Psalm 71

“O God, You have taught me from my youth; and to this day I declare Your wondrous works. Now also when I am old and gray headed, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come. Also Your righteousness, O God, is very high, You who have done great things; O God, who is like You? You, who have shown me great and severe troubles, shall revive me again, and bring me up again from the depths of the earth. You shall increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.”  Psalm 71:17-21 (NKJV)

We cannot read today’s psalm without remembering the words of Caleb, who, along with Joshua, was one of only two men from his generation (those who left Egypt during the exodus) who were allowed to cross over the Jordan River and take possession of the Promised Land. You can’t have the “promised” land if you don’t believe the promise!  Because of unbelief among the Israelites of their generation, Caleb and Joshua had to wait 45 years before they could fight for the land they were promised by God to inherit.

“Then the children of Judah came to Joshua in Gilgal. And Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him: ‘You know the word which the Lord said to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh Barnea. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my heart. Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the Lord my God. So Moses swore on that day, saying, “Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children’s forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.” And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the Lord spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old.  As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in.  Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said.’” Joshua 14:6-12 (NKJV)

Did Caleb possess super-human strength? Absolutely not! Like David in today’s psalm, Caleb was not trusting in his own physical strength.  Rather, Caleb’s testimony is that his strength came from God’s promise and power, even at 85 years old.  When our trust is in the Lord, we do not rely in our youthfulness, nor are we crippled by old age.  The LORD is our strength!

“In You, O Lord, I put my trust; let me never be put to shame. Deliver me in Your righteousness, and cause me to escape; incline Your ear to me, and save me. Be my strong refuge, to which I may resort continually; You have given the commandment to save me, for You are my rock and my fortress. Psalm 71:1-3 (NKJV)