“[Thou], which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.” (Ps 71:20 KJB)
The last few psalms of David’s book of Psalms are precious. They are psalms reflecting his experiences in aging. The above verse is an excellent verse supporting faith in the resurrection. Although David is referring to his aging physical condition compared to the desire to do all he can for God until his last breath, he does allude to the resurrection as well. The quickening referred to here appears in the preceding verses closest to this one. The quickening referred to earlier is a physical strengthening David desires in the present tense. “Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth….I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, [even] of thine only.” (Ps 71:9,16 KJB) David knows that God strengthened him in the past. In fact, David is sure to mention that from the womb until the very day that he writes the above passage, that the strength of the LORD is what enabled him. This same strength will follow him into eternity. The depths of the earth cannot hold back the strength of the LORD. Herein is the hope of the LORD.
It is funny how we think an empty tank will never be full again. However, sometimes the tank needs to be emptied completely and remain empty for a while before it can be filled again. This often makes the tank healthier. I discovered something by accident several years ago. I am a fan of rechargeable electric toothbrushes. I use a Philipps Sonic toothbrush. I have used them for over a decade. Over the course of using them, they appeared to last only a few years. When brand new, they brush can hold a charge for almost two weeks. After a few years of using one, the charge lasts only a few days. I assumed that the life of the battery had seen its limit. Then I went on vacation. I deliberately let my toothbrush die and then let it sit for ten days completely dead. Before I left, the charger lasted only three days. Upon returning, the toothbrush was charged for 24 hours, and it was back to the condition it was when brand new. Now, every time the brush beeps at me for low battery, I let it die all the way before I charge it. If I am away for any length of time, I will run it empty and leave it that way until I return. The tank had to run dry before it could be filled back up. It made the tank empty.
David is nearing the end of his life. His tank ran dry more often than in his youth. That is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it can be a good thing. This causes us to rest in the LORD far more frequently than we did many years before. Our bodies may not be getting stronger, but our spirits and souls sure are. It is okay to be all used up. We need to be. David knew that as God was faithful to quicken him in the past, He will do so in the present and in the future. Just like the earth and the grave cannot hold us back, life cannot either. We may have to do the same, but in a more organized or efficient way. We may not be able to simply muscle through life. Rather, we will have to pray more. We will have to read more. We will have to seek the presence of our Savior more. If a six-foot hole cannot hold me back, then the devil, the world, and the flesh cannot either. God will quicken. That is His nature. Life is His heartbeat. To serve Him must be our passion.
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