1 In thee, Jehovah, do I trust: let me never be ashamed.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "O God, in You I have hoped, O Lord, I shall not be confounded for everlasting" [Psalm 71:1]. Already I have been confounded, but not for everlasting. For how is he not confounded, to whom is said, "What fruit had ye in these things wherein ye now blush?" [Romans 6:21] What then shall be done, that we may not be confounded for everlasting?
2 Deliver me in thy righteousness, and rescue me; incline thine ear unto me, and save me.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 For this John, my dearest brothers, was one of those mountains about which it has been written, "Let the mountains receive peace for your people; and the hills justice." The mountains are eminent souls; the hills are little souls. But the mountains receive peace for this very reason, so that the hills can receive justice. What is the justice that the hills receive?
Cassiodorus · AD 585 "Deliver me in your righteousness and rescue me; incline your ear to me and deliver me." When he says "in your righteousness," he seeks divine mercy. In other words it pertains to his righteousness to spare a suppliant. For thus it pleased his righteousness to forgive a person who is known to condemn his own deeds.
3 Be to me a rock of habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Be Thou unto me for a protecting God" [Psalm 71:3]. Let not the darts of the enemy reach unto me: for I am not able to protect myself.
4 MyGod, rescue me out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "O God, deliver me from the hand of the sinner" (ver. 4). Generally, sinners, among whom is toiling he that is now to be delivered from captivity: he that now crieth, "Unhappy man I, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? The Grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord." Within is a foe, that law in the members; there are without also enemies: unto what cryest thou?
5 For thou art my hope, O Lord Jehovah, my confidence from my youth.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 We have witnessed a great spectacle with the eyes of faith, the holy martyr Vincent constantly triumphing. He triumphed in words, he triumphed in sufferings; he triumphed in confession, he triumphed in tribulation; he triumphed burned by flames, he triumphed submerged by waves: finally, he triumphed tortured, he triumphed dead.
6 On thee have I been stayed from the womb; from the bowels of my mother thou didst draw me forth: my praise shall be continually of thee.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Lastly, there follows the reason why I say this: "for You are my patience" [Psalm 71:5]. Now if He is patience rightly, He is that also which follows, "O Lord, my hope from my youth." My patience, because my hope: or rather my hope, because my patience.
7 I have been as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "As it were a monster I have become unto many" (ver. 7). Here in time of hope, in time of groaning, in time of humiliation, in time of sorrow, in time of infirmity, in time of the voice from the fetters-here then what? "As it were a monster I have become unto many." Why, "As it were a monster"? Why do they insult me that think me a monster?
8 My mouth shall be filled with thy praise, with thy glory, all the day.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Let my mouth be fulfilled with praise, that with hymn I may tell of Your glory, all the day long Your magnificence" [Psalm 71:8]. What is "all the day long"? Without intermission.
9 Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 My hope from my youth, "cast me not away in time of old age" [Psalm 71:9]. What is this time of old age? "When my strength shall fail, forsake not me." Here God makes this answer to you, yea indeed let your strength fail, in order that in you mine may abide: in order that you may say with the Apostle, "When I am made weak, then I am mighty." [2 Corinthians 12:10] Fear not, that…
Bonaventure · AD 1257 The fourth judgment of God is the judgment of abandonment, namely when God abandons man and exposes him to every temptation and sin. "When my strength shall fail, do not forsake me, O Lord. Depart not from me." It is a great peril when a father exposes his son in the midst of wolves.
10 For mine enemies speak against me, and they that watch for my soul consult together,
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Why do I say this? "For mine enemies have spoken against me, and they that were keeping watch for My soul, have taken counsel together [Psalm 71:10]: saying, God has forsaken Him, persecute Him, and seize Him, for there is no one to deliver Him" [Psalm 71:11]. This has been said concerning Christ.
11 Saying,God hath forsaken him; pursue and seize him, for there is none to deliver.
12 OGod, be not far from me; myGod, hasten to my help.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "O Lord, my God, be not far from me." So it is, and the Lord is not far off at all. For, "The Lord is nigh unto them that have bruised the heart." "My God, unto my help look Thou." "Be they confounded and fail that engage my soul." What hath he desired? "Be they confounded and fail." Why hath he desired it? "That engage my soul"? What is, "That engage my soul"?
13 Let them be ashamed, let them be consumed, that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt.
14 But as for me, I will hope continually, and will praise thee yet more and more.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "But I alway in Thee will hope, and will add to all Thy praise." What is this? "I will add to all Thy praise," ought to move us. More perfect wilt thou make the praise of God? Is there anything to be superadded? If already that is all praise, wilt thou add anything?
15 My mouth shall declare thy righteousness, [and] thy salvation all the day: for I know not the numbers [thereof].
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "My mouth shall tell out Your righteousness" [Psalm 71:15]: not mine. From thence I will add to all Your praise: because even that I am righteous, if righteous I am, is Your righteousness in me, not my own: for You justify the ungodly. [Romans 4:5] "All the day long Your salvation." What is, "Your salvation"?
Philoxenus of Mabbug · AD 523 David the prophet sheweth that the mind which is remote from the cunning of human teachings is particularly able to comprehend the righteousness of God, and to possess courage of spirit and the confidence which will contend with all things, saying, "Because I know not the art of writing, I will go in in the strength of the Lord, and I will remember Thy righteousness only."
Cassiodorus · AD 585 Then follows the clause "because I have not known business transactions." That part of the verse is recognized to create a problem unless it is well investigated. For if every person of business must be altogether condemned, not even those who are known to exercise the remaining arts are able to escape this condemnation.
16 I will go in the might of the Lord Jehovah; I will recall thy righteousness, thine alone.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 With reason there followeth, "I will enter into the power of the Lord:" not mine own, but the Lord's. For they gloried in their own power of the letter, therefore grace joined to the letter they knew not.
Philoxenus of Mabbug · AD 523 David the prophet sheweth that the mind which is remote from the cunning of human teachings is particularly able to comprehend the righteousness of God, and to possess courage of spirit and the confidence which will contend with all things, saying, "Because I know not the art of writing, I will go in in the strength of the Lord, and I will remember Thy righteousness only."
17 OGod, thou hast taught me from my youth, and hitherto have I proclaimed thy marvellous works:
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "O God, You have taught me from my youth" [Psalm 71:17]. What have you taught me? That of Your righteousness alone I ought to be mindful. For reviewing my past life, I see what was owing to me, and what I have received instead of that which was owing to me. There was owing punishment, there has been paid grace: there was owing hell, there has been given life eternal.
Philoxenus of Mabbug · AD 523 And teaching those who are simple and innocent, and those who are wise and understanding, David saith, "Thou art my doctrine from my youth up, that I might shew Thy wonderful works."
18 Now also, when I am old and greyheaded, OGod, forsake me not, until I have proclaimed thine arm unto [this] generation, thy might to every one that is to come.
Tertullian · AD 220 Hear now also the Son's statements about the Father: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor." He speaks of himself likewise to the Father in the psalm: "Forsake me not, until I have declared the might of your arm to all the generations that are to come." Also with the same substance in another psalm: "O Lord, how many are t…
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "And even unto oldness and old age." These are two terms for old age, and are distinguished by the Greeks. For the gravity succeeding youth hath another name among the Greeks, and after that same gravity the last age coming on hath another name; for πρεσβύτης signifieth grave, and γέρων old.
19 And thy righteousness, OGod, reacheth on high, thou who hast done great things: OGod, who is like unto thee?
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "Thy power and Thy righteousness" (ver. 19). That is, that I may tell forth to every generation that is yet to come, Thine arm. And what hath Thine arm effected?
20 Thou, who hast shewn us many and sore troubles, wilt revive us again, and wilt bring us up again from the depths of the earth;
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "How great troubles hast Thou shown to me, many and evil!" (ver. 20). Deservedly, proud servant. For thou hast willed perversely to be like thy God, who hadst been made after the image of thy Lord. Wouldest thou have it to be well with thee, when withdrawing from that good? Truly God saith to thee, if thou withdrawest from Me, and it is well with thee, I am not thy good.
21 Thou wilt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 But this was discipline; admonition, not desertion. Lastly, giving thanks, he saith what? "And being turned Thou hast made me alive, and from the bottomless places of the earth again Thou hast brought me back." But when before? What is this "again"? Thou hast fallen from a high place, O man, disobedient slave, O thou proud against thy Lord, thou hast fallen.
22 I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, myGod; unto thee will I sing psalms with the harp, thou holy One of Israel.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 "For I will confess to Thee in the vessels of a Psalm Thy truth" (ver. 22). The vessels of a Psalm are a Psaltery. But what is a Psaltery? An instrument of wood and strings. What doth it signify? There is some difference between it and a harp: ...there seemeth to be signified by the Psaltery the Spirit, by the harp the flesh.
23 My lips shall exult when I sing psalms unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 Again hear this because of that same "again" and "again." "My lips shall exult when I shall psalm to Thee" (ver. 23). Because lips are wont to be spoken of both belonging to the inner and to the outward man, it is uncertain in what sense lips have been used: there followeth therefore, "And my soul which Thou hast redeemed." Therefore regarding the inward lips having been saved…
24 My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day; for they shall be ashamed, for they shall be brought to confusion, that seek my hurt.
Augustine of Hippo · AD 430 But lest thou shouldest think the soul alone redeemed, wherein now thou hast heard one "again," "but still," he saith; why still? "but still my tongue also:" therefore now the tongue of the body: "all day long shall meditate of Thy righteousness" (ver. 24): that is, in eternity without end. But when shall this be?