Psalm 71:18

18 I'll keep at it until I'm old and gray. God, don't walk off and leave me until I get out the news Of your strong right arm to this world, news of your power to the world yet to come,

Psalm 71:18 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 71:18

Now also, when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me
not
A repetition of his request, ( Psalms 71:9 ) ; with a reason annexed to it, suggested in the following words:

until I have showed thy strength unto [this] generation;
or, "thine arm" ^F5; which sometimes the Messiah, ( Isaiah 53:1 ) ; who is the power of by whom he made the worlds, and in whom all things consist; and who has wrought out the salvation people; and is the arm on which they lean, and they are upheld. And the psalmist may be thought to desire that he might be continued a little longer, and be favoured with the presence of God, and the influences of his Spirit and grace; that he might show forth in prophecy, both by word and writing, to the men of the then present age, more things concerning the person, office, and grace of Christ; his sufferings, death, resurrection from the dead, and session at the right hand of God; things which are spoken of in the book of Psalms. Sometimes the arm of the Lord denotes his power and strength, ( Psalms 44:3 ) ; and so it may be taken here; and the next clause seems to be an explanation of it:

[and] thy power;
or "[even] thy power",

to everyone [that] is to come;
that is, to come into the world, that is to be born into it; namely, the power of God, not only in creating all things out of nothing, and supporting what is made; but in the redemption of men, in the conversion of sinners, and in the preservation of the saints, and in enabling them to hold on and out unto the end: and which is shown forth by the psalmist in what he has committed to writing; and which continue, and will continue, to the end of the world, for the instruction of those that come into it; see ( Psalms 22:31 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F5 (Kewrz) "brachium tuum", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator

Psalm 71:18 In-Context

16 I come in the power of the Lord God, I post signs marking his right-of-way.

17 You got me when I was an unformed youth, God, and taught me everything I know. Now I'm telling the world your wonders;

18 I'll keep at it until I'm old and gray. God, don't walk off and leave me until I get out the news Of your strong right arm to this world, news of your power to the world yet to come,

19 Your famous and righteous ways, O God. God, you've done it all! Who is quite like you?

20 You, who made me stare trouble in the face, Turn me around; Now let me look life in the face. I've been to the bottom;