I have worked with teenagers for the past several years, and I am both encouraged and frightened about their future. Much of my focus has been on reaching teenagers who have no connection to the church. My generation and those who followed, who grew up in the church, left in droves. As a result, the vast majority of young people are now growing up without any Christian context. They are not hostile toward our faith. They have not been hurt by abuses within the church. They simply do not know who we are or what we believe.

I feel that we are at a moment when the fields are white unto harvest; we simply need laborers willing to do the work. This next generation is desperate to learn about God, but many lack access to mature Christians who can show them the way.

The questions they have are: How can I feel close to God when the voices around me are shouting for my attention? Is God someone I can rely on when life gets difficult? Is a life lived for God worth it in the end?

BACKGROUND

Psalm 71 serves as a testimony from an older man to a younger generation. There is extensive scholarship behind this Psalm, but explaining it would take too long and overshadow the central point. If you are curious, I have a fee schedule: The first question is free. Two or three questions cost a cup of black, medium-roast coffee, no sugar. Four or more questions cost a prime rib sandwich.

In summary, Psalm 71 is the centerpiece of a cluster of Psalms, 70-72, written as David was passing the reins of his kingdom to Solomon. It corresponds to Adonijah’s attempt to seize the throne. It addresses the heartache of a divided home: a prodigal son, broken relationships, and the shame of public humiliation. Yet it carries a hopeful undertone, expressing confidence in a God who neither forgets nor forsakes his own. It also points the next generation toward trust in God’s faithfulness.

Psalm 71 offers a compelling backdrop for faith, hope, and praise. 

REMEMBER

1 In you, O LORD, do I take refuge;
    let me never be put to shame!
2 In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
    incline your ear to me, and save me!
3 Be to me a rock of refuge,
    to which I may continually come;
you have given the command to save me,
    for you are my rock and my fortress.

4 Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
    from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.
5 For you, O LORD, are my hope,
    my trust, O LORD, from my youth.
6 Upon you I have leaned from before my birth;
    you are he who took me from my mother's womb.
My praise is continually of you.

Psalm 71 opens with a man reflecting on a long life marked by God’s faithfulness. Over the years, his faith has deepened and become second nature. He recalls God’s goodness from his youth—even from before his birth—beautifully illustrating intimate trust: the kind shared by old friends who can anticipate each other’s actions after a lifetime together.

There is a teenage girl in our church who is just beginning her walk with Christ. Every week, she asks me how she can grow closer to God. I tell her, “The only difference between you and me is time. We share the same Bible, Savior, and Holy Spirit. I’ve just had more time to develop my faith.” 

I am a better man today because I have trusted God throughout my years. I tell the teenagers I work with, “Trust God today, and when he proves faithful tomorrow, use that as assurance for your faith and carry it into your next challenge. God will prove himself faithful. Just keep trusting and obeying.”

TRUST

7 I have been as a portent to many,
    but you are my strong refuge.
8 My mouth is filled with your praise,
    and with your glory all the day.
9 Do not cast me off in the time of old age;
    forsake me not when my strength is spent.
10 For my enemies speak concerning me;
    those who watch for my life consult together
11 and say, “God has forsaken him;
    pursue and seize him,
    for there is none to deliver him.”

12 O God, be not far from me;
    O my God, make haste to help me!
13 May my accusers be put to shame and consumed;
    with scorn and disgrace may they be covered
    who seek my hurt.
14 But I will hope continually
    and will praise you yet more and more.
15 My mouth will tell of your righteous acts,
    of your deeds of salvation all the day,
    for their number is past my knowledge.
16 With the mighty deeds of the LORD God I will come;
    I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.

This word, “portent,” is uncommon today. Other translations use “sign” or “wonder,” but they fail to capture the complexity of the original meaning, which conveys a sense of conspicuousness. It means either a miracle to be marveled at or an omen leading to a tragic end. It refers to both aspects of David’s story. He was the man who slew Goliath and the fool who took the showbread from the tabernacle and sought refuge in Gath. He was the king who brought the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem and the king who took another man’s wife and tried to cover it up by murdering the husband. Despite all of David’s actions—the admirable and the shameful—God remained faithful. Whether God was rescuing him from danger or forgiving his sins, David could praise him because he understood the grace he had been given.

David’s circumstances were severe. His own son had betrayed him, giving his enemies occasion to mock him. Yet this was not the first time David had experienced such trials. Looking back over his life, he could recall countless examples of God’s unwavering faithfulness. Because of that, David found safety and salvation in God alone. This confidence is reflected in Psalm 71:12–13, where David asks God to come quickly to his aid and to put his accusers to shame by proving them wrong.

Parents of prodigals know firsthand how their past mistakes can be used against them. We are portents of our faith, showcasing the good and the bad. When we sin, we confess, seek forgiveness, and trust in redemption. Instead of defending ourselves, we must acknowledge the pain, distrust, and brokenness we have caused, and confess that our actions have offended God. In asking for forgiveness, we demonstrate that we have been redeemed, purchased by the precious blood of Christ, and clothed in his righteousness.

PRAISE

Older generations are crucial for leaving a gospel legacy. Rather than letting culture divide us, the Bible calls older generations to disciple the youth and younger generations to honor and learn from their elders. 

17 O God, from my youth you have taught me,
and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.
18 So even to old age and gray hairs,
O God, do not forsake me,
until I proclaim your might to another generation,
your power to all those to come.
19 Your righteousness, O God,
reaches the high heavens.
You who have done great things,
O God, who is like you?
20 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.
21 You will increase my greatness
and comfort me again.

22 I will also praise you with the harp
for your faithfulness, O my God;
I will sing praises to you with the lyre,
O Holy One of Israel.
23 My lips will shout for joy,
when I sing praises to you;
my soul also, which you have redeemed.
24 And my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long,
for they have been put to shame and disappointed
who sought to do me hurt.

Once again, the psalmist reflects on God's faithfulness throughout his life. He recounts the great things God has done, the troubles he has endured, and the countless times God has rescued him. This leads to exuberant praise—playing music, singing, and shouting with joy—and, finally, testifying to the goodness of God. 

Teenagers haven’t lived long enough to experience what it means to trust God over a lifetime. That is why older generations are crucial in reassuring them of God’s faithfulness. They may not know how to move forward after making a major mistake. Every hurdle they face can seem as though the world is crashing down around them. We can offer them hope in a God of grace. They want to know whether living for God will be worth it in the end. We can testify that seeking God is itself the greatest reward, and if we could go back in time, we would save ourselves a world of trouble by going all in earlier. 

What allowed us to grow in our faith? Time, trust, perseverance. What brought us through the difficult times in life? Prayer, hope, and God's faithfulness, repeated over time. What will leave a gospel legacy for the next generation? Through our passion, worship, and testimony.