AGE WITH SAGE: THE OLD MAN AND THE PSALM (PSALM 71)
Less than three months before my retirement age in August this year (2025), I was asked to say a few words at a fellowship’s anniversary, so I told them my three golden quotes on future retirement I had shared with my good friend Hartman Cheng days ago, though my contract was extended for a year:
1. “Better work than not!” These were the first words I said to Cheng when he visited me in hospital in 2018 for a minor stroke.
2. “If not work now, then when?” It’s better to work before dementia, debility and diseases pay a visit!
3. “If it’s easy, you’re not needed!” These were the golden words from my wife in response to a friend’s complaint.
I almost wanted to title this sermon as “The Old Man and the Psalm.” Psalm 71 talked about “old” (vv 9, 18) more than any chapter in the Bible, but it’s for the young, too, because there’s more talk of “youth” than any psalm. The noun “old” occurs six times in the Bible; two (vv 9, 18) in this chapter, more than any chapter in the Bible.
Have you found yourself losing devotion, direction and development as you age? How are you wiser as you age? Why is aging a friend and not a foe?
Lord, Be Our Passion and Praise
1 In you, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame. 2 Rescue me and deliver me in your righteousness; turn your ear to me and save me. 3 Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. 4 Deliver me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of evil and cruel men. 5 For you have been my hope, O Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth. 6 From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother's womb. I will ever praise you. 7 I have become like a portent to many, but you are my strong refuge. 8 My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long.
Three weeks before my retirement age, I sent this note to brothers and sisters: “Prayer collection is one third done. I will rest till mid-August retirement date, but my contract was extended one year with thanksgiving!”
Later, I asked my staff if the message was OK. One said, “In thanksgiving, there is no need of “BUT!”
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Psalms 71 is a very expressive and earnest psalm to engage the Lord. The cohortative or the first person imperative “Let me never/not” (v 1 “) as well as “let me never + be put to shame,” as the first verse in the Psalms occurs only twice in the Bible (Ps 31:1, 71:1). The strong, staunch and steely negation “Let me never” is a literary device from Psalms on (25:2, 20), and not the books before. The verb “ashamed” starts, covers and ends Psalm 71 (vv 1, 13, 24). The first occurrence of the word in the Bible is for Eve and Adam were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not “ashamed” (Gen 2:25). Ashamed in Bible is to be confounded, confused and contradicted. It means not to feel disapproved, disgraced and discredited.
Verse 2 has the most “me” in one verse in the book of Psalms. The two imperatives in verse 2 (“turn your ear to me and save me”) are “turn” and “save.” Turn is to bow or bend and bring oneself lower. It is not narcissistic or neurotic, but to connect, call and cry to the Lord for His presence, protection and perseverance.
Verse 3 has three nouns and objects– “refuge/habitat,” “rock” and “fortress.” There is an all-important reason (ki) in the verse before “rock” and fortress.” Refuge is shelter and rock is stone, while fortress is stronghold. Refuge is on the inside, rock is on the outside and fortress is upward.
Rock Fortress
Stone Stronghold
Out Up
Bedrock Bulwark
Verse 3 and 4 have the imperatives “Be” (v 3 BE my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress) and “Deliver” (v 4 DELIVER me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of evil and cruel men. 5 For you have been my hope, O Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth). Verse 3 describes objects and verse 4 people. Just as there are three objects in verse 3 – rock of refuge/habitation, rock and fortress, there are three types of people in verse 4 – the “wicked” or unholy person, the evil or immoral, and the cruel, or unleavened or unmoved person.
Verse 5 has another reason (ki). Hope (v 5 “For you have been my hope, O Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth”) is for deliverance and confidence is dependence. Hope is anticipation and confidence is assurance.
Hope Confidence
Deliverance Dependence
Anticipation Assurance
Promise Practice
Verses 1-3 is thou and me, verse 4 is me, verses 5 and 6 with three “thou.”
Psalms 72 and 106 have the most “praise” (vv 6 I will ever praise you, 8 My mouth is filled with your praise, 14) in a chapter of the Bible. Praise is the most repeated noun in the chapter.
What’s the difference between praise and splendor (v 8 “My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long”), or honor in KJV?
PRAISE SPLENDOR
Exaltation Excellence
Greatness Glory
May our praise increase with our age, with no room for bitterness, blame or backbiting!
Lord, Be Our Preservation and Peace
9 Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone. 10 For my enemies speak against me; those who wait to kill me conspire together. 11 They say, "God has forsaken him; pursue him and seize him, for no one will rescue him." 12 Be not far from me, O God; come quickly, O my God, to help me. 13 May my accusers perish in shame; may those who want to harm me be covered with scorn and disgrace.
The great evangelist George Whitefield was relating the difficulties of the gospel ministry to some friends. He said that he was weary of the burdens and was glad that his work would soon be over and that he would depart this earthly scene to be with Christ. The others admitted having similar feelings -- all except one, a Mr. Tennant. Noting this, Whitefield tapped him on the knee and said, "Well, Brother Tennant, you are the oldest among us; do you not rejoice to think that your time is so near at hand when you will be called Home?"
The old man answered bluntly that he had no wish about it. When pressed for something more definite, he added, “I have nothing to do with death. My business is to live as long as I can, and as well as I can, and serve my Savior as faithfully as I can, until He thinks it's time to call me home.” (Our Daily Bread)
I asked AI, “Is preservation a bad word?” Ai replied tersely: “No, “preservation” is not a bad word; It is a standard English noun that describes the act of keeping something valuable safe, intact, free from damage, decay, or loss.”
The verbs “cast” and “forsake” are third person indirect imperatives (jussive in meaning). Cast (v 9 “Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone”) comes from a rich story. The runaway Hagar “cast” her child under the bushes when the water was gone, just as Joseph was” cast” in the pit to die. “Forsake me not” is a plea known to the Psalms only. Cast is aggressive, but forsake is passive or passive aggressive. Cast is physical, forsake is emotional. To cast is to discard, to forsake is to disappear! My wife used to say to check on her if she is in nursing home that she does not get abused. When you are old, people can take advantage of you physically, mentally and financially. Old (v 9) means “MY strength is gone!” (v 9), “enemies…conspire TOGETHER/take counsel together” and “NO one will rescue” you!” (v 11)
The enemies’ commands “pursue” and “seize” (v 11 “God has forsaken him; pursue him and seize him, for no one will rescue him”) were matched with a strong, sure and swift response in the imperative: “come quickly/MAKE HASTE” to help me (v 12), a phrase found only in Psalms (22:19, 40:13, 70:1). The plea, prompt or prayer “come quickly/make haste” means for the Lord to advance, accelerate and arrive – be on time, in record time, in double time. The imperative “hasten” makes its debut in the Bible when Jonathan hastened to save David (1 Sam 20:38).
Verse 13 (May my accusers perish in shame; may those who want to harm me be covered with scorn and disgrace) in KJV has three C – let them be “confounded”… “consumed”… “covered” with reproach and dishonor. Confounded is disorientation, disarray and distraction; consumed is defeat, destruction and damnation; and covered is disgrace is dishonor, disgrace and disfavor.
V 13 Confounded (KJV) Consumed (KJV) Covered (with scorn and disgrace)
Disorientation Defeat Dishonor
Disarray Destruction Disgrace
Distraction Damnation Disfavor
Lord, Be Our Perspective and Proclamation
14 But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more. 15 My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure. 16 I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, O Sovereign Lord; I will proclaim your righteousness, yours alone. 17 Since my youth, O God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds. 18 Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come. 19 Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God, you who have done great things. Who, O God, is like you? 20 Though 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. 21 You will increase my honor and comfort me once again. 22 I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praise to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel. 23 My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you — I, whom you have redeemed. 24 My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long, for those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame and confusion.
In a long-running Harvard study on happiness (that has tracked the same group of men since they were teenagers in 1938), researchers asked participants as they entered their golden years what they worried about most in retirement, beyond financial concerns. The answer? How to find new social ties to replace the work connections they leaned on for so many years.
A 2024 Transamerica survey found that 17% of retirees feel lonely, and many struggle to replace the support from co-workers, including daily chats, shared goals and a sense of belonging.
The Transamerica survey says 27% feel unmotivated or overwhelmed, struggling to build a new routine outside of work that feels meaningful. Lack of a routine: Work, especially a 9-to-5 schedule, can provide a rhythm that becomes a daily habit. Without a schedule or routine, retirees can feel lost.
The Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) 2024 Spending in Retirement survey reveals that retirees’ life satisfaction is lower than expected, partly because dreams of travel (59% aspire to travel but only 36% actually do) or hobbies don’t always pan out, so the gap between expectations and reality grows.
The FPA 2025 survey noted that only 11% of retirees are emotionally ready, often because work defined their identity. Shifting focus to personal strengths can help you see who you are now.
https://www.kiplinger.com/retirement/happy-retirement/the-emotional-side-of-retiring-steps-to-help-you-move-on (The Emotional Side of Retiring, Aug 21, 2025)
Three things about the last passage:
1. First, be forward-looking. Verse 14 onwards is looking forward to the future, mostly in the future tense (imperfect). Verses 14 and 15 (14 But as for me, I WILL always have hope; I WILL praise you more and more. 15 My mouth WILL tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure. 16 I WILL come and proclaim your mighty acts, O Sovereign Lord; I WILL proclaim your righteousness, yours alone.) is the psalmist’s “never say die,” “never too late” and “never give up” spirit - epitomized and extended by the Hebrew exchange of words such as “continually” (v 15), “more and more” and “all the day” (v 16) and again again (v 20) No psalm has more occurrences of the words “continually” (vv 3, 6, 14) and “all the day” (v 15). There’s more “all the day” (vv 8, 15, 24) than any chapter in the Bible. “Though I know not its measure” is “FOR I know not the numbers” in KJV – no matter if your remaining days are long, short or average.
2. Second, be upward-looking. Life is about YOU, not me! Your righteousness, your salvation (v 16), your marvelous deeds (v 17), your power, your might (v 18), and “your faithfulness/truth” (v 22)! There’s more “your righteousness” (vv 2, 15, 16, 19, 24) in this chapter than any chapter in the Bible. In the light of God’s righteousness, we are to be honorable, honest and helpful. Your “power” (v 18 I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come) is the arm while “your might” is the acts.
Verse 19 means not to lose sight of God. Every difficulty is superlative in God and to Him. He is very high (v 19 skies) is translated as “high” 29x, height (10x) in KJV. God has done “great things” (v 19). He has made the psalmist see troubles, “many” (v 20). “See” is not make or manufacture troubles, but manifest to us – make known, make visible and ready for us. Also, “again” (v 21) occurs twice. “Greatness” (NIV honor) occurs again in verse 21.
3. Third, sideward-looking. Verse 18 is for the generations. It’s got “old and gray” (v 18), “the next generation” (v 19) and “all who are to come.” Old and gray (v 18) is age versus appearance. Craig D. Lounsbrough — 'An inheritance is what you leave with people. A legacy is what you leave in them.'
4. Be inward-looking. Shout for joy (v 23) is sing, shout or rejoice. Verse 23 is lips, soul (I) and tongue (v 24)
Verse 21’s YOU WILL: “increase” and “comfort” me once again. “Restore,” “bring me up,” “increase: and “comfort me once again”
V 29 YOU WILL restore my life “again” YOU WILL “again” bring me up V 21 YOU WILL increase my “honor” (greatness) V 21 YOU WILL comfort me once “again” (KJV on every side )
Activate Ascend Abound Attend
Enliven Elevate Enlarge Encourage
Conclusion:
Act on Affirmative Attitudes:
To God - Gratitude
To Others - Beatitude
In Faith - Certitude
For Self - Solitude
In Life - Fortitude
Victor Yap
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