Psalm 71 (70):18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Without your companionship, my efforts lack value; may your grace be ever present with me. One individual might express this thought—he, you, I—but since this expression springs from a singular Greatness, it reflects the unity of the Church. Let us reflect upon the youth of the Church; when Christ came, He was crucified, died, rose again, and called to the Gentiles, leading many to conversion and transformation into Martyrs steadfast in Christ. The blood of the faithful became a harvest for the Church: this embodies Her youth. As time flows onward, let the Church bear witness and declare, "Even to this day, I recount Your wondrous works." Not solely in youth, as when Paul, Peter, and the first Apostles spoke, but also into old age, I shall proclaim Your glorious acts, as Your Body and members, united in Your purpose. Therefore, even to the very end of time, the Church shall endure. If She were not to persist until the world's conclusion, to whom would the Lord have uttered, "Behold, I am with you all the days, even to the end of the age?" This emphasis in Scripture was vital because adversaries of the Christian faith would assert that, "Christians exist for but a short while; soon they will fade, and the old idols will return." The endurance of Christians will span even into old age, that is, until the culmination of the age itself. When you, poor unbeliever, anticipate the demise of Christians, it is you who will fade away in their absence; yet Christians shall endure till the end of the world. When your brief life concludes, how will you confront the Judge you have blasphemed throughout your years? Thus, from my youth until now, and even into old age, Lord, do not abandon me. It shall not happen as my foes declare, even for a fleeting moment. Do not forsake me until I have proclaimed Your strength to all future generations. To whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? (Isaiah 53:1) The arm of the Lord is Christ. Therefore, do not abandon me, allowing them to claim Christians are only faithful for a season. Let there be those who shall reveal Your power—who? To every future generation. If it is so for every succeeding era, it will likewise hold true until the end of the world: for when the world concludes, no new generations shall arise.

Thus, David, speaking prophetically to those in Babylon, encourages them to declare, "My God will not abandon me, even into my later years." He further clarifies the meaning of 'old age' by adding, "Till I proclaim Your mighty power to the generations to come."

I will proclaim Your strength to the generations yet to come. God's strength, which is referenced as His power, resides in the arm's muscle, particularly from the shoulder to the elbow, as stated elsewhere, including Psalm 43. The future generation refers to the Gentiles or the followers of Christ, as noted by Athanasius and Theodoret, who would arise at the time of Christ's Incarnation. This aligns with Psalm 21: It shall be known to the Lord of the generation to come. Some interpretations suggest: until I declare (εως αν απαγγγελω), and others propose: until I am able to declare (εως αν απαγγγειλω).

His prayer reflects this reasoning, as if he were saying, O God, You have always shown generosity and compassion since my youth; now, as my strength begins to wane, will You not extend Your aiding hand? It is reasonable to conclude that if God has blessed us with His providence in our infancy and continued to shower us with His goodness throughout our lives, it is unlikely that He would abandon us at the end. Therefore, the word “here” is to be understood in a conclusive manner, suggesting that God, whose kindness is infinite and unchanging, will remain the same to the elderly as He was to the young. David further substantiates his plea with another argument, indicating that if he is forsaken in old age, the grace of God, which has upheld him thus far, will lack a herald. Thus, he implores God to support him until the end of his life, so he can share the unbroken stream of God’s mercies with his descendants and, at the time of his passing, affirm that God never abandons His faithful servants who turn to Him. By referring to the generation yet to come, he signifies his children and grandchildren, who can only remember God's mercies through the faithful completion of their own lives. The term “muscle” signifies God's strength manifested through His righteousness. In portraying these aspects, he illustrates the image of his redemption, celebrating the fact that God has displayed the remarkable sign of His majestic power in his life.

The progeny of Jonadab, who heeded their father's directive, are celebrated in this psalm, offering guidance to those who willingly follow God's commandments and a call to repentance for those who stray from His divine will. In this psalm, the prophet petitions God, pleading for His support both in youth and old age, asking to be an ever-present Helper and Redeemer from all enemies, both seen and unseen. He prophetically encourages all to yield their minds to the obedience of Christ the Lord, with the promise of liberation from sin through His death, which grants freedom to the original captives and all faithful servants of God, leading them to eternal life (2 Cor. 10:5; Rom. 6:10).