What is the meaning of Psalm 71:2? In Your justice The verse opens with a confident appeal to God’s unchanging character: “In Your justice.” • Justice here points to God’s perfect righteousness and covenant faithfulness (Psalm 9:8; Deuteronomy 32:4). • Because His justice is flawless, the psalmist is certain that every request will be weighed rightly (Psalm 89:14). • This phrase reminds us that God’s deliverance springs from who He is, not from our merit (Romans 3:26). Rescue and deliver me Having grounded the plea in God’s justice, the psalmist asks for concrete action: “rescue and deliver me.” • “Rescue” pictures a swift snatching from danger, as in Psalm 34:17: “The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears; He delivers them from all their troubles.” • “Deliver” suggests ongoing liberation from threats that might re-ensnare (2 Timothy 4:18). • Together they span immediate intervention and continued protection, echoing how God brought Israel out of Egypt and then sustained them (Exodus 14:30-31; Deuteronomy 1:30-31). Incline Your ear Next comes a relational image: “incline Your ear.” • The psalmist pictures God bending down to listen, underscoring His nearness (Psalm 116:2: “Because He has inclined His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live”). • It reassures us that prayer is not monologue; the Almighty willingly attends to His people’s voices (Psalm 40:1). • The phrase also hints at urgency: when a child tugs a father’s sleeve, the father leans in to hear. Save me The verse culminates: “and save me.” • Salvation encompasses more than escape from enemies; it reaches forward to God’s ultimate rescue in Christ (Isaiah 45:22; Acts 4:12). • The plea ties physical deliverance to spiritual hope: the God who preserves life now is the same God who grants eternal life (John 3:16; John 10:28). • Because His justice has been satisfied at the cross, believers can boldly request salvation in every sense—temporal and everlasting (Romans 5:9-10). summary Psalm 71:2 strings together four connected pleas: on the basis of God’s flawless justice, the psalmist seeks rescue, ongoing deliverance, God’s attentive ear, and complete salvation. Each request flows naturally from the last, building a portrait of a righteous God who both hears and acts. For every believer, the verse models confident, Scripture-rooted prayer that looks to God’s character as the sure foundation for help today and hope forever. |
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