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I Will Go in the Strength of the Lord

Text: Psalm 71
21 January 2018

INTRODUCTION TO THE PSALMIST OF PSALM 71

1. He may be described as an “aged saint”

2. He has seen much of life

a. From youth
b. To old age

3. He has struggled much too

4. In Psalm 71 he shares the lessons he has learnt concerning his faith in God

5. One of them is how he found strength in the Lord God

LEARNING LESSONS FROM YOUTH

1. Lessons learnt

a. God as his hope   (“You are my hope, O Lord GOD” Psalm 71: 5)
b. God as his trust   (“You are my trust from my youth” Psalm 71: 5)
c. God as His strength and refuge
(“You are my strong refuge” Psalm 71:7)
d. He resorted to God continually   (Psalm 71: 3)

2. Lessons applied in prayer

a. “In You, O LORD, I put my trust”   (Psalm 71: 1)
b. “Be my strong refuge”   (Psalm 71: 3)
c. “You are my rock and my fortress”   (Psalm 71: 3)

THE DANGER OF FORGETTING THESE LESSONS IN OLD AGE

1. Fear of being forsaken

a. “Do not cast me off in time of old age”   (Psalm 71: 9)
b. “Do not forsake me when my strength fails”

2. Fear of enemies

a. “For my enemies speak against me”   (Psalm 71: 10)
b. “Those who lie in wait for my life take counsel together”

RETURNING TO THE LESSONS LEARNT

1. “O God, You have taught me from my youth…”   (Psalm 71: 17)

a. Focus: “I will hope continually”   (Psalm 71: 14)
b. Emphasis: “And will praise you yet more and more”
c. Application: “I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD”   (Psalm 71: 16)
d. Focus on God, not self: “I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only”

2. Determined to speak of God

a. His works   (Psalm 71: 17)
b. His strength   (Psalm 71: 18)
c. His righteousness   (Psalm 71: 19)

HOPE FOR THE FUTURE

“You who have shown me great and severe troubles”   (Psalm 71: 20)

1. Shall revive me again

2. Shall bring me up again from the depths of the earth

3. You shall increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side
(Psalm 71: 21)

CHALLENGE FOR ALL

1. Learning important lessons of faith in God at a young age

2. Remembering and practising these lessons even in old age

3. Finding hope for the future