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PSALM 71

  1. With you, O jehovah, do I take refuge, let me never be put to shame.
  2. In your justice deliver me, and cause me to escape; incline your ear to me, and save me.
  3. Be you my rock of habitation, to which I may continually resort: you have given commandment to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.
  4. O my god, deliver me from the hand of the wicked, from the hand of the iniquitous and violent man.
  5. For you are my hope; O lord jehovah, you have been my trust from my youth.
  6. By you have I been supported from the womb; you are he that has brought me out of my mother's bowels; my praise is continually of you.
  7. I am as a wonder to many, but you are my strong refuge.
  8. My mouth shall be filled with your praise; and with your glory all the day long.
  9. Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength fails.
  10. For mine enemies speak against me, and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together:
  11. Saying, god has forsaken him; persecute and take him, for there is none to deliver.
  12. O god, be not far from me, my god, make haste for my help.
  13. Let them be ashamed, let them be consumed, that hate my soul; let them be covered with reproach and disgrace that seek my hurt.
  14. But I will hope continually, and will yet praise you more and more.
  15. My mouth shall show forth your justice, your salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.
  16. I will go in the strength of the lord jehovih; I will make mention of your justice, of yours only.
  17. O god, you have taught me from my youth; and hitherto I have declared your wondrous works.
  18. Wherefore also, when I am old and gray-headed, O god, forsake me not; until I have showed your arm to this generation, your power to every one that is to come.
  19. For your justice, O god, is very high; who has done great things; O god, who is like you?
  20. You who has showed me many and grievous distresses, shall revive me again; you shall bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
  21. You shall increase my greatness, and shall comfort me on every side.
  22. I will also praise you with the psaltery, even your truth, O my god; to you will I sing upon the harp, O you Holy One of Israel.
  23. My lips shall sing aloud when I give praise to you; and my soul, which you have redeemed.
  24. My tongue also shall meditate on your justice all the day; for they are confounded and brought to shame that seeking hurt.

The Internal Sense

His confidence that the father will succour him, verses 1 to 4, 7, 12, 14; that he was his from his nativity, verses 5, 6; lest the internals should say that he was deserted by god, verses 9 to 11; that thus they recede, verse 13; that so the name of god will be preached, verses 8, 15 to 19, 22 to 24; when he is victorious, verses 20, 21.

Exposition

Verse 6. By you have I been supported from the womb; you are he that brought me out of my mother's bowels. These things were said of the prophet Jeremiah, but still by a prophet in the spiritual sense is meant one who teaches truth, and in the abstract sense the doctrine of truth, hence by forming in the womb, and by knowing before he came out from the womb, is signified foresight that he may be in truths from good by regeneration, thus that he may receive and teach the Word. AE 710.

Verse 22. I will also praise you, with the psaltery, even your truth, O my god; to you will I sing upon the harp, O you Holy One of Israel. That by the harp is signified confession from spiritual truths, is manifest from the signification of a harp as denoting confession from such truths; the reason why this is signified by a harp is because a harp is a stringed instrument, and by those instruments are signified things spiritual, or those which are of truth, but by wind-instruments are signified things celestial, or those which are of good: the reason why such things are signified by musical instruments is from sounds, for sounds correspond to affections, even in heaven affections are perceived from sounds; and whereas affections are various, and various sounds are uttered by musical instruments, therefore the latter from correspondence and agreement signify the former; in general stringed instruments signify such things as relate to the affections of truth, and wind-instruments such as relate to the affections of good, or, what is the same thing, some instruments appertain to the spiritual class, but some to the celestial class: that sounds correspond to affections, has been made evident to me from much experience, and also that musical sounds, and that the angels are affected according to sounds and their varieties. It is further remarkable, that discrete sounds excite the affections of truth, or that they who are in the affections of truth are affected by them, and that continuous sounds excite the affections of good, or that they who are in the affections of good are affected by them. AE 323.

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