There is something that everybody inevitably experiences and yet almost everyone fears... growing old. Old age has many frightening aspects: an aging body which is more susceptible to illness; declining strength; feelings of uselessness, especially after retirement; the loss of friends and loved ones through death; the reality of one’s own death drawing nearer; loneliness; feelings of alienation from one’s children and grandchildren, who are busy with other interests and pursuits; and, very often, financial concerns due to dwindling income and reserves.
Sadly, our American culture does not esteem the elderly. We are a self-centered, utilitarian society. The younger generation often views the elderly as a financial burden and, if they require our care, as an interference in the pursuit of pleasure and success. This was most outrageously stated a few years ago by then-Colorado governor, Richard Lamm. In a discussion of spiraling health care costs, he said that terminally ill elderly people have “a duty to die and get out of the way... so that our kids can build a reasonable life.” His attitude is not unique, however most people are more diplomatic and keep such thoughts to themselves. But such veiled attitudes are prevalent in our society. Today, Mr. Lamm has aged... He is 80 years old. I wonder if he’s anxious to “die and get out of the way”?
As Americans face growing old, we need to ask ourselves, “What should I be doing now to prepare for old age?” The fact is, you will be in old age what you are becoming now. If you are not becoming a person of faith now, you will not be a person of faith then. If you are a negative, grumpy person now, you will not be a positive, cheerful person then. If you aren’t developing a walk with God now, you won’t have one then.
Psalm 71 is the psalm of an old man. He is an old man with many trials and problems, but he is obviously a joyful man who is able to put his focus on the Lord in the midst of these trials. The psalm shows us, to put it simply, that God’s way to grow old is to develop a walk with Him now.
The reason that the psalmist could handle his problems so well as an old man was that he had developed a walk with God in the years leading up to his senior years. He had a proven and trusted resource in the Lord which enabled him to be strong inside, even though his body was growing weaker and his enemies were powerful.
We don’t know for sure who wrote Psalm 71. Some scholars think it was the prophet Jeremiah. More likely, it was King David who wrote this psalm at the time of Absalom’s rebellion. Setting authorship aside... there are three aspects of the author’s walk with God which were developed over many years, and served him well at this time of trouble in his old age. These three things are qualities of heart and attitude that Christians need to develop to grow into old age with confidence.
We need to develop a deep knowledge of God.
The psalm is permeated with a deep personal understanding and practical knowledge of God. He had been taught of God from his youth (71:17). The man knew God as his refuge (71:1; “strong refuge,” 71:7) and his righteous Savior (71:2). The man knew of God’s faithfulness to His people in keeping His promises. He calls God his rock of habitation, his rock and fortress (71:3); his hope and confidence (71:5).
He talks of God’s mighty deeds (71:16), His strength and power (71:18), and the great things He has done (71:19). He realized that it was God who brought him into trouble and God who delivered and restored him (71:20). God was his source of comfort in this trial (71:21). God had redeemed his soul (71:23). As he exclaims, “O God, who is like You?” (71:19). He could testify that his mouth was filled with God’s praise and glory and righteousness all day long (71:8, 22, 23, 24).
This man knew his God! It is obvious that he had known Him for years and had proved God’s faithfulness in a number of previous difficult situations. So in this instance when he needs to trust in God, it is not a matter of, “God, if You exist, whoever You are, if You’re out there I need your help!” He didn’t need to take a blind leap of faith because he knew his God in a personal, practical, proven way.
Ask yourself... Do you know God like that? Are you growing in knowledge through His Word and through applying His Word to your life experiences? One of the most important things that each one of us can do to prepare for whatever crises we may have to face in the future is to be spending time now in God’s Word, getting to know God. As you read His Word ask yourself, “What does this passage teach me about my God?” And then seek to apply it to your daily life.
We need to know our God and what He can do so that we can lay hold of the tremendous resources that belong to us as His children. If we’re learning that now, then we will know Him as our confidence when the challenges of old age come upon us.
We need to develop the godly habits of trust, praise, and hope.
A habit is developed by frequent repetition over a period of time. Once it’s in place, a habit becomes almost involuntary. Our attitudes, how we respond mentally and emotionally to life’s problems, tend to become habitual responses. Some people become habitual worriers; some become habitual complainers; some become habitually negative, pessimistic, and angry. Others become habitually cheerful and positive. The habits we develop in our younger years tend to take us further in that direction as we grow older. Habits for old age are not things we pick up naturally. They must be deliberately cultivated (“But as for me,” 71:14, points to firm resolve). In fact, they stem from a knowledge of God. They are the habits of trust (71:3); praise (71:6); and hope (71:14).
THE HABIT OF TRUST (71:3). The whole psalm is an affirmation of the psalmist’s trust in the Lord. The man was struggling because he was experiencing difficult circumstances, with many seeking to take his life; but he was unwavering in his faith because he knew in whom he trusted and believed... God.
Such faith stems from a knowledge of God. True knowledge dispels doubt and fear. We fear and mistrust what we do not know, whereas we are more inclined to trust what we know well, assuming it is trustworthy. Because the psalmist knew God, he had learned to trust God through other tough times (71:20), and he knew therefore that God would see him through this time.
Are you developing a habit of trusting God in the difficult times of your life? Or are you frequently filled with worry, doubt and fear? If you have trouble trusting, concentrate on getting to know God. Review what God has already done for you. There is a tremendous emphasis in the psalm on what God has done (71:5, 6, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24). Knowing these things strengthens faith! Has God preserved your life? Has He saved you from your sins? Has He sustained you this far? You can trust Him for your present problems and for any that may arise in the future.
THE HABIT OF PRAISE (71:6). Praise is not a natural habit for most people. God wants us to be a people of praise. Even when difficult times come, God wants us to learn to praise Him. The psalmist had deliberately developed that habit. (See also, 71:8, 14, 22-24). How can we learn to praise God when trials come? The answer is, “Learn to trust Him.” Just as trust stems from knowing God, so praise stems from trusting God.
You can’t praise a person you don’t trust, and you would not easily praise God if you do not know him. If you feel that there is something about a person that you can’t trust, you won’t sing his praises to others. It’s the same way with God. If deep-down inside you doubt God’s goodness or faithfulness for allowing some trial to come your way, then you don’t trust Him. Not trusting Him limits you’re capacity to honestly praise Him.
If you are a complainer and have trouble developing a habit of praise, I would suggest the same two steps I mentioned under trust: First, concentrate on getting to know God and His ways. This psalm emphasizes God’s righteousness (71:2, 15, 16, 19, 24) because the psalmist was fearing unjust treatment at the hands of unrighteous men, and he wanted to affirm the righteousness of the God he trusted. He is good and faithful, even when He allows troubles and distresses (71:20) to impact our lives.
Second, review what God has already done for you. “Count your many blessings, name them one by one.” We tend to forget His many benefits on our behalf (all undeserved), and thus we fail in praise.
THE HABIT OF HOPE (71:14). The psalmist had not only developed habits of trust and praise, but also of hope. We need to understand that there is a big difference between secular hope and biblical hope. Both forms of hope contain the idea of future expectations. But secular hope is uncertain because its source is uncertain, whereas biblical hope is sure because God is its source (71:5). When an investor says, “I hope that my investment earns 10 percent,” there is uncertainty because the source of hope (the stock market) is unstable. But when you say, “I hope that Jesus Christ will return bodily,” you are expressing something certain, but not yet realized. Thus biblical hope is built upon trust in God and His faithfulness.
Believers should be people who have a habit of hope built on the promises of God. The great missionary pioneer, Adoniram Judson, was suffering from fever in a wretched prison in Burma. A friend sent him a letter, asking, “Judson, how’s the outlook?” Judson replied, “The outlook is as bright as the promises of God.” Unfortunately, many Christians have picked up the negative, hopeless spirit of the world because they focus on the problems instead of God and His promises. If you’re developing that habit, it will make you bitter, not better, as you grow older. God’s people should be people who hope in God.
Thus the psalmist was in good stead in his old age because he had developed a deep knowledge of God and he had developed the godly habits of trust, praise, and hope.
He had developed a lifestyle of ministry for God.
Although the psalmist was old (71:9, 18) and could have kicked back and said, “I deserve some rest,” he did not. He still had a concern for ministry, for testifying to others of God’s faithfulness and power (71:8, 15-18, 24). As long as he had breath, he wanted to keep telling people about God’s greatness and glory.
A worldly attitude has infiltrated the church. It goes like this: “I work all week, so my weekends are my free time to spend as I please.” If we give God a couple of hours by going to church on Sunday, we feel like we’ve paid our dues. We don’t want to be tied down with any kind of commitment that would hinder us from taking off for the weekend when we feel like it.
I’m going to make a radical statement that might step on some toes. But check it out in the Bible to see if I’m right: If you’re not involved in some kind of Christian service, you’re too self-centered. I know that there are times in life when we’re busier with family and job than at other times. But if all you’re doing is coming to church to take in, if your focus is, “What can I get out of the church?” rather than “How can I serve the Lord through His church?” you’re out of balance. There should be no such thing as a non-serving member of the body of Christ.
With regard to old age, I think we need to challenge the American idea of retirement. We tend to go with the cultural view that retirement is a time in life when we can do what we want to do.
As Christians, we never earn the right to do what we want to do with our time! We never have the right to live selfishly. All of life must be lived under the lordship of Christ. And where in the Bible do we find any reference to retirement? If you’re freed up from your job at 65 or 66 and you’re healthy, why not view it as an opportunity to serve the Lord full time?
The point is, the psalmist didn’t want to be delivered from his problems so that he could play golf and go fishing every day. He wanted to be delivered so that he could proclaim God’s power to the next generation (71:18). He had a vision to hand off the baton to the younger generation. He saw a longer life as an opportunity for extended ministry. And his ministry was built on his knowledge of God and his habits of trust, praise, and hope, so he had something worth handing off!
God’s way for us to grow old is for us to develop a walk with Him now--a walk that involves a deep personal and deep knowledge of God, a walk that includes the habits of trust, praise, and hope, a walk that shapes a lifestyle of ministry for God. Then, as long as we have life and breath, we can show and tell and sing of the greatness of our God to the next generation. What a way to go!
“Gray hair is a glorious crown; it is found in the way of righteousness” (Proverbs 16:31).
