You who have made me see
many troubles and calamities
will revive me again;
from the depths of the earth
you will bring me up again.
You will increase my greatness
and comfort me again. Psalm 71.20-21
The psalmist makes a point here that may, at first, seem disturbing, but in fact it is very encouraging. The psalmist traces back the many troubles and calamities that he has experienced to none other than his God. Yes, God made bad things happen to our friend. There might have been any number of people and devils who had a hand in the evil that he experienced, but ultimately the evil came from the God he faithfully worships. So, he has been treated just like Job (Job 42.11), or even like Jesus (Acts 2.23). How could it be otherwise? But the psalmist is not complaining about this. And that is the key. It's all about how someone responds to the troubles and calamities that God sends his way. The psalmist responds well. And how can he do that? It's because of his faith, hope and love. Read through the Psalm. That the psalmist trusts his God is obvious. Read over the first half dozen verses. What are they but expressions of faith. 'I believe that You know what You're doing with my life.' And consider the last few verses of praise. What are they but expressions of love. 'You have been faithful to Your promises to me in all of the good and the bad that You have sent my way.' And while the theme of hope runs through the psalm, it gets special attention in the verses we're looking at. The psalmist knows that God will not abandon him in any of those calamities, but revive him again. And the psalmist is quite confident in saying, 'You will increase my greatness and comfort me again'. There will be a restoration after all the calamity has run its course. And what about the language of, 'from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again'? Could this be a little hint of a coming resurrection?
Life can be hard at times. And what do we say when we hit a patch like that? We would do well to repeat what the psalmist has written. The alternative it to become open to discouragement and even to flirt with despair. The Gospel, reflected here, gives us good reasons to turn away from those pitfalls and respond like the psalmist.