Sermon Date: 10/19/2025

Bible Verses:

• Psalm 71:1-8

Speaker: Rev. Timothy "Tim" Shapley

Theme: https://uppbeat.io/t/northwestern/a-new-

Introduction: "Still Trusting"

Have you ever noticed that real faith doesn’t always look like loud declarations or perfect confidence?

It doesn’t always come wrapped in fireworks or mountaintop moments.
Sometimes — maybe more often than we’d like to admit — real faith looks like a tired, battle-worn whisper:

“Lord… I still trust You.”

That kind of faith doesn’t always get the spotlight, but it’s the kind that endures.

Psalm 71 is a song of that kind of faith. It’s not written by a young, fearless warrior heading into battle — but likely by someone in their later years. Possibly David himself. Someone who has been through the battles. Who has failed. Who has limped away from some seasons. But who can still say with conviction:

“God has held me all the way.”

It’s not a psalm of naïve optimism.
It’s a psalm of seasoned faith — tested in valleys, refined in fire, and strengthened in weakness.

What we read here is a prayer from someone who has lived long enough to know that God doesn’t always make life easy — but He always remains faithful.

This is not faith that only sings on the mountaintop.
This is faith that crawls sometimes… that limps forward…
That clings to God when everything else seems to crumble.

And it’s this kind of faith — enduring faith — that we desperately need in today’s world.

As we walk through Psalm 71:1–8, we are going to see what mature faith looks like. Not just in the triumphs, but in the trenches.
Not just in the bright moments, but in the gray ones.
And through it all, we will see this truth rise like a banner:

The God who carried you yesterday is the God who still holds you today.

So if you’ve ever wondered, “Can I still trust God when I’m tired? When I’m older? When I’m broken?” — this psalm is for you.

Let’s listen to a life that’s still trusting… and learn how to trust like that, too.

1. Trust Starts with God, Not with Circumstances

(Psalm 71:1–2)

“In You, O Lord, I put my trust; Let me never be put to shame.
Deliver me in Your righteousness, and cause me to escape;
Incline Your ear to me, and save me.”

Right from the beginning of the psalm, the writer grounds his trust—not in himself, not in his track record, not in his ability to fix the situation—but in God. Notice the emphasis:

• “In You, O Lord, I put my trust.”
• “Deliver me in Your righteousness.”

This is one of the most important lessons mature faith learns:
True trust begins with who God is, not how things look.
We don’t build our faith on how steady the ground feels beneath our feet—
We build it on the unchanging foundation of God’s character.

The psalmist doesn’t say, “Deliver me because I’ve been good,” or “because I deserve it.”
He says, “Deliver me in Your righteousness.”

That’s humility. That’s dependence. That’s trust.

Cross-References:

• Proverbs 3:5–6 — “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”
• Isaiah 26:3–4 — “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.”

Key Thought:

When everything around you feels unstable, run to the One who never moves.

Application:

You don’t need to have all the answers.
You don’t need to feel strong all the time.
You just need to know where to run.

You may not understand what God is doing, but you can trust who He is.
His character is your confidence. His righteousness is your rescue. His ear is always inclined to your cry.

2. God Is Not Just a Refuge—He’s Your Ongoing Refuge

(Psalm 71:3)

“Be my strong refuge,
to which I may resort continually;
You have given the commandment to save me,
For You are my rock and my fortress.”

This verse is like an anchor. It’s not about a one-time emergency escape plan.
It’s about a way of life. A relationship that doesn’t fade after the storm passes.

The word “continually” is key.

• It means again and again.
• Daily.
• Consistently.
• Not just when the pain spikes, or the bottom falls out.
  But even in the quiet moments. The normal days. The in-between seasons.

So many people treat God like a panic room—only used in a crisis.
But the psalmist knows God as a dwelling place—a daily home.

He doesn't just cry for help in the moment. He says,

“You are where I want to live.”
“You are my rock and my fortress.”

That’s intimacy. That’s consistency. That’s the kind of faith that endures.

Cross-References:

• Psalm 46:1 — “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
• Psalm 90:1 — “Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.”
• John 15:4 — “Abide in Me, and I in you…”

Key Thought:

Faith is not just about one great moment of trust—it’s about continual dependence.

✅ Application:

Don’t wait for the emergency to draw close to God.
Start drawing near today. Build a rhythm of prayer, worship, and the Word.

Let your heart find its home in Him—not just its hiding place.

When God is your everyday refuge, you’ll have peace even in the storm.

3. From the Womb to Now — He Has Always Held You

(Psalm 71:4–6)

“Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked…
For You are my hope, O Lord God; You are my trust from my youth.
By You I have been upheld from birth;
You are He who took me out of my mother’s womb.
My praise shall be continually of You.”

This is more than a cry for help—it’s a declaration of history.
The psalmist isn’t just looking at what God might do.
He’s remembering what God has already done.

He says:

“You are my hope… You are my trust from my youth… You upheld me from birth.”

This is powerful, because faith doesn’t grow in a vacuum—it’s watered by remembrance.
We all have moments when the future looks uncertain.
In those moments, one of the greatest tools God gives us is memory.

The enemy says, “You’re not going to make it.”
But your testimony says, “Wait—I’ve already made it through so much.”

Cross-References:

• Deuteronomy 1:31 — “The Lord your God carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place.”
• Lamentations 3:22–23 — “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”
• Psalm 139:13–14 — “You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb…”

Key Thought:

God’s care didn’t start with your crisis—it started before you were born.

Application:

Look back.
Think about the times God protected you, comforted you, carried you.
Even if you didn’t see Him clearly at the time, you can look back now and say:

“That was You, Lord. You upheld me.”

When you’re unsure about what God is doing next, remind your heart of what He’s done before.

Build your trust not just on what you hope for—but on what He’s already done.

4. Our Response: A Mouth Filled with Praise

(Psalm 71:8)

“Let my mouth be filled with Your praise and with Your glory all the day.”

When you’ve seen God’s faithfulness in every season…
When you’ve known Him as your refuge…
When you’ve been upheld from birth and rescued in battle…

The natural response isn’t pride.
It’s not silence.
It’s praise.

Praise becomes the soundtrack of a life built on trust.

The psalmist doesn’t say, “Let my mouth be filled with complaints.”
He says, “Let it be filled with praise.”
Why?
Because praise does something.

• It lifts our eyes above the storm.
• It reminds our hearts who God is.
• It pushes back darkness and declares that God is still good, even when life is hard.

Cross-References:

• Psalm 34:1 — “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.”
• Hebrews 13:15 — “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.”
• Habakkuk 3:17–18 — “Though the fig tree may not blossom… yet I will rejoice in the Lord…”

Key Thought:

Praise isn’t reserved for good days. It’s the weapon we wield on hard days.

Application:

Praise is how we fight discouragement.
It’s how we re-center our minds and hearts when the world feels overwhelming.
If fear is loud, let your praise be louder.

Keep your mouth full of praise—and it will drive out the lies of fear and despair.

Conclusion: Still Trusting

Psalm 71:1–8 gives us a window into the heart of a seasoned believer—someone who has weathered storms, faced battles, felt heartache… and yet still trusts.

• He still believes that God is good.
• He still calls God his Rock.
• He still fills his mouth with praise.

This isn’t just a psalm for the elderly—it’s a psalm for anyone who’s learning that real faith isn’t about being fearless.
It’s about being faithful.
Not loud. Not perfect. Just faithful.
Still trusting.