福朋友。年長的基督門徒對後繼的世代負有一項債務，就是要在他們身後留下莊嚴的見證，見證宗教的能力、喜樂與益處，以及神應許的真實。
(2.) 他盼望神使他甦醒，從如今低沉愁苦的境況中興起（詩71:20）：你是叫我經歷許多極大艱難的，必再叫我活過來。 當注意：[1] 神最好的聖徒和僕人有時在世上也受極大艱難的試煉。[2] 聖徒的一切患難中都當看見神的手，這能幫助減輕這些患難，使之顯得輕省。他不是說「你用那些患難重壓我」，而是「你把它們指給我看」，如同慈父把杖指給孩子看，使他存敬畏的心。[3] 神的百姓無論被帶到多麼低的地步，他都能使他們甦醒、興起。他們死了嗎？他能再使他們活過來（見林後1:9）。他們被埋葬、如死人被人忘記嗎？他能把他們從地的深處再帶上來，能使最消沉的靈得着鼓舞，能使最下沉的事業重新振興。[4] 我們若適當地看見神的手在我們的患難中，就可指望在時候滿足時從其中得着拯救。我們如今的患難雖大且重，卻不能攔阻我們從地的深處喜樂地復活；我們偉大的主就是明證——這話或許對他有所指；他的父使他經歷極大艱難，卻使他活了過來，並把他從墳墓裏帶上來。
(3.) 他盼望神不但救他脫離患難，還要使他的尊榮與喜樂比從前更盛（詩71:21）：「你不只要恢復我的偉大*，還要加增它，在這番打擊之後給我一個比從前更好的地位；你不只要安慰我，還要四面環繞地安慰我，使我在各方面都看不見黑暗或威脅。」* 當注意，有時神使百姓的患難促進他們偉大的加增，他們的日頭因曾經被雲遮蔽而越發明亮。他若使患難促進他們良善的加增，那至終也必證明是他們偉大、榮耀的加增；他若按時候和程度在他們各方面都安慰他們，正如他曾各方面地管教他們，他們就沒有理由抱怨了。當我們的主耶穌再活過來、從地的深處被帶回時，他的偉大增加了，他也進入了擺在前面的喜樂。
(4.) 他盼望他一切仇敵都蒙羞混亂（詩71:24）。他以最大的把握說這事如同已成，並照樣在其中誇勝：那些謀害我的人已經蒙羞受辱了。 他的尊榮就是他們的羞辱，他的安慰就是他們的煩惱。
二、現在我們來看他的心如何在喜樂與讚美中擴大，他如何因盼望而喜樂，又在盼望中歌唱——因為我們得救是在乎盼望。
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他要述說神的公義與他的救恩，當作大事——就是他所深識、深慕、願神得着榮耀、願別人得着安慰認識的事（詩71:15）：我的口終日要述說你的公義和你的救恩； 又（詩71:24）我的舌頭必終日講論你的公義。 神的公義——大衛在此似乎特別有所感動的——所包含的很多：他本性的正直，他護理安排的公正，他所賜給我們據以受管治的公義律法，他所賜給我們據以倚靠的公義應許，以及他的兒子為我們的稱義所帶來的永遠的義。神的公義和他的救恩在此相連；誰也不要想將二者分開，也不要妄想不義而得救（詩50:23）。這二者既是我們渴慕的對象，就當成為我們終日講論的題目，因為這是永無窮盡的題目。
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他要帶着驚奇與讚嘆述說這些事，如同一個對神聖的愛與恩典的長闊高深感震驚的人：我不知道其數目（詩71:15）。我雖不能逐一細數你對我的恩惠——它們如此之多、如此之大（我若要數算，比海沙更多，詩40:5）——但既知道它們無可數算，我就仍要述說，因為在其中我必發現新的內容（詩71:19）。神裏頭的義甚高；他為百姓所作的甚大：將二者並看，我們就要說：神啊，誰像你？ 這便是讚美神，承認他的完全和作為：(1) 超乎我們的意念；它們甚高甚大，高到我們不能測度，大到我們不能領會。(2) 無可匹敵；無一受造之物像他，無一作為像他的作為：神啊，誰像你？ 天上無一，地上無一，無天使，無君王可匹。神是無可比擬的；我們若不承認他是如此，就沒有正確地讚美他。
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他要以喜樂與歡欣的一切表達來述說這些事（詩71:22-23）。請看，
(1.) 他在讚美時如何仰望神。[1] 作為信實的神：我要讚美你，就是你的誠實。 神藉他的話將自己顯明；我們若讚美那話、那話的真實，就是讚美他。我們因信蓋印證明神是真實的，如此便是讚美他的誠實。[2] 作為與他立約的神：我的神啊！ 就是我所選擇、所認定為我的神。我們在禱告中如何，在讚美中也當如何——當仰望神為我們的神，並將我們在他裏頭的福分、與他的關係之榮耀歸給他。[3] 作為以色列的聖者——以特殊的方式作以色列的神，在這百姓中以其聖潔為榮，並信守與他們所立的約。神是聖者，這是他的榮耀；他是以色列的聖者，這是他百姓的榮耀。
(2.) 他將如何表達他的喜樂與歡欣。[1] 用手——以聖潔的音樂：用瑟，用琴；這是大衛所擅長的，他最好的技巧要用來發揮神的讚美，使之最能感動人。[2] 用嘴唇——以聖潔的詩歌：我要向你歌唱， 為你的榮耀，並盼得你的悅納。我歌頌你的時候，我的嘴唇要大大歡呼， 知道再沒有比這更好的事奉了。[3] 在這一切之中用心：我所救贖的靈魂要歡呼。當注意：第一，聖潔的喜樂正是感恩讚美的心臟與生命。第二，我們若不用心，就不是向主唱詩讚美。我的嘴唇要歡呼，但這算不得甚麼；嘴唇的工夫，無論多麼用力，若只如此，在事奉神上只是徒勞；必須是靈魂在作工，我們當用裏頭一切的力量稱頌他的聖名，否則周圍的一切都無價值。第三，蒙救贖的靈魂當是喜樂感恩的靈魂。救贖之工，過於神一切作為，最當由我們在讚美中頌揚。那被殺的羔羊，曾用自己的血將我們買贖歸於神，因此當被算為配得一切頌讚與敬拜。
英文原文
Joyful Praises; Rejoicing in Hope
¹⁴ But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.
¹⁵ My mouth shall show forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.
¹⁶ I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.
¹⁷ O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.
¹⁸ Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have showed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.
¹⁹ Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!
²⁰ Thou, which hast showed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
²¹ Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.
²² I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.
²³ My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.
²⁴ My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt.
David is here in a holy transport of joy and praise, arising from his faith and hope in God; we have both together Ps 71:14, where there is a sudden and remarkable change of his voice; his fears are all silenced, his hopes raised, and his prayers turned into thanksgivings. "Let my enemies say what they will, to drive me to despair, I will hope continually, hope in all conditions, in the most cloudy and dark day; I will live upon hope and will hope to the end." Since we hope in one that will never fail us, let not our hope in him fail us, and then we shall praise him yet more and more. "The more they reproach me the more closely will I cleave to thee; I will praise thee more and better than ever I have done yet." The longer we live the more expert we should grow in praising God and the more we should abound in it. I will add over and above all thy praise, all the praise I have hitherto offered, for it is all too little. When we have said all we can, to the glory of God's grace, there is still more to be said; it is a subject that can never be exhausted, and therefore we should never grow weary of it. Now observe, in these verses,
I. How his heart is established in faith and hope; and it is a good thing that the heart be so established. Observe,
1. What he hopes in, Ps 71:16. (1.) In the power of God: "I will go in the strength of the Lord God, not sit down in despair, but stir up myself to and exert myself in my work and warfare, will go forth and go on, not in any strength of my own, but in God's strength—disclaiming my own sufficiency and depending on him only as all-sufficient—in the strength of his providence and in the strength of his grace." We must always go about God's work in his strength, having our eyes up unto him to work in us both to will and to do. (2.) In the promise of God: "I will make mention of thy righteousness, that is, thy faithfulness to every word which thou hast spoken, the equity of thy disposals, and thy kindness to thy people that trust in thee. This I will make mention of as my plea in prayer for thy mercy." We may very fitly apply it to the righteousness of Christ, which is called the righteousness of God by faith, and which is witnessed by the law and the prophets; we must depend upon God's strength for assistance and upon Christ's righteousness for acceptance. In the Lord have I righteousness and strength, Isa 45:24.
2. What he hopes for.
(1.) He hopes that God will not leave him in his old age, but will be the same to him to the end that he had been all along, Ps 71:17,18. Observe here, [1.] What God had done for him when he was young: Thou hast taught me from my youth. The good education and good instructions which his parents gave him when he was young he owns himself obliged to give God thanks for as a great favour. It is a blessed thing to be taught of God from our youth, from our childhood to know the holy scriptures, and it is what we have reason to bless God for. [2.] What he had done for God when he was middle-aged: He had declared all God's wondrous works. Those that have not good when they are young must be doing good when they are grown up, and must continue to communicate what they have received. We must own that all the works of God's goodness to us are wondrous works, admiring he should do so much for us who are so undeserving, and we must make it our business to declare them, to the glory of God and the good of others. [3.] What he desired of God now that he was old: Now that I am old and gray-headed, dying to this world and hastening to another, O God! forsake me not. This is what he earnestly desires and confidently hopes for. Those that have been taught of God from their youth, and have made it the business of their lives to honour him, may be sure that he will not leave them when they are old and gray-headed, will not leave them helpless and comfortless, but will make the evil days of old age their best days, and such as they shall have occasion to say they have pleasure in. [4.] What he designed to do for God in his old age: "I will not only show thy strength, by my own experience of it, to this generation, but I will leave my observations upon record for the benefit of posterity, and so who it to every one that is to come." As long as we live we should be endeavouring to glorify God and edify one another; and those that have had the largest and longest experience of the goodness of God to them should improve their experiences for the good of their friends. It is a debt which the old disciples of Christ owe to the succeeding generations to leave behind them a solemn testimony to the power, pleasure, and advantage of religion, and the truth of God's promises.
(2.) He hopes that God would revive him and raise him up out of his present low and disconsolate condition (Ps 71:20): Thou who hast made me to see and feel great and sore troubles, above most men, shalt quicken me again. Note, [1.] The best of God's saints and servants are sometimes exercised with great and sore troubles in this world. [2.] God's hand is to be eyed in all the troubles of the saints, and that will help to extenuate them and make them seem light. He does not say, "Thou hast burdened me with those troubles," but "shown them to me," as the tender father shows the child the rod to keep him in awe. [3.] Though God's people be brought ever so low he can revive them and raise them up. Are they dead? he can quicken them again. See 2Co 1:9. Are they buried, as dead men out of mind? he can bring them up again from the depths of the earth, can cheer the most drooping spirit and raise the most sinking interest. [4.] If we have a due regard to the hand of God in our troubles, we may promise ourselves, in due time, a deliverance out of them. Our present troubles, though great and sore, shall be no hindrance to our joyful resurrection from the depths of the earth, witness our great Master, to whom this may have some reference; his Father showed him great and sore troubles, but quickened him and brought him up from the grave.
(3.) He hopes that God would not only deliver him out of his troubles, but would advance his honour and joy more than ever (Ps 71:21): "Thou shalt not only restore me to my greatness again, but shalt increase it, and give me a better interest, after this shock, than before; thou shalt not only comfort me, but comfort me on every side, so that I shall see nothing black or threatening on any side." Note, Sometimes God makes his people's troubles contribute to the increase of their greatness, and their sun shines the brighter for having been under a cloud. If he make them contribute to the increase of their goodness, that will prove in the end the increase of their greatness, their glory; and if he comfort them on every side, according to the time and degree wherein he has afflicted them on every side, they will have no reason to complain. When our Lord Jesus was quickened again, and brought back from the depths of the earth, his greatness was increased, and he entered on the joy set before him.
(4.) He hopes that all his enemies would be put to confusion, Ps 71:24. He speaks of it with the greatest assurance as a thing done, and triumphs in it accordingly: They are confounded, they are brought to shame, that seek my hurt. His honour would be their disgrace and his comfort their vexation.
II. Let us now see how his heart is enlarged in joy and praises, how he rejoices in hope, and sings in hope for we are saved by hope.
1. He will speak of God's righteousness and his salvation, as great things, things which he was well acquainted with, and much affected with, which he desired God might have the glory of and others might have the comfortable knowledge of (Ps 71:15): My mouth shall show forth thy righteousness and thy salvation; and again (Ps 71:24), My tongue shall talk of thy righteousness, and this all the day. God's righteousness, which David seems here to be in a particular manner affected with, includes a great deal: the rectitude of his nature, the equity of his providential disposals, the righteous laws he has given us to be ruled by, the righteous promises he has given us to depend upon, and the everlasting righteousness which his Son has brought in for our justification. God's righteousness and his salvation are here joined together; let no man think to put them asunder, nor expect salvation without righteousness, Ps 50:23. If these two are made the objects of our desire, let them be made the subjects of our discourse all the day, for they are subjects that can never be exhausted.
2. He will speak of them with wonder and admiration, as one astonished at the dimensions of divine love and grace, the height and depth, the length and breadth, of it: "I know not the numbers thereof, Ps 71:15. Though I cannot give a particular account of thy favours to me, they are so many, so great (if I would count them, they are more in number than the sand, Ps 40:5), yet, knowing them to be numberless, I will be still speaking of them, for in them I shall find new matter," Ps 71:19. The righteousness that is in God is very high; that which is done by him for his people is very great: put both together, and we shall say, O God! who is like unto thee? This is praising God, acknowledging his perfections and performances to be, (1.) Above our conception; they are very high and great, so high that we cannot apprehend them, so great that we cannot comprehend them. (2.) Without any parallel; no being like him, no works like his: O God! who is like unto thee? None in heaven, none on earth, no angel, no king. God is a non-such; we do not rightly praise him if we do not own him to be so.
3. He will speak of them with all the expressions of joy and exultation, Ps 71:22,23. Observe,
(1.) How he would eye God in praising him. [1.] As a faithful God: I will praise thee, even thy truth. God is made known by his word; if we praise that, and the truth of that, we praise him. By faith we set to our seal that God is true; and so we praise his truth. [2.] As a God in covenant with him: "O my God! whom I have consented to and avouched for mine." As in our prayers, so in our praises, we must look up to God as our God, and give him the glory of our interest in him and relation to him. [3.] As the Holy One of Israel, Israel's God in a peculiar manner, glorious in his holiness among that people and faithful to his covenant with them. It is God's honour that he is a Holy One; it is his people's honour that he is the Holy One of Israel.
(2.) How he will express his joy and exultation. [1.] With his hand, in sacred music—with the psaltery, with the harp; at these David excelled, and the best of his skill shall be employed in setting forth God's praises to such advantage as might affect others. [2.] With his lips, in sacred songs: "Unto thee will I sing, to thy honour, and with a desire to be accepted of thee. My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee, knowing they cannot be better employed." [3.] In both with his heart: "My soul shall rejoice which thou hast redeemed." Note, First, Holy joy is the very heart and life of thankful praise. Secondly, We do not make melody to the Lord, in singing his praises, if we do not do it with our hearts. My lips shall rejoice, but that is nothing; lip-labour, though ever so well laboured, if that be all, is but lost labour in serving God; the soul must be at work, and with all that is within us we must bless his holy name, else all about us is worth little. Thirdly, Redeemed souls ought to be joyful thankful souls. The work of redemption ought, above all God's works, to be celebrated by us in our praises. The Lamb that was slain, and has redeemed us to God, must therefore be counted worthy of all blessing and praise.
大衛在年老時寫下本篇詩篇，從其中數處經文可以看出，這也使許多人認為它是寫於押沙龍叛亂之時，因為那是他晚年最大的患難。它也可能因示巴的叛亂，或他在那部分人生中（曾預言刀劍必不離開他的家）所遭遇的某種患難而作。然而他在陳述自己的境況時並不過分細述，因為他定意使本篇可供神的百姓在患難中普遍使用，尤其是他們在衰殘年日中所遭遇的患難；因為本篇較任何其他詩篇更適合耶穌基督的老門徒使用。一、他以信心的祈禱開始——求神拯救他、解救他（詩 71:2、4），不丟棄他（詩 71:9），不遠離他（詩 71:12），並使他的仇敵蒙羞（詩 71:13）。他以對神的信靠（詩 71:1、3、5、7）、從神得幫助的經歷（詩 71:6），以及仇敵對他的惡意（詩 71:10-11）作為祈求的依據。二、他以信心的讚美結束本篇（詩 71:14 等）。他的盼望從未如此堅定（詩 71:16、18、20-21）。他的喜樂與感恩從未如此廣闊（詩 71:15、19、22-24）。他正處於歡然讚美的狂喜之中；我們歌唱本篇時，也當使我們對神的信心得著激勵，並使我們的心被提升去稱頌祂的聖名。