A beautiful old man
“Do not cast me off in the time of old age; Do not forsake me when my strength fails” (Psalms 71:9).
Personally, I don't like young people like me to call the old people in Korean “노인네”(old man). Nevertheless, after meditating on Psalms 71:9 and titled “Beautiful old man”, I am still not sure in my short Korean language whether it is okay to call grandparents and grandparents “노인네”(old man). My intention is to meditate on the Word by simply translating the word “in the time of old age” in the Bible. I hope that the word “old man” will not hurt the hearts of the elderly people. I would like to think about the beauty of the old man, that is who is the beautiful old man in God's eyes, focusing on Psalms 71:9. Meanwhile, I also want to become beautiful old man when I become old.
First, the beautiful old man puts his confidence in the Lord who is his hope.
Look at Psalms 71:5 – “For You are my hope; O Lord GOD, You are my confidence from my youth.” The psalmist grew up receiving instruction from the Lord from his youth (v. 17). Therefore, he was able to live in putting confidence in the Lord from his youth. And he relied on the Lord more and more as the years passed. The Lord was a strong refuge for him (v. 7). When the psalmist's enemies, who waited to kill the psalmist, conspired together (v. 10) and said, “God has forsaken him; pursue him and seize him, for no one will rescue him” (v. 11), the psalmist cried out to God, “Be not far from me, O God; come quickly, O my God, to help me” (v. 12). Those who put confidence in the Lord who is their hope pray to God.
What a beautiful image of the psalmist? We must imitate the life of the psalmist who always lived in the hope of the Lord from his youth to old age until his hair is gray. Like the psalmist, when we face many and bitter troubles (v. 20), we must rely on the more and more in God and put our confidence in Him. Then God will deliver us from that trouble. And the Lord will restore our lives again and will again bring us up from the depths of the earth (v. 20). As the years pass by, an old man who grows older while putting confidence in the Lord is beautiful old man in God's sight.
Second, the beautiful old man declares the Lord’s power to the next generation.
Look at Psalms 71:18 – “Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come.” The psalmist wanted to convey the strength and power of the Lord to all people in his future generations. He said, “I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, O Sovereign LORD; I will proclaim your righteousness, yours alone” (v. 16). His tongue told of His righteous acts all day long (v. 24). The reason was because the unmeasurable righteousness and salvation of the Lord (v. 15), that He gave to the psalmist who relied on the Lord and put confidence in Him from his youth to old age until his hair became gray. The psalmist couldn’t endure the Lord's unmeasurable grace of salvation without proclaiming to all future generations. Therefore, he prayed to God that he would not forsake him even when he was old and gray until he had done that.
The old man who passes on the heritage of faith to his children and descendants is beautiful. The old man is wise, declaring to his children and descendants the grace of God he received while relying on and putting confidence in the Lord who is his hope from youth to old and gray. The old man who testifies of the great things God has done in his life, rather than talking about what he has done in his life for Him, is entitled to confess that “… by the grace of God I am what I am” (1 Cor. 15:10).
Third, the beautiful old man praises the Lord.
Look at Psalms 71:14 – “But as for me, I will hope continually, And will praise You yet more and more.” The psalmist, who relied on the Lord as the years passed, not only shared God's wonderful works in his life, but also praised the Lord. He praised the Lord more and more as the years passed by (v. 14) and always praised Him (v. 6). The psalmist's mouth filled with His praise and with His glory all day long (v. 8). He praised the Lord with a harp even His truth (v. 22) He praised the holy Lord of Israel with harp (v. 22). When he praised the Lord, his lips shouted for joy, and his redeemed soul rejoiced (v. 23).
We always have hope and praise the Lord: “My life flows rich in love and grace/ By Christ in mercy offer'd,/ Who anguish bore, and took my place/ When on the cross He suffer'd/ His precious blood He Shed to free/ From sin and all its stinging/ Death destin'd sinners such as we!/ How can I keep form singing? (Hymn “My Life Flows Rich in Love and Grace”, verse 1). Our souls also praise the greatness of the Lord (Hymn “How Great Thou Art”, chorus). I hope and pray that when we die, we are able to go to the Lord as we sing praises to Him.
Thinking about my church old men and women in Christ who are beautiful in His sight,
James Kim (After visiting an old woman of the church in the hospital)