Psalm 71 (70):9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

What sort of aging is this? When my vigor wanes, do not abandon me. Here is God's response: indeed, let your strength diminish, that My power may dwell within you, enabling you to echo the apostle’s words, “When I am weak, then am I strong.” (2 Cor. 12:10) Do not fear being cast aside in your frailty, in this season of life. Why not? Was not your Lord made weak upon the Cross? Did not the mightiest figures and the strongest bulls falter before Him, viewing Him as powerless, captive, and oppressed, challenging Him to come down from the Cross if He truly was the Son of God? Did He, who chose not to descend from the Cross, become feeble to prevent appearing devoid of strength, yielding instead to their taunts?

Do not cast me aside in my later years. Here, "later years" signifies frailty. Thus, he expresses, "Let there be no moment, O Lord, when I am feeble." He prays to maintain his faith in Christ, for He is our source of strength. In times of weakness, do not abandon me. If I stumble into sin, do not turn away from me, O Lord, because of my wrongdoing, but rather draw me near again, as one who cares for humanity.

I request to be granted the same attention that I experienced in my younger years, and I earnestly plead that even in my later years, I may not find myself devoid of Your watchful presence. Just as I refer to the Exodus from Egypt as my youth, I consider the period of captivity to be akin to old age, for there was a significant passage of time between them.

Do not cast me aside in the twilight of my life, O God, he implores, who has been my support since my youth; do not forsake me in my latter years. For I have already grown weary from my prolonged exile in Babylon. It is likely that the prophet voiced these sentiments on behalf of the elders of the community. While physical aging is apparent to all, spiritual decline manifests as sin. When my strongholds are laid waste, do not abandon me. This portion of the verse elucidates the earlier statements, distinguishing whether it refers to the aging of the body or the soul.

In light of the earlier statements regarding God as both a defender during his youth and a nurturer in his infancy, along with being a source of strength throughout his entire life, it follows that now, in his old age, he seeks refuge in the embrace of his Heavenly Father. As our strength diminishes, our reliance on God and our expectation of His aid grow simultaneously. The essence of the sentiment expressed is this: Lord, You who safeguarded me during the vigor of my youth, do not forsake me now that I am frail and weary. I beseech You for Your assistance; allow my fatigue to be a testament to Your compassion. It is not without cause that scholars interpret this verse as referencing Absalom's treachery.

The descendants of Jonadab are intended to exemplify a life of obedience, as they adhered faithfully to their father Jonadab's directives until the very end. In doing so, they garnered eternal recognition from God (Jeremiah 35:18-19) and stand as a testament to all who faithfully obey, contrasting with the first captives of original sin, Adam and Eve, who were taken to Babylon due to their disobedience to the command of the heavenly Father. The Jewish people were the initial captives of Babylon, suffering the consequences of their rebellion against God's law, illustrating that their captivity was rooted in their own transgressions.