Psalm Devotional
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Psalm 71 is not attributed to David, but the language and themes of his psalms echo throughout this one. There is the pressure of relentless enemies, and the desperate prayer to God to “be my strong refuge.” Whether or not the author is David, this psalm gives us a view of how true faith responds to the pressures of adversity with a renewed focus on a few fundamental things.
First, the psalmist takes stock in the one fundamental fact of his life—his salvation. Whatever else may be said, this is not in doubt: “You have given the commandment to save me” (v. 3b). These words express the sovereignty of God’s saving grace by envisioning it as a divine commandment, something that is authoritatively pronounced and therefore unquestionably secure.
We don’t often think of our salvation as a “commandment,” but to see it this way reminds us that our salvation is steadfast and unchanging. It is comforting to read in Psalm 119 how firm, perfect, and unchanging are God’s commandments, and to realize that your salvation is one of them. The commandment of salvation gives the author of Psalm 71 a comforting assurance that enables him to face the challenges of the moment. We, too, will share in this comfort if the fundamental fact of God’s sovereign grace forms the context of our thoughts.
