Psalms 71:20 (KJV)

What does Psalms 71:20 mean?

Psalms 71:20 says that even though God has allowed the speaker to experience many difficult and painful troubles, God will restore the speaker’s life and lift them up again from a place of deep despair or hardship. The verse expresses hope that God, who permitted suffering, will also bring renewal and rescue.

The speaker is traditionally understood to be an older person, possibly King David, talking directly to God. The verse comes in a prayer where the speaker remembers past hardships (“great and sore troubles”) and trusts God to revive them (“quicken me again”) and raise them from the “depths of the earth,” a poetic way of describing extreme difficulty or even the threat of death. The verse highlights both honest acknowledgment of suffering and confidence in God’s power to restore.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 71:20

• “Shewed” (רָאָה, ra’ah) means “to see” or “to show.” Here, it points out that God is the one who has allowed the speaker to experience these troubles, not just observe them.
• “Quicken” (חָיָה, chayah) means “to make alive” or “to revive.” This word often refers to God restoring life or vitality, not just physical survival but a return to full living.
• “Depths” (תְּהוֹם, tehom) refers to deep places, often used for the depths of the sea or the earth. In this verse, it paints a vivid picture of being at the lowest point, far from safety or hope.

Why Psalms 71:20 matters

• This verse clarifies that the speaker sees both suffering and rescue as ultimately in God’s hands, showing a deep trust even in hard times.
• The language of being brought up “from the depths of the earth” connects to themes of resurrection or deliverance from death, which appear elsewhere in the Psalms.
• The verse sits within a larger prayer for help in old age, so it emphasizes that hope for renewal is not limited by age or the severity of past troubles.