Psalms 71:14
But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.
Psalms 71:14 (KJV)
Context
Psalm 71 is a prayer of an older believer who faces enemies and trouble. The writer remembers God’s help from youth and asks for continued protection. This verse is his firm answer to fear: he will not stop hoping, and he will keep praising.
Meaning
The opening word “But” shows a deliberate choice. The psalmist turns away from despair and toward God. “Hope” here is not vague optimism but confident trust in God’s promises. His hope is “continually,” meaning it does not fade with time or trials. Then he links hope with praise: “and will yet praise thee more and more.” Praise grows even while he waits for deliverance. It is an act of the will, grounded in God’s past faithfulness.
Biblical connections
This pattern of hoping and praising appears throughout the Psalms. In Psalm 42:5, the writer speaks to his own soul and puts his hope in God. Here, the psalmist does the same, but he adds a promise to increase praise. His testimony of God’s help from his youth fuels this resolve.
Application
Persevering hope: When circumstances seem overwhelming, we can choose to trust God’s promises, knowing He remains faithful.
Continuous praise: We can cultivate a lifestyle of gratitude, offering praise to God in every season, not only when life is easy.
Reflection
This verse invites us to examine our own response to hardship. Do we let trouble silence our hope? The psalmist models a faith that persists and deepens through affliction. His words encourage us to make hope and praise daily choices, trusting that God’s character never changes.
