2 Bible Learning
Psalm 71 expresses a genuine hope for a better life. The psalmist’s hope is based on his deep faith in the goodness and mercy of God. Despite a long and difficult life, the psalmist was confident that the Lord would be faithful to His promises to care for him and deliver him from his adversaries and troubles. That is why the psalmist has taken refuge in
BIBLE EXTRA
Adversaries/False Accusers
When those who are adversaries of God and His people falsely accuse, they are acting very much like their father the devil. Jesus said that the devil “is a liar, and the father of lies” (John 8:44). For example, the devil falsely accused Job when he said, “Stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face” (Job 1:11). Of course, Job proved the devil to be the false accuser that he is by remaining true to the Lord, despite the horrific hardships he endured.
And the devil and his followers continue to accuse God’s people falsely. However, we can take great hope knowing that there will come a time when all heaven will rejoice, “for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. . . . Therefore, rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them” (Rev. 12:10b, 12a, KJV). In the meantime, like the psalmist, we can call upon the Lord for help, placing our full hope and trust in Him to see us through even the darkest times. And even more importantly, we can guide our children and their children to do the same.
Study the hopeful message in Psalm 71.
the Lord, his rock and fortress (Ps. 71:1, 3).
Read the third paragraph on the poster sheet, then point out the painting of a Jewish man praying and the Sunday school teacher with a class.
CONTINUAL HOPE
Read Psalm 71:12-14, and highlight these key points:
• The author of Psalm 71 was desperate for God’s help.
Continual Hope
Psalm 71:12-14, KJV
12 O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help.
13 Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt.
14 But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.
Psalm 71:12-14, NIV
12Do not be far from me, my God;
come quickly, God, to help me.
13May my accusers perish in shame; may those who want to harm me
be covered with scorn and disgrace.
14As for me, I will always have hope;
I will praise you more and more.
Whether our afflictions come with aging or some other trial, if we are not careful, we can feel as if God is far from us. However, nothing could be further from the truth. As the psalmist made clear, help from our loving and gracious God is only a prayer away. Always, our heart’s desire will be for Him to come to us “quickly” (vs. 12).
But this is a matter of perspective, for though our circumstance may lead us to believe that the Lord is far away, the reality is that He is always with us.
There is no greater reason to rejoice than knowing that our God is with us. And we are assured of His presence through consistent prayer and time with Him, which in turn produces thankfulness in our hearts, no matter the circumstances. This can be hard at times, especially when facing false “accusers” (vs. 13).
False accusations can be painful in at least two ways. First, if believed, lies can tarnish the opinions others may have of us. Second, these false accusations can negatively impact the view others may have of our God. So the psalmist prayed that his accusers would be brought to “scorn and disgrace” (vs. 13). When that happens, others will see them for who they are and will not believe their lies.
Further commentary on this Scripture passage can be found on p. 951 in The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: Old Testament.
• He expressed an intense desire for the Lord to be near him so He would quickly rescue him.
• He asked the Lord to degrade and consume his enemies.
• Meanwhile, he will always have hope in God, whom he will praise ever increasingly.
SUGGESTED ANSWER TO QUESTION 4
The psalmist’s situation and frame of mind was such that he asked the Lord not to be far from him. So he asked the Lord to come to him quickly to help in his affliction, which was tied to attacks from false accusers.
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Because we know that the Lord is always with us and will take up our cause against those who falsely accuse us, we also know that He is our only hope in this life and in the life to come. Unlike our false accusers, it is impossible for God to lie (Heb. 6:18). Therefore, we who put our trust in the Lord “have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” (vs. 19a). And because our hope is sure in the Lord, out of gratitude and love, our praise can pour out of abundant hearts.
Additionally, we can lead the younger generation in doing the same. Considering the hope we have in the Lord, it is so important to help the next generation understand the hope and love that is also theirs if they come to Him in faith.
4. Why did the psalmist want the Lord to come to him quickly?
5. What did the psalmist desire for his adversaries and false accusers?
6. Knowing that the Lord will help, what can we always have?
Courageous Hope
Psalm 71:15-18, KJV
15 My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.
16 I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.
17 O God, thou hast taught me from my
SUGGESTED ANSWER TO QUESTION 5
False accusations can hurt the reputation of innocent people. Worse yet, they can bring reproach upon the good name of God. So the psalmist wanted his adversaries to have that reproach and disgrace upon their own heads, thereby negating their false accusations.
SUGGESTED ANSWER TO QUESTION 6
Because our Lord will help us in time of need, we can always put our trust and hope in Him. And a trusting, hopeful heart will pour out praise and thanksgiving that is worthy of Him.
BIBLE EXTRA
No Retirement in God’s Economy
The Holy Spirit endows every believer with a gift or supernatural ability to serve God and others (1 Cor. 12:1-11). Furthermore, He does not rescind that gift when a person reaches a certain age. There is no retirement in God’s economy. Granted, as a person ages, there may arise certain physical restrictions. Face it, we cannot do at 80 what we did at 18. Nevertheless, though more limited in some ways, the aged among God’s people still have much to offer.
Psalm 71:15-18, NIV
15My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds, of your saving acts all day long— though I know not how to relate them all.
16I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign LORD; I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.
17Since my youth, God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your
As Paul pointed out to Titus, the older men should be good examples of sobriety, gravity, temperance, faith, love, and patience. And the older women can help younger women in what it takes to help maintain a godly marriage and family (Titus 2:1-5). In other words, the senior saints can guide and mentor younger adults, who can, in turn, raise godly children to love the Lord and others. This is why “gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness” (Prov. 16:31). From one generation to the next, the “way of righteousness” must be proclaimed, and no one is better prepared to do this than those who have been proclaiming His ways for decades.
LESSON
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COURAGEOUS HOPE
Now read Psalm 71:15-18, and discuss these ideas:
• Although the psalmist was unable to relate all of God’s righteous deeds, he would declare those that would come to his mind throughout the day.
• The psalmist again promised to proclaim His awesome feats and the His righteous deeds of God alone.
• Indeed, the Lord had taught the psalmist since his youth, and the psalmist had remained faithful in proclaiming the marvelous deeds of his divine tutor.
• Now that the psalmist has aged and is old, he besought the Lord not to abandon him, but instead, he wanted to tell the younger generation that God is all powerful and what He does is full of power.
SUGGESTED ANSWER TO QUESTION 7
Our mouths should proclaim all the glorious deeds and acts of salvation accomplished by our mighty Lord. No matter what comes into our lives, good or bad, God will use it for our good and His glory.
SUGGESTED ANSWER TO QUESTION 8
There are two parts to the answer to the question. First, we see that we should proclaim the mighty acts of God all day long. Second, we are to proclaim them our entire lives, from the time we come to faith in the Lord until we go home to be with Him.
SUGGESTED ANSWER TO QUESTION 9
In general, we are to proclaim God’s glorious deed to all who will listen. However, from our passage specifically, we are to proclaim the glory of God to the generations to come.
COMFORTING HOPE
Finally, read Psalm 71:19-21, and consider these summary statements with your class:
• The psalmist continued his praise of God by noting God’s actions (what God had done to protect and provide) and God’s character (who God is).
• The psalmist acknowledged that the Lord had allowed numerous bitter hardships to assail him throughout his life.
• Nevertheless, he stated with confidence that God would rescue him from the depths of the earth.
• With utter certainty, the psalmist declared that the Lord would enhance his honor and extend to
him His consolation.
SUGGESTED ANSWER TO QUESTION 10
There is no limit to the righteousness of God. It reaches high, to the very heavens above. He is our glorious, holy God, and there is no one like Him.
SUGGESTED ANSWER TO QUESTION 11
God’s love and mercy are without end, and His righteousness is boundless. Therefore, out of love and righteousness, He brings refining trials into the lives of His people. And the psalmist saw and experienced many bitter troubles.
SUGGESTED ANSWER TO QUESTION 12
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youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.
18 Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.
18Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come.
The key to having the full assurance of our great hope in the Lord is to recall regularly the wondrous works He has already accomplished in our lives. That can encourage and see us through the dark times of life. And when we get on the other side of a trial or ordeal, we can look back at it and see how He led us through it, as well. Such was the case of the psalmist, who was ready to proclaim “all day long” (vs. 15) what the Lord had done for Him.
Hope of the Resurrection
Like the psalmist, we have assurance that one day we, too, will be raised from the dead. Along with the passage in 1 Thessalonians 4, the great hope of the resurrection from the dead is also proclaimed in 1 Corinthians 15. As Paul stated, the trumpet will sound, and in the twinkling of an eye, the dead will be raised. Those who remain will be changed, and death will be swallowed up in victory (1 Cor. 15:51-54). With that glorious hope in our hearts, we, too, can proclaim victory over death, even now, and know that our service to the Lord is not in vain (vss. 55-58). And there is no greater service than proclaiming God’s love and hope to those who come after us.
The psalmist’s challenge was that he did not know how he could name all the righteous and saving acts of God because he could not count them all. However, whether young or well-seasoned, healthy or ailing, we have every reason to rejoice and praise the Lord. And may our rejoicing be in such a manner that it also instructs and encourages “the next generation” (vs. 18) to come. When future generations see the “power” of the Lord, they are more apt to pass on God’s truth to the generations after them.
Sometimes we may think that when we become “old and gray,” God forgets us or we have nothing to pass along to those coming behind. We should pray as the psalmist did, “Do not forsake me, my God.” He will hear us and remind us that He is still with us at all times.
7. What should our mouths proclaim?
8. How long should we proclaim it?
9. To whom should we proclaim it?
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Comforting Hope
Psalm 71:19-21, KJV
19 Thy righteousness also,
O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!
20 Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
21 Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.
Psalm 71:19-21, NIV
19Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens, you who have done great things.
Who is like you, God?
20Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up.
21You will increase my honor and comfort me once more.
There is no limit to the righteousness of God. And no matter how bad the troubles of life may be, we can know that our He is with us. Though our troubles may be “many and bitter” (vs. 20), we can know that God will strengthen us in this life. And when the time comes that our bodies are placed in the “depths of the earth,” our hope is still in the Lord, who is like no other and has always “done great things” (vs. 19).
There is also no greater comfort, especially for the aged, than knowing that God’s love and hope have been proclaimed and received by those who will carry on for Christ after we are gone. God will “honor” those who honor Him. What the psalmist meant when he said God will “restore my life again” is not clear, but a good life lived for Him lasts as it affects generations after us.
10. How far does the righteousness of God reach?
11. What did the psalmist see and experience at the hand of God?
12. What promise of restoration and increase did the psalmist hope for?
After experiencing the refining trials, the psalmist’s great hope was that the Lord would restore his very life and increase his honor and comfort.
WINDOW ON THE WORD
What Is a Psalm?
Psalms are sacred songs or poems people sing during the worship of the Lord. The word is derived from the Greek word psalmoi , meaning “instrumental music,” and specifically for the psalms as we know them in the Bible, they are “the words accompanying music.”
The Hebrew psalms are mostly found in the Book of Psalms, of which there are 150, and all are considered sacred in Christianity and Judaism. According to the traditions of both religions, King David is the author of many of them, which praise the Lord God with many different allusions from joy to grief to contrition.
Comprehensive Bible Study Student Book Reduction
marvelous deeds.
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BIBLE EXTRA
Explore how to share Jesus with other generations.
3 Bible Application 4 Life Response
This step provides students with activities that invite them to consider why and how they can reach out to other generations with the Gospel. If possible, photocopy this page, cut out the boxes, and give instructions to each group. Make copies of the handout from the Resource Kit for the group using it. Give the group doing the skit paper and pens.
GROUP ACTIVITIES
Discussion Group
Read “Share Your Faith” and answer Questions 13, 14, and 15 in the student book. Answers to Question 13 might be holding others up in prayer, mentoring, or inviting them to Sunday worship. Answers to Question 14 could consider the difficulties of exhibiting Christlike patience and understanding when we stumble, or overcoming meekness by gaining confidence and trust in the Lord, or confessing that we must be honest about our lack of biblical or spiritual knowledge. Question 15 invites us to relate the joy we feel when we observe the devotion young people have for the Lord, the gratitude we have toward God for the way young people are serving Christ, or the peace that warms our hearts by being assured of their eternal salvation in Jesus.
Skit: Tell His Story!
Write a contemporary script in which the main character is in a situation in which he or she has the opportunity to share about Jesus with a person who may be a young adult, teenager, or child. Cast the roles of these two characters. Rehearse, then either read the script aloud or perform it before the class. Discuss what each person can learn from this skit as it relates to this week’s Lesson Focus: “Proclaim God’s love and hope to the next generations.”
Handout:
“My Psalm”
Compose a poem in worship of the Lord. It will be a personal psalm, which will address your hardships, reflect on the blessings of being a follower of Christ, and express gratitude for being a child of an awesome God. Meanwhile, the primary theme of your psalm is to relate how important it is to tell future generations about Jesus. You may want to read your psalm to others in the group or the whole class.
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Share Your Faith
“Even youths grow tired and weary,” said Isaiah, “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isa. 40:30-31). We who love the Lord can and should nurture that “hope in the Lord” in our young people. To see them “soar on wings like eagles” and “run and not grow weary” and “walk and not be faint” should inspire each of us to tell them about Jesus’ love and compassion for them and how He atoned for their sins and redeemed them for God’s heavenly kingdom.
When Paul and Barnabas went on their first missionary journey together, others accompanied them, including Barnabas’s young cousin, John Mark. For whatever reason, Paul did not want Mark to join them on their next mission, which caused a split between Paul and Barnabas (see Acts 15:36-41). Many years later, Paul and Mark must have reconciled, for while he was in prison, he told Timothy to “get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry” (2 Tim. 4:11).
Thankfully, the senior Paul did not give up on his younger colleague in their ministry. Paul’s patience, forgiveness, and self-reflection regarding Mark probably helped him in being a mentor to Timothy.
Jesus Himself viewed younger people with deep affection when He said to His followers, “‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these’” (Mark 10:14).
13. What could you do to tell other generations about Jesus?
14. What difficulties arise when you share the Gospel with young people? How does the Lord help you overcome these difficulties?
15. Do youth who love the Lord inspire you with your own faith in Jesus? Explain your answer.
Current believers’ faith does not determine future believers’ faith. God can impact people’s hearts in any number of ways. Nevertheless, we are important vessels of the Lord. When He calls us to act and speak for Him, we must obey and obey with joy in our hearts and the utmost commitment. To do otherwise would not please our Lord, and to please God should always be imperative in all that we do.
Review “Enlightening Future Generations” in
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Enlightening Future Generations
In Psalm 71, the psalmist seeks the aid of God both for himself against his enemies and for future generations to whom he vows to proclaim the marvelous awesomeness of the Lord. It is a declaration of hope that can be realized only in the Lord God, and it’s a message He calls us to teach to future generations about the hope we have in Christ.
➤ Write here the names younger people with whom you could share the Gospel this coming week. Be ready to tell next week what happened when you presented your faith in the Lord with a youth if such an incident occurred.
Tell other generations about Christ.
Comprehensive Bible Study. Encourage students to think of one or two younger people they know whom they can talk with this week.
Finally, give the class the opportunity to pray either silently or aloud. In their prayers, they can express their gratitude to God for giving them the opportunity to share their faith with a young person or young people. Then they can pray for that person or people.
End the lesson with a closing prayer. Ask the Lord to bless the young people whom your students are mentoring—to give those young people a true understanding of the Gospel and a genuine willingness to serve Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Thank God for your students, who are impacting the lives of these youths—be they children, teenagers, or young adults. And praise the Lord for His love and compassion, which seeks to transform the lives of current and future generations.
KEY VERSE
But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.
—Psalm 71:14, KJV
As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.
—Psalm 71:14, NIV
DAILY BIBLE READINGS FOR NEXT WEEK’S LESSON
Week of July 15 through July 21
(See The Quiet Hour and Cross devotionals on these passages.)
Mon. 2 Timothy 3:10-17—Equipped for Every Good Work.
Tues. Matthew 4:1-11—Resist Temptation.
Wed Proverbs 30:1-9—Every Word of God Proves True.
Thurs. Colossians 3:12-17—Let Christ’s Word Abound in You.
Fri. James 1:19-27—Doers of the Word.
Sat. Psalm 119:57-72—Lord, Teach Me Your Statutes.
Sun. Psalm 119:73-80—Hope in God’s Word.
As the class members are leaving, hand out copies of this week’s Power for Living. Take or mail copies of Lesson Leaflet to those who couldn’t be with you today, or send them to those you would like to join your class.
Before Teaching Next Week’s Lesson
For next week’s lesson, assign Psalm 119:73-80 for your class to study. Ask your students to think about things that bring them joy.
