1 00:00:02,700 --> 00:00:07,420 Speaker 1: Life Audio Hi there and welcome to another Prayer Through 2 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:11,160 Speaker 1: the Psalms episode of the Praying Christian Women podcast. I'm 3 00:00:11,200 --> 00:00:14,020 Speaker 1: Jamie and I'm really excited today we get to dive 4 00:00:14,100 --> 00:00:19,440 Speaker 1: into Psalm 71. So Psalm 71 is thought by some 5 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:23,780 Speaker 1: to be a continuation of Psalm 70. It's entitled, Prayer 6 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:28,370 Speaker 1: of an Old Man for Deliverance. And it doesn't specifically 7 00:00:28,510 --> 00:00:30,950 Speaker 1: say that it was written by David. Some scholars think 8 00:00:30,990 --> 00:00:33,950 Speaker 1: it's actually a continuation of Psalm 70, which was attributed 9 00:00:34,010 --> 00:00:36,250 Speaker 1: to David due to its themes and the way that 10 00:00:36,270 --> 00:00:39,950 Speaker 1: it was presented in Scripture. But others think it was 11 00:00:40,210 --> 00:00:42,970 Speaker 1: an anonymous psalm that was maybe in the style or 12 00:00:43,010 --> 00:00:45,470 Speaker 1: in some of the themes of David, or maybe even 13 00:00:45,510 --> 00:00:51,350 Speaker 1: just compiled different themes and different kind of remembrances of 14 00:00:51,490 --> 00:00:54,960 Speaker 1: what God did. has done through the years. It has 15 00:00:55,300 --> 00:00:58,120 Speaker 1: elements that are really closely related to several of the 16 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:02,010 Speaker 1: other Psalms, like Psalm 31, which parallels David's prayer for 17 00:01:02,060 --> 00:01:06,229 Speaker 1: refuge and deliverance, or Psalm 22, describing dependence on God 18 00:01:06,270 --> 00:01:09,910 Speaker 1: from birth. Psalm 70, it echoes the urgent plea for 19 00:01:09,950 --> 00:01:13,020 Speaker 1: God to come quickly for help. And then Psalm 35, 20 00:01:13,020 --> 00:01:16,340 Speaker 1: appeals for protection against enemies and promises to praise God, 21 00:01:16,900 --> 00:01:20,709 Speaker 1: which so many of David's Psalms appealed to God for 22 00:01:20,770 --> 00:01:23,449 Speaker 1: help in a time of trouble, in a time of 23 00:01:23,850 --> 00:01:29,090 Speaker 1: complete hopelessness that only God can bring rescue from. I 24 00:01:29,150 --> 00:01:34,690 Speaker 1: recently turned 50. And so I have been really reflecting 25 00:01:35,069 --> 00:01:38,610 Speaker 1: on the previous decades of my life and honestly, where 26 00:01:38,650 --> 00:01:42,890 Speaker 1: I've come from and where I'm going. And this is 27 00:01:43,010 --> 00:01:45,810 Speaker 1: kind of like that. It's like, you know, Alana and 28 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:50,310 Speaker 1: I did an episode just a few episodes ago episode 29 00:01:50,310 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 1: 506 on Ebenezers, on the importance of setting up monuments 30 00:01:55,460 --> 00:01:58,680 Speaker 1: of God's faithfulness so we can remember, whether that's something 31 00:01:58,740 --> 00:02:01,380 Speaker 1: physical like a prayer journal or a sign on the 32 00:02:01,420 --> 00:02:07,640 Speaker 1: wall or pictures or an album, or maybe something like non-tangible, 33 00:02:07,980 --> 00:02:12,160 Speaker 1: like telling someone about God's faithfulness, conversations with your kids 34 00:02:12,220 --> 00:02:16,900 Speaker 1: or with the younger generation, a bracelet, that has reminders 35 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:19,440 Speaker 1: of things that God has done, whatever, whatever it might be. 36 00:02:20,220 --> 00:02:23,140 Speaker 1: This psalm is kind of like that. It's kind of 37 00:02:23,180 --> 00:02:27,140 Speaker 1: a kitchen sink bringing together of all these different themes. 38 00:02:27,980 --> 00:02:31,400 Speaker 1: And so I think it's appropriate as we in the 39 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:36,079 Speaker 1: US approach American Thanksgiving to kind of have this psalm 40 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:40,700 Speaker 1: as a template for remembering these different times in the 41 00:02:40,740 --> 00:02:43,320 Speaker 1: life of King David or just in the life of 42 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:48,040 Speaker 1: a Christian. and yeah, I'm really excited to get into it. 43 00:03:00,690 --> 00:03:04,750 Speaker 1: Before we do that, though, let's take a moment and pray. 44 00:03:05,570 --> 00:03:09,860 Speaker 1: Father God, we thank you so much for remembrance. I 45 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:13,079 Speaker 1: just thank you that We live in this crazy construct 46 00:03:13,340 --> 00:03:16,660 Speaker 1: we call time, where we get to experience moment by 47 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:22,600 Speaker 1: moment your faithfulness, your rescue, that there are opportunities for 48 00:03:22,820 --> 00:03:27,450 Speaker 1: us to live in a state of waiting for you 49 00:03:27,490 --> 00:03:30,950 Speaker 1: to work, or I should say waiting for your work 50 00:03:30,990 --> 00:03:33,930 Speaker 1: to be revealed to us, because we know you're always 51 00:03:33,990 --> 00:03:36,270 Speaker 1: at work. We know that the nature of who you 52 00:03:36,530 --> 00:03:40,100 Speaker 1: are is a God who sees, who loves, who meets us, 53 00:03:40,890 --> 00:03:46,690 Speaker 1: who blesses us, who answers prayers, who responds to our cries, 54 00:03:47,350 --> 00:03:50,060 Speaker 1: whether it's the cries of our hearts, the unspoken needs, 55 00:03:50,420 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 1: or whether it's direct, specific words in prayer. We even 56 00:03:55,420 --> 00:03:59,300 Speaker 1: thank you for the trials, for the tribulations, for the difficulties, 57 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:02,720 Speaker 1: for the places in our lives where we are ill-equipped 58 00:04:03,100 --> 00:04:07,360 Speaker 1: and not enough, where we are helpless and sometimes even hopeless, 59 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:12,420 Speaker 1: like David. So many times we ask why those things exist. 60 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:15,670 Speaker 1: And I don't want to take away from that because 61 00:04:15,710 --> 00:04:18,910 Speaker 1: it's real and it's raw. But at this moment, I 62 00:04:18,930 --> 00:04:21,870 Speaker 1: want to give thanks for those things because they serve 63 00:04:21,970 --> 00:04:26,860 Speaker 1: as a backdrop for your faithfulness, for your enoughness when 64 00:04:26,900 --> 00:04:31,400 Speaker 1: we are not, for your rescue. Because if we had perfection, 65 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 1: if we ourselves were perfect, if our circumstances were perfect, 66 00:04:34,980 --> 00:04:37,060 Speaker 1: there would be no need for rescue. For the gift 67 00:04:37,110 --> 00:04:40,310 Speaker 1: of faith, Because faith wouldn't exist if we were face 68 00:04:40,350 --> 00:04:43,110 Speaker 1: to face with you now. We have the opportunity in 69 00:04:43,130 --> 00:04:47,360 Speaker 1: this lifetime to display belief in something we can't see. 70 00:04:47,480 --> 00:04:50,479 Speaker 1: We have the opportunity to be at war with an 71 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:56,780 Speaker 1: enemy and give you thanks even when things are hard 72 00:04:57,140 --> 00:05:00,160 Speaker 1: and you seem invisible or silent. That's not going to 73 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:03,100 Speaker 1: be a possibility in heaven. And so I pray, as 74 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:07,310 Speaker 1: weird as it sounds, as counterintuitive, to what we are 75 00:05:07,630 --> 00:05:10,690 Speaker 1: wired to think and believe, that we could just for 76 00:05:10,770 --> 00:05:14,910 Speaker 1: a moment give you thanks for this fallen and imperfect 77 00:05:14,970 --> 00:05:19,270 Speaker 1: world that gives us the opportunity to magnify you through 78 00:05:19,420 --> 00:05:23,380 Speaker 1: our faith, through our thanksgiving in times of trial and 79 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 1: trouble and destruction and despair. I pray that it would 80 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 1: serve as a weapon against the enemy, that our praise 81 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:35,719 Speaker 1: and our belief even against all odds, even when everything 82 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:39,080 Speaker 1: around us is screaming, there is no God. Or worse yet, 83 00:05:39,180 --> 00:05:41,540 Speaker 1: there is a God and he doesn't care about you. 84 00:05:41,900 --> 00:05:45,120 Speaker 1: Or worse even, there is a God and he loves 85 00:05:45,140 --> 00:05:48,490 Speaker 1: your suffering. These are the messages we get and they 86 00:05:48,529 --> 00:05:50,750 Speaker 1: are straight from the pit. They are straight from the 87 00:05:50,790 --> 00:05:54,550 Speaker 1: mouth of our enemy. And when we demolish arguments and 88 00:05:54,690 --> 00:05:57,750 Speaker 1: every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, 89 00:05:58,089 --> 00:06:01,180 Speaker 1: against the truths about who you are and what you 90 00:06:01,420 --> 00:06:05,160 Speaker 1: are and what you do, and how you love, and 91 00:06:05,180 --> 00:06:08,320 Speaker 1: that you are love itself. When we get rid of 92 00:06:08,380 --> 00:06:12,140 Speaker 1: those things, when we stand against the lies, we are fighting. 93 00:06:13,339 --> 00:06:15,960 Speaker 1: So let us take captive every thought and make it 94 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:20,180 Speaker 1: obedient to the truth in Christ. Let us be lights. 95 00:06:20,540 --> 00:06:23,620 Speaker 1: Let us be more than lights. Let us be weapons 96 00:06:23,860 --> 00:06:27,750 Speaker 1: of mass destruction against the enemy in the spiritual world, 97 00:06:28,190 --> 00:06:32,120 Speaker 1: through our faithfulness, through our faith, through our hope, through 98 00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:35,280 Speaker 1: our remembrance in what you have done, and through our 99 00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:38,700 Speaker 1: hope and confidence in what you will do and who 100 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:41,920 Speaker 1: you are. We love you, God. We love you. Amen. 101 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:47,210 Speaker 1: All right, let's get into this beautiful psalm. All right, 102 00:06:47,230 --> 00:06:51,250 Speaker 1: Psalm 71. This is, as always, in the NASB 1995. 103 00:06:51,250 --> 00:06:56,450 Speaker 1: I love this translation. It's straightforward. It is very literal, 104 00:06:57,070 --> 00:06:59,550 Speaker 1: and I believe it's not just literal word for word. 105 00:06:59,710 --> 00:07:04,150 Speaker 1: It's phrase by phrase, literal, taking in context the meaning 106 00:07:04,170 --> 00:07:05,969 Speaker 1: of the passage. And I just love this. I love 107 00:07:06,010 --> 00:07:08,690 Speaker 1: the translation. So that's why. And it is the translation, 108 00:07:08,770 --> 00:07:12,310 Speaker 1: I think, that we see in the lexicon. When I 109 00:07:12,730 --> 00:07:15,610 Speaker 1: use the Bible Hub lexicon for these, I think it 110 00:07:15,650 --> 00:07:19,650 Speaker 1: also uses the NASB, the New American Standard Bible, 1995. 111 00:07:19,650 --> 00:07:22,360 Speaker 1: Prayer of an Old Man for Deliverance. So as I mentioned, 112 00:07:22,380 --> 00:07:27,720 Speaker 1: I recently turned 50. I've been reflecting on my last decades. 113 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:30,840 Speaker 1: Just to share real quick, I think it's kind of 114 00:07:30,880 --> 00:07:36,520 Speaker 1: cool because in my 30th year, so in 2006, we 115 00:07:36,560 --> 00:07:39,430 Speaker 1: had our first child. So that was like kind of 116 00:07:39,440 --> 00:07:43,830 Speaker 1: an entrance into motherhood for me, the motherhood era. In 117 00:07:44,050 --> 00:07:48,630 Speaker 1: my 40th decade, so in 2016, that was when the 118 00:07:48,970 --> 00:07:53,430 Speaker 1: Prevailing Prayer podcast was launched, which is crazy. That was 119 00:07:53,790 --> 00:07:57,270 Speaker 1: the podcast that preceded the Praying Christian Women podcast. It 120 00:07:57,290 --> 00:08:00,370 Speaker 1: was Alana and me, very different style of podcast, but 121 00:08:00,450 --> 00:08:04,430 Speaker 1: still prayer focused. And it evolved within a few years 122 00:08:04,570 --> 00:08:07,170 Speaker 1: to the Praying Christian Women podcast. So that was kind 123 00:08:07,190 --> 00:08:10,930 Speaker 1: of the podcast era. And now I have in 2026, 124 00:08:10,930 --> 00:08:20,210 Speaker 1: my 50th decade. I have recently finished training for becoming 125 00:08:20,290 --> 00:08:24,930 Speaker 1: a practitioner for something called spelling to communicate, teaching non-speaking, 126 00:08:25,270 --> 00:08:29,810 Speaker 1: minimally speaking, unreliably speaking individuals to communicate using letter boards 127 00:08:29,870 --> 00:08:34,780 Speaker 1: and then laminate boards and eventually keyboards. So it's none 128 00:08:34,800 --> 00:08:37,400 Speaker 1: of these eras have erased the previous ones. This is 129 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:40,840 Speaker 1: what I love. It's like eras building on each other 130 00:08:41,059 --> 00:08:45,280 Speaker 1: because I fully still feel committed to and called to podcasting. 131 00:08:45,940 --> 00:08:50,010 Speaker 1: and work with Alana through Praying Christian Women. Obviously, I 132 00:08:50,350 --> 00:08:53,209 Speaker 1: still feel called to be a mom. I'm still in 133 00:08:53,250 --> 00:08:57,709 Speaker 1: the thick of parenthood with a 13 and 15 and 20-year-old. 134 00:08:58,410 --> 00:09:01,730 Speaker 1: And then I have this new era opening up to me, 135 00:09:02,190 --> 00:09:08,099 Speaker 1: teaching motor skills and communication to non-speakers. And as I 136 00:09:08,140 --> 00:09:12,000 Speaker 1: have reflected, I have seen God just working in amazing 137 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:15,220 Speaker 1: ways in all three of those eras. and many other 138 00:09:15,320 --> 00:09:20,200 Speaker 1: eras in between. And that's why I'm really excited to 139 00:09:20,240 --> 00:09:23,619 Speaker 1: talk about this Psalm that's reflecting on different eras of 140 00:09:23,679 --> 00:09:28,199 Speaker 1: God's faithfulness and God's work and different facets of who 141 00:09:28,240 --> 00:09:32,210 Speaker 1: God is to David and to all believers, really. So 142 00:09:32,620 --> 00:09:36,530 Speaker 1: Psalm 71, prayer of an old man for deliverance. In you, 143 00:09:36,710 --> 00:09:39,990 Speaker 1: O Lord, I have taken refuge. Let me never be ashamed. 144 00:09:40,370 --> 00:09:43,630 Speaker 1: In your righteousness, deliver me and rescue me. Incline your 145 00:09:43,710 --> 00:09:46,160 Speaker 1: ear to me and save me. Be to me a 146 00:09:46,300 --> 00:09:50,080 Speaker 1: rock of habitation to which I may continually come. You 147 00:09:50,100 --> 00:09:53,120 Speaker 1: have given commandment to save me, for you are my 148 00:09:53,179 --> 00:09:56,170 Speaker 1: rock and my fortress. Rescue me, O my God, out 149 00:09:56,190 --> 00:09:58,410 Speaker 1: of the hand of the wicked, out of the grasp 150 00:09:58,470 --> 00:10:01,900 Speaker 1: of the wrongdoer and ruthlessness. For you are my hope. 151 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:04,640 Speaker 1: O Lord God, you are my confidence from my youth. 152 00:10:04,980 --> 00:10:08,020 Speaker 1: By you I have been sustained from my birth. You 153 00:10:08,140 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 1: are he who took me from my mother's womb. My 154 00:10:10,580 --> 00:10:14,180 Speaker 1: praise is continually of you. I have become a marvel 155 00:10:14,220 --> 00:10:17,350 Speaker 1: to many. for you are my strong refuge. My mouth 156 00:10:17,429 --> 00:10:20,110 Speaker 1: is filled with your praise and your glory all day long. 157 00:10:20,470 --> 00:10:22,890 Speaker 1: Do not cast me off in the time of old age. 158 00:10:23,250 --> 00:10:25,880 Speaker 1: Do not forsake me when my strength fails, for my 159 00:10:25,980 --> 00:10:28,660 Speaker 1: enemies have spoken against me. And those who watch for 160 00:10:28,700 --> 00:10:32,280 Speaker 1: my life have consulted together, saying, God has forsaken him. 161 00:10:32,620 --> 00:10:35,160 Speaker 1: Pursue and seize him, for there is no one to deliver. 162 00:10:35,500 --> 00:10:39,200 Speaker 1: So in this first part, I love that his talk 163 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:42,200 Speaker 1: is about God's refuge and And a lot of the 164 00:10:42,300 --> 00:10:46,660 Speaker 1: imagery of refuge is literally a stronghold or like a 165 00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:49,949 Speaker 1: hidden place in a cliff, like a high and set 166 00:10:49,990 --> 00:10:54,730 Speaker 1: apart area of safety for David. And he's just kind 167 00:10:54,770 --> 00:10:57,670 Speaker 1: of hearkening back to, or the author of this psalm 168 00:10:57,730 --> 00:11:00,489 Speaker 1: is hearkening back to some of these, be to me 169 00:11:00,590 --> 00:11:03,910 Speaker 1: a rock of habitation to which I may continually come. 170 00:11:05,210 --> 00:11:08,229 Speaker 1: And you are my rock and my fortress. Rescue me 171 00:11:08,290 --> 00:11:10,179 Speaker 1: out of the hand of the wicked and You know, 172 00:11:10,300 --> 00:11:12,800 Speaker 1: all of these things, you were my confidence from my youth. 173 00:11:13,220 --> 00:11:16,280 Speaker 1: And then talking about, I'd become a marvel. People have 174 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:19,939 Speaker 1: seen you do such amazing things for me when it 175 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:23,760 Speaker 1: looked hopeless to the point of just marveling. Like, how 176 00:11:23,820 --> 00:11:27,300 Speaker 1: is that possible? And I feel like that is, that 177 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:31,360 Speaker 1: is my heart's desire that people would see the work 178 00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:34,180 Speaker 1: of God in my life and that they would see like, 179 00:11:34,540 --> 00:11:37,800 Speaker 1: how is she getting through that? How is that possible? 180 00:11:38,679 --> 00:11:42,300 Speaker 1: And that the glory would be just reflected onto God. 181 00:11:42,490 --> 00:11:44,990 Speaker 1: And I think that is what David always does. He 182 00:11:45,070 --> 00:11:47,910 Speaker 1: never brings it onto himself. Let people marvel at what 183 00:11:47,950 --> 00:11:51,390 Speaker 1: an awesome guy I am. It's never that. It's, oh, 184 00:11:51,429 --> 00:11:54,290 Speaker 1: what a worm am I? And yet you are so 185 00:11:54,330 --> 00:11:58,360 Speaker 1: magnificent and so worthy and so able, even when I 186 00:11:58,580 --> 00:12:03,820 Speaker 1: am ill-equipped and not able. And then he says, don't 187 00:12:03,880 --> 00:12:06,040 Speaker 1: cast me off in the time of old age. I 188 00:12:06,080 --> 00:12:08,540 Speaker 1: see that and I shudder. I'm like, okay, 50. I'm 189 00:12:08,590 --> 00:12:11,329 Speaker 1: saying 50 is the new 30. I don't consider myself old. 190 00:12:11,429 --> 00:12:15,730 Speaker 1: I still honestly feel like a kid who is just 191 00:12:16,090 --> 00:12:18,910 Speaker 1: trying to get stuff right, trying to muddle through, trying 192 00:12:18,990 --> 00:12:24,329 Speaker 1: to make good choices, even when I'm so unwise and ill-equipped, 193 00:12:24,390 --> 00:12:29,540 Speaker 1: you know? But I'm hoping he's older than me asking 194 00:12:29,600 --> 00:12:32,570 Speaker 1: these questions. But yeah. Don't cast me off in time 195 00:12:32,610 --> 00:12:37,070 Speaker 1: of old age. I'm more vulnerable now, right? I sort 196 00:12:37,110 --> 00:12:39,710 Speaker 1: of think that as we get older, maybe our faith 197 00:12:39,750 --> 00:12:42,050 Speaker 1: should be stronger. Our wisdom should be deeper. But I 198 00:12:42,150 --> 00:12:45,790 Speaker 1: almost feel like the older I get, the less I 199 00:12:45,850 --> 00:12:49,460 Speaker 1: realize I know. And things that I held on to as, yeah, 200 00:12:49,500 --> 00:12:53,640 Speaker 1: I got this. I'm like, wait, do I? Was that right? Obviously, 201 00:12:53,679 --> 00:12:57,500 Speaker 1: there are the non-negotiables of scripture that I believe to 202 00:12:57,540 --> 00:13:00,650 Speaker 1: my core and in my bones. that Jesus is the 203 00:13:00,690 --> 00:13:03,290 Speaker 1: Son of God, that He died to save us, that 204 00:13:03,330 --> 00:13:06,290 Speaker 1: He's the only way, the truth, and the life, that 205 00:13:06,330 --> 00:13:08,670 Speaker 1: no one comes to the Father except through Him. How 206 00:13:08,710 --> 00:13:11,849 Speaker 1: that pans out in day-to-day life and my understanding of 207 00:13:11,950 --> 00:13:17,630 Speaker 1: how that is reflected in my everyday life, I just 208 00:13:17,690 --> 00:13:21,370 Speaker 1: feel like sometimes I'm still figuring it out. And that 209 00:13:21,410 --> 00:13:23,670 Speaker 1: can be a good thing as long as we don't 210 00:13:24,210 --> 00:13:28,990 Speaker 1: compromise the non-negotiables. And so I'm just, I am, I'm saying, God, 211 00:13:29,030 --> 00:13:33,270 Speaker 1: don't forsake me in these older years. I need you 212 00:13:33,350 --> 00:13:35,250 Speaker 1: even more now than I needed you when I was 213 00:13:35,290 --> 00:13:40,410 Speaker 1: a reckless youth. All right, so verse 12. Oh God, 214 00:13:40,450 --> 00:13:43,050 Speaker 1: do not be far from me. Oh my God, hasten 215 00:13:43,090 --> 00:13:46,089 Speaker 1: to my help. Let those who are adversaries of my 216 00:13:46,190 --> 00:13:49,569 Speaker 1: soul be ashamed and consumed. Let them be covered with 217 00:13:49,650 --> 00:13:52,910 Speaker 1: reproach and dishonor who seek to injure me. But as 218 00:13:52,990 --> 00:13:56,360 Speaker 1: for me, I will hope continually. and will praise you 219 00:13:56,420 --> 00:13:59,230 Speaker 1: yet more and more. My mouth shall tell of your 220 00:13:59,250 --> 00:14:03,209 Speaker 1: righteousness and of your salvation all day long, for I 221 00:14:03,250 --> 00:14:05,890 Speaker 1: do not know the sum of them. I will come 222 00:14:06,090 --> 00:14:08,569 Speaker 1: with the mighty deeds of the Lord God. I will 223 00:14:08,610 --> 00:14:12,490 Speaker 1: make mention of your righteousness, yours alone. O God, you 224 00:14:12,550 --> 00:14:15,770 Speaker 1: have taught me from my youth, and I still declare 225 00:14:15,809 --> 00:14:18,860 Speaker 1: your wondrous deeds. And even when I am old and gray, 226 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:21,960 Speaker 1: O God, do not forsake me until I declare your 227 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:25,620 Speaker 1: strength to this generation. your power to all who are 228 00:14:25,660 --> 00:14:29,130 Speaker 1: to come. For your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens. 229 00:14:30,150 --> 00:14:32,930 Speaker 1: You who have done great things, O God, who is 230 00:14:33,010 --> 00:14:36,510 Speaker 1: like you? You who have shown me many troubles and 231 00:14:36,550 --> 00:14:40,630 Speaker 1: distresses will revive me again and will bring me up 232 00:14:40,690 --> 00:14:43,810 Speaker 1: again from the depths of the earth. May you increase 233 00:14:43,870 --> 00:14:49,010 Speaker 1: my greatness and turn to comfort me. This reminds me 234 00:14:49,050 --> 00:14:53,540 Speaker 1: that as we get older, Our trials increase. Our bodies 235 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:58,000 Speaker 1: begin to fail. Our mind, in some cases, begins to 236 00:14:58,070 --> 00:15:02,910 Speaker 1: fail us. People around us that we loved will get 237 00:15:02,970 --> 00:15:09,330 Speaker 1: sick and die. We will experience more tribulation because there 238 00:15:09,410 --> 00:15:12,690 Speaker 1: is more given to us as responsibility, I would think. 239 00:15:13,590 --> 00:15:17,690 Speaker 1: A lot of times I mark my age by celebrities 240 00:15:17,910 --> 00:15:21,980 Speaker 1: that in my childhood seemed young and vivacious and now 241 00:15:22,040 --> 00:15:28,140 Speaker 1: they're dying. And it's really sad and kind of disarming 242 00:15:28,220 --> 00:15:30,900 Speaker 1: sometimes because it sort of seems to start happening all 243 00:15:30,920 --> 00:15:35,990 Speaker 1: at once. That goes for family members. You know, as 244 00:15:36,040 --> 00:15:39,070 Speaker 1: we get older, even if you were able to escape 245 00:15:39,610 --> 00:15:43,510 Speaker 1: knowing people to die when you were younger, as you 246 00:15:43,530 --> 00:15:46,470 Speaker 1: get to be, you know, 50, a lot of the 247 00:15:46,510 --> 00:15:48,810 Speaker 1: people we know and love that we've grown up with 248 00:15:50,110 --> 00:15:56,140 Speaker 1: start having tragedies happen, sometimes too young. Sometimes the people 249 00:15:56,180 --> 00:16:00,640 Speaker 1: that we knew in our childhood that were mentors and parents, grandparents, 250 00:16:01,940 --> 00:16:09,240 Speaker 1: spiritual mentors begin to have increasing health problems or unfortunately 251 00:16:10,220 --> 00:16:16,120 Speaker 1: pass away. And it brings a lot of heaviness as 252 00:16:16,180 --> 00:16:19,880 Speaker 1: we reflect on the fleeting nature of our life. And 253 00:16:19,950 --> 00:16:22,609 Speaker 1: so this is, I think, what David is saying. You've 254 00:16:22,690 --> 00:16:27,770 Speaker 1: shown faithfulness over and over again from my youth. Don't 255 00:16:27,810 --> 00:16:33,310 Speaker 1: forsake me until I am able to really express all 256 00:16:33,330 --> 00:16:35,600 Speaker 1: of that to the people around me. And I do 257 00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:39,180 Speaker 1: feel myself thinking, you know, as the time is ticking 258 00:16:39,900 --> 00:16:43,100 Speaker 1: with my kids, I have one who's flown the coop, 259 00:16:43,880 --> 00:16:46,420 Speaker 1: one that's out of the house, two in our homes. 260 00:16:47,020 --> 00:16:51,830 Speaker 1: And I find myself getting increasingly like this urgency with 261 00:16:51,880 --> 00:16:56,130 Speaker 1: the second and third. I don't feel like I've really 262 00:16:56,830 --> 00:17:00,630 Speaker 1: expressed to them the extent of my faith. I think 263 00:17:00,710 --> 00:17:03,270 Speaker 1: I have because I feel like they know me, but 264 00:17:03,330 --> 00:17:07,969 Speaker 1: I realize that especially with technology, even when we're together, 265 00:17:07,990 --> 00:17:10,840 Speaker 1: a lot of times we're not together. We're doing our 266 00:17:10,900 --> 00:17:14,119 Speaker 1: own thing. We're on our phones. We're in different rooms 267 00:17:14,180 --> 00:17:18,050 Speaker 1: of the house. I mean, It's just today hit me 268 00:17:18,090 --> 00:17:23,449 Speaker 1: really hard. I need to be intentional about declaring what 269 00:17:23,470 --> 00:17:26,320 Speaker 1: God has done for me to this next generation. And 270 00:17:26,380 --> 00:17:30,460 Speaker 1: first and foremost, obviously my kids. And if I'm not careful, 271 00:17:30,500 --> 00:17:33,160 Speaker 1: I'm going to get regretful about it. And I'm going 272 00:17:33,200 --> 00:17:37,560 Speaker 1: to wallow in despair over things that I haven't done 273 00:17:37,640 --> 00:17:39,620 Speaker 1: up to this point. But I'm here to tell you, 274 00:17:39,740 --> 00:17:43,179 Speaker 1: if you are just for the first time thinking, oh 275 00:17:43,220 --> 00:17:46,409 Speaker 1: my gosh, I haven't done any of that. Don't despair. 276 00:17:47,109 --> 00:17:51,040 Speaker 1: Don't wallow. Treat this moment, not just even this day, 277 00:17:51,080 --> 00:17:56,340 Speaker 1: just right now, this second of realization as the first 278 00:17:56,420 --> 00:18:00,139 Speaker 1: moment of a new beginning in a positive way. It's 279 00:18:00,200 --> 00:18:03,310 Speaker 1: never too late. It's never too late. As long as 280 00:18:03,330 --> 00:18:06,330 Speaker 1: we are on this earth to plant seeds of faith 281 00:18:06,490 --> 00:18:09,710 Speaker 1: in the lives of the people around us, including our kids, 282 00:18:10,590 --> 00:18:14,739 Speaker 1: no matter how old they are. So that's just... My 283 00:18:14,859 --> 00:18:18,220 Speaker 1: own struggle today, I want to share with you kind 284 00:18:18,240 --> 00:18:21,920 Speaker 1: of that same caution. Don't wallow. Don't wallow in regret. 285 00:18:21,980 --> 00:18:25,359 Speaker 1: It's a tool from the enemy to keep you from action. 286 00:18:25,900 --> 00:18:29,320 Speaker 1: So there you have it. I will also praise you 287 00:18:29,359 --> 00:18:32,379 Speaker 1: with a harp, even your truth, O my God. To 288 00:18:32,420 --> 00:18:35,300 Speaker 1: you I will sing praises with the lyre, O holy 289 00:18:35,380 --> 00:18:38,000 Speaker 1: one of Israel. My lips will shout for joy when 290 00:18:38,040 --> 00:18:40,520 Speaker 1: I sing praises to you, and my soul which you 291 00:18:40,540 --> 00:18:43,880 Speaker 1: have redeemed. My tongue also will utter your righteousness all 292 00:18:43,940 --> 00:18:47,560 Speaker 1: day long. for they are ashamed, for they are humiliated 293 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:50,780 Speaker 1: who seek my hurt. And so we see elements of 294 00:18:50,859 --> 00:18:55,919 Speaker 1: imprecatory prayers and feelings of, let the people that are 295 00:18:55,940 --> 00:18:59,459 Speaker 1: my enemies fall into their own traps. Let them be 296 00:18:59,540 --> 00:19:03,879 Speaker 1: cursed and humiliated for trying to come against a child 297 00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:08,129 Speaker 1: of God. And where my mind always goes with these 298 00:19:08,330 --> 00:19:13,060 Speaker 1: is the safest place, which is my spiritual enemies. Let 299 00:19:13,080 --> 00:19:17,879 Speaker 1: my spiritual enemies falter in their own traps. Let the 300 00:19:17,920 --> 00:19:22,419 Speaker 1: people who try to come against God's people come to shame. 301 00:19:23,220 --> 00:19:29,109 Speaker 1: Let my cries of your faithfulness act like a weapon 302 00:19:29,119 --> 00:19:32,870 Speaker 1: of mass destruction in the spiritual realms, destroying my enemies 303 00:19:33,590 --> 00:19:38,350 Speaker 1: in the name of Jesus. All right, let's pray. Father God, 304 00:19:38,510 --> 00:19:42,530 Speaker 1: we just thank you so much for the gift of praise, 305 00:19:43,480 --> 00:19:46,820 Speaker 1: for the gift of reflection, and we thank you that 306 00:19:46,859 --> 00:19:50,560 Speaker 1: there is no weapon formed against us that shall prosper. 307 00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:55,060 Speaker 1: Christ has already overcome the world. The battle is won. 308 00:19:55,680 --> 00:19:59,980 Speaker 1: The story has been written with a period, with an amen. 309 00:20:00,619 --> 00:20:03,950 Speaker 1: There's nothing that can change the fact that you are 310 00:20:04,290 --> 00:20:10,040 Speaker 1: victorious in the end. As we walk, this journey of faith, 311 00:20:10,320 --> 00:20:15,159 Speaker 1: this journey of life, in this construct of time. Please 312 00:20:15,260 --> 00:20:18,900 Speaker 1: let us do it well. My prayer every day is, God, 313 00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:23,000 Speaker 1: let me do this well. Let me face each challenge, 314 00:20:24,020 --> 00:20:29,639 Speaker 1: each joy, each celebration, each victory, each defeat, each struggle. 315 00:20:30,570 --> 00:20:35,450 Speaker 1: Let me face it well. And when I fall, because 316 00:20:35,530 --> 00:20:39,750 Speaker 1: your word says, though the righteous fall, seven times. Let 317 00:20:39,790 --> 00:20:43,930 Speaker 1: me rise again. Let me not wallow. Let me not 318 00:20:44,830 --> 00:20:54,379 Speaker 1: spiral into self-deprecation or self-pity or self-flagellation. Let me look forward. 319 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:57,860 Speaker 1: Let me fix my eyes on Jesus. Let me look 320 00:20:57,880 --> 00:21:01,790 Speaker 1: at this moment right now as an opportunity to begin again, 321 00:21:01,810 --> 00:21:05,510 Speaker 1: to do it better, Let the enemy not get a 322 00:21:05,550 --> 00:21:10,090 Speaker 1: foothold in my life and paralyze me through regret. Be 323 00:21:10,109 --> 00:21:18,640 Speaker 1: glorified in everything we do, today and always. Amen. We'd 324 00:21:18,660 --> 00:21:20,460 Speaker 1: like to take just a quick second to thank the 325 00:21:20,500 --> 00:21:22,899 Speaker 1: team at Life Audio for their partnership with us on 326 00:21:22,920 --> 00:21:26,640 Speaker 1: the podcast. If you go to lifeaudio.com, you will find 327 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:29,939 Speaker 1: dozens of other faith-centered podcasts in their network. They've got 328 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:33,560 Speaker 1: shows about prayer, Bible study, parenting, and so much more. 329 00:21:34,119 --> 00:21:35,160 Speaker 1: That's lifeaudio.com.