Psalm 71
September 6, 2020
preached by Pastor Doug Cooper
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Time of Reflection Quotations

“As disciples, we find not some, but all of our strength, hope, courage, and confidence in God.”

~ Henri Nouwen (1932-1996), Dutch Catholic priest, professor, writer and theologian

“True humility is not an abject, groveling, self-despising spirit; it is but a right estimate of ourselves as God sees us.”

~ Tryon Edwards (1809-1894), American theologian, minister and writer

“Hoping does not mean doing nothing. It is not fatalistic resignation. It means going about our assigned tasks, confident that God will provide the meaning and the conclusions.”

“The central reality for Christians is the personal, unalterable, persevering commitment God makes to us. Perseverance is not the result of our determination, it is the result of God’s faithfulness. We survive in the way of faith not because we have extraordinary stamina but because God is righteous, because God sticks with us.”

~ Eugene Peterson (1932-2018), American minister and author

“It is faith and hope in the midst of suffering, not miraculous deliverance from it, that display most clearly the all-sufficiency of God to a despairing world.”

~ Scott Hafemann (1954-present), American professor of the New Testament 

“Keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry, the philosophy which does not laugh and the greatness which does not bow before children.” 

~ Khalil Gibran (1883-1931), Lebanese-American artist, writer, philosopher and theologian

“He is not looking for heroics. He’s looking for those who are willing to follow him down that road of sorrows no matter how tiny the form that cross may take.”

~ Elisabeth Elliot (1926-2015), Christian author and speaker

Sermon Passage

Psalm 71 (NASB)

¹ In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be ashamed.
² In Your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; incline Your ear to me and save me.
³ Be to me a rock of habitation to which I may continually come; You have given commandment to save me, for You are my rock and my fortress.
⁴ Rescue me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the grasp of the wrongdoer and ruthless man,
⁵ For You are my hope; O Lord GOD, You are my confidence from my youth.
⁶ By You I have been sustained from my birth; You are He who took me from my mother’s womb; my praise is continually of You.
⁷ I have become a marvel to many, for You are my strong refuge.
⁸ My mouth is filled with Your praise and with Your glory all day long.
⁹ Do not cast me off in the time of old age; do not forsake me when my strength fails.
¹⁰ For my enemies have spoken against me; and those who watch for my life have consulted together,
¹¹ Saying, “God has forsaken him; pursue and seize him, for there is no one to deliver.”
¹² O God, do not be far from me; O my God, hasten to my help!
¹³ Let those who are adversaries of my soul be ashamed and consumed; let them be covered with reproach and dishonor, who seek to injure me.
¹⁴ But as for me, I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more.
¹⁵ My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness and of Your salvation all day long; for I do not know the sum of them.
¹⁶ I will come with the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD; I will make mention of Your righteousness, Yours alone.
¹⁷ O God, You have taught me from my youth, and I still declare Your wondrous deeds.
¹⁸ And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to all who are to come.
¹⁹ For Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens, You who have done great things; O God, who is like You?
²⁰ You who have shown me many troubles and distresses will revive me again, and will bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
²¹ May You increase my greatness and turn to comfort me.
²² I will also praise You with a harp, even Your truth, O my God; to You I will sing praises with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel.
²³ My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to You; and my soul, which You have redeemed.
²⁴ My tongue also will utter Your righteousness all day long; for they are ashamed, for they are humiliated who seek my hurt.