When I’m Old and Grayheaded
Psalm 71:17, 18 O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.
Intro: Today is the 100th day of school. Everybody looks like grandpas and grandmas with their hair spray painted silver and shawls and canes. No matter how much you dress up, you cannot imagine what it is like to get old! When you get old, you start falling apart.
Joke about the 90-year-old couple that got married. They agreed that they were too old to travel and go on a honeymoon, so they decided to go to her house and cuddle on the couch and binge watch Little House on the Prairie. When they got there, the lady took off her wig and laid it on the coffee table. Then she took out her dentures and her glass eye and laid it on the coffee table. Then she took off her wooden leg and laid it on the coffee table. The man started crying. The lady asked him what was wrong. He told her that he had looked forward to cuddling with her and holding her, but he didn’t know whether to sit on the couch or on the coffee table!
Let me say this today. You need to always love and respect older people.
Today, we are dressed up and pretending to be old.
But the Bible is very clear that we should always respect and reverence the elderly people.
- Proverbs 20:29 The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head.
In Isaiah 3, one of the ways that God poured out His judgement was he took away all the ancient.
- Isaiah 3:2 The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient,
He also judged the child for behaving himself proudly against the ancient .
- Isaiah 3:5 And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.
In this chapter, David was thinking about the day when he would be an old man.
I thought it was funny how that old people like to retire and spend all their time at resorts.
David had a better idea in verse 3.
- 3 Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.
David said, “Most old people want to hang out together and play shuffleboard down at the vacation home. I think I will just hang out with God and let HIM be my resort continually.”
In this Psalm, his mind began to reflect on what it was like to be young.
David remembered that…
A. His Youth was a Time of Trust
- 4 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
- 5 For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.
- 6 By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother’s bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.
No doubt David remembered God delivering him from the giant, Goliath when he was just a boy.
David remembered that…
B. His Youth was a Time of Teaching
- 17 O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.
It is much easier to learn and remember when you’re young, so pay attention and let God teach you!
When I’m Old and Grayheaded, I still want to be…
I. Desiring God’s Presence
- 9 Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.
- 10 For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together,
- 11 Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him.
- 12 O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help.
When I’m Old and Grayheaded, I still want to be…
II. Declaring God’s Praises
- 14 But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.
- 15 My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.
- 16 I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.
- 17 O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.
- 22 I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.
- 23 My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.
- 24 My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt.
You never get too old to praise God!
The Bible teaches us that God wants the children to praise Him.
Matthew 21
- 15 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased,
- 16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?
Not out of show or trying to impress people.
Not playing church or pretending to be spiritual.
God wants children to praise Him because they genuinely love Him and worship Him.
You want to know how to be praising God when you’re old and grayheaded?
Start now praising Him!
Let God be real to you. Learn to worship and praise Him when you’re young.
One day you’ll turn around and you’ll be old, and you will STILL be praising Him!
When I’m Old and Grayheaded, I still want to be…
III. Displaying God’s Power
- 18 Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.
- 19 Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!
- 20 Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
- 21 Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.