Restored after many troubles

Psalm 71:19-24

God does not promise you an easy path. Life can be extremely hard. The psalmist has seen ‘troubles, many and bitter’ (v.20). His troubles, pressures and worries were not occasional or trivial. They were numerous and serious. He gives you a model of how to respond in these circumstances.

1. Keep trusting

It is easy to trust God when things are going well. The challenge is to keep trusting in the midst of troubles. Do not stop believing in the goodness of God: ‘Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God, you who have done great things. Who, O God, is like you?’ (v.19).

2. Keep hoping

Your troubles will not last forever. In the midst of troubles, there is hope: ‘You will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honour and comfort me once more’ (v.20b–21). God will use your troubles for good. He will shape your character through them. As a result, he will increase your honor. He will comfort you through them so that you can comfort others (2 Corinthians 1:4).

3. Keep worshipping

Keep on praising God in spite of the troubles: ‘I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praise to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel. My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you – I, whom you have redeemed’ (Psalm 71:22–23). The presence of God in worship brings us peace and solace, especially in difficult times.