Psalms 71:14 · Bible study
Psalms 71:14 Commentary: Always Hoping, Adding Praise
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
How does the psalmist resolve to hope continually and add to God's praise amid enemies and old age?
Research Summary
- Meaning: The psalmist resolves to continue hoping in God and to multiply his praise despite opposition.
- Key words: Hope (יָחַל, Piel imperfect, ongoing action); Add (יָסַף, Hiphil perfect, causing increase); Continually (תָּמִיד, perpetual duration).
- Main debate: Authorship and occasion (Davidic vs. later composition); the verse itself is uncontested in interpretation.
- Theological theme: Perseverance of faith expressed through deliberate hope and increasing praise.
- Best use: Encouragement for believers in prolonged suffering to hold onto hope and expect new reasons to praise.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
But I will always hope and will praise You more and more.
WEB World English Bible 2000
But I will always hope, and will add to all of your praise.
KJV King James Version 1769
But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
But I will hope continually, And will praise thee yet more and more.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And I continually do wait with hope, And have added unto all Thy praise.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
But as for me, I will hope continually, and will praise thee yet more and more.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
He shall redeem their souls from usuries and iniquity: and their names shall be honourable in his sight.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Mas yo siempre esperaré, y añadiré sobre toda tu alabanza.
Porém eu continuamente manterei a esperança, e darei todo o louvor a ti ainda mais.
Et moi, j’ espérerai toujours,
Ich aber will immer harren und will immer deines Ruhmes mehr machen.
Doch ik zal geduriglijk hopen, en zal al Uw lof nog groter maken.
Ma io spererò del continuo, e a tutte le tue lodi ne aggiungerò delle altre.
Aleć ja zawżdy oczekiwać będę, a tem więcej rozszerzę chwałę twoję.
от коварства и насилия избавит души их, и драгоценна будет кровь их пред очами его;
我 卻要常常 盼望，並要越發 讚美你。
But I will go on ever hoping, and increasing in all your praise.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 71:14
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree this verse marks a decisive turn in the psalm. After crying out for deliverance (vv. 1, 12) and pronouncing judgment on his enemies (v. 13), the psalmist deliberately chooses hope and praise. Barnes calls this a refusal to despair: “I will always cherish hope; I will not give up.” Matthew Henry notes the sudden shift from fear to a “holy transport of joy and praise.” Clarke observes that the psalmist expects “deliverance after deliverance” and thus multiplies his thanks. On the Hebrew, Gill points to the verb יָסַף (to add) in the Hiphil, the psalmist vows to accumulate praise, piling new thanks on the old. The consensus is clear: true hope does not merely endure; it overflows into fresh worship. No commentator treats this as optional or occasional, it is the settled direction of a faithful life.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The psalmist commits to a continual hope in God and a deliberate increase of praise, regardless of his circumstances.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Authorship and occasion | The psalm is traditionally attributed to David in his old age, possibly during Absalom's revolt (Calvin, Matthew Henry, Lange). | Some modern scholars see it as a later composition that draws on Davidic language, but the traditional view is widely held in the commentaries supplied. |
| Interpretation of 'add to all your praise' | All commentators agree it means to increase or accumulate praise to God. | Some read it as adding new songs to the existing collection of God's praises (Barnes, Gill); others as adding to the sum of one's own gratitude (Clarke, Matthew Henry). This is a nuance, not a contradiction. |
| Nature of hope in this verse | Hope is active, continual trust in God, not passive waiting. | No significant debate: commentators uniformly affirm that the psalmist's hope is a deliberate, sustained choice. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 71 has no title in the Hebrew, but from the second century B.C. onwards it was linked to David in his old age. Calvin, followed by Matthew Henry and Lange, connects it to Absalom’s revolt, when David fled Jerusalem as an aged king (2 Samuel 15, 18). The enemies’ taunt in verse 11, “God has forsaken him”, fits the political and personal abandonment David felt. The psalmist is elderly (v. 9, 18), physically vulnerable, and surrounded by conspirators who see his weakness as proof that God has rejected him.
Verse 14 stands as the pivot. In verses 10, 13 the psalmist describes the enemy’s plan and prays for their defeat. Then comes “But I” (וַאֲנִי), a strong adversative that contrasts his path with theirs. The Hebrew אֲיַחֵל (I will hope) is a Piel imperfect, indicating ongoing, sustained waiting, not a single act but a posture. תָּמִיד (continually) reinforces this: hope is not for a day but a habit. The second verb, וְהוֹסַפְתִּי (and I will add), is a Hiphil perfect with waw-consecutive, showing a future purpose: the psalmist determines to cause praise to increase. The phrase עַל־כָּל־תְּהִלָּתֶךָ (to all your praise) suggests his past praises form a foundation on which he will build. This was not a sudden impulse, it grew from a lifetime of remembering God’s faithfulness (vv. 5, 7, 17).
Culturally, praise in the Psalms was often sung in the temple or recited aloud (cf. 71:22, 23). To “add” praise meant composing new songs or multiplying public thanks. For a man under threat of death, writing fresh poetry of gratitude was itself an act of defiance against despair.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries (Keil & Delitzsch, Barnes, Gill) note no significant textual variants for verse 14. They discuss possible variants for verse 13 (יכלמו vs. יכלו), but the text of verse 14 is stable across manuscripts.
Reception History
Psalm 71:14 has been a touchstone for believers facing prolonged trials. Early church fathers like Augustine read it as the voice of Christ praying through David, modeling hope in the face of abandonment. Medieval monks included it in the Office of Prime as a morning resolve to praise. During the Reformation, Calvin and Luther saw it as proof that faith is not passive, it actively produces praise. In evangelical hymnody, the versification “But I will hope continually” appears in Isaac Watts’ Psalms of David (1719). The verse also resonates with the New Testament pattern of “suffering leading to hope” (Romans 5:3, 5) and Paul’s prayer for love to “abound more and more” (Philippians 1:9). Across traditions, this single verse has served as a personal mantra for persevering faith.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Hope is a deliberate choice. The psalmist does not wait for his feelings to change; he instructs his soul to hope (cf. Psalm 43:5). The Hebrew imperfect verb suggests an ongoing decision, not a passive wish.
- Hope looks for new reasons to praise. The word “add” (יָסַף) is intentionally active. The psalmist commits to finding fresh ammunition for worship, even as his enemies circle.
- Praise increases as hope endures. Rather than depleting his energy, sustained hope expands the psalmist’s capacity for gratitude. The more he trusts God, the more he has to thank him for.
Five-point outline
- Contrast with the enemies. The “but I” (וַאֲנִי) sharply opposes the fate of the wicked (v. 13). They perish; the psalmist persists.
- The continuity of hope. “Continually” (תָּמִיד) appears also at verse 6. Hope is not a crisis strategy but a lifelong rhythm.
- The determination to add. The Hiphil verb implies causing something to happen. Praise is not an accident; it is a produced act of will, empowered by the Spirit (cf. Romans 15:13).
- All your praise. The psalmist builds on every previous act of worship he has offered. He does not start from scratch, he stacks new storeys on an existing foundation.
- The outcome: worship that spreads. In verses 15, 18, the psalmist moves from private resolve to public declaration: he will tell the next generation of God’s strength. His hope and praise are not just personal; they become a legacy.
Illustration hooks
- The gardener in a drought. The soil is cracked, rain hasn’t come, but the gardener keeps weeding and watering, trusting that the dry season will break. He does not merely survive, he prepares for the harvest he expects.
- The musician learning a new variation. A pianist who has played a hymn a hundred times learns a new arrangement of the same tune. She does not discard the old; she adds depth and freshness to what she already knows.
- The marathon runner who picks up pace at mile 20. Exhausted and tempted to walk, she chooses to speed up, finding energy she didn’t know she had. Her hope of the finish line fuels a final surge of effort.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How can I genuinely hope when my situation has not changed for years?
- Is it okay to feel like God has abandoned me, even if I know he hasn’t?
- Does praising God when I am suffering mean I have to pretend everything is fine?
Leading a Discussion
This verse is the turning point of Psalm 71. The psalmist has described his enemies, his old age, and his fear that God has left him (vv. 9, 11). But in verse 14 he sets his jaw. Read the verse aloud together, then explore how hope and praise are connected in this journey from lament to confidence.
Discussion questions
- What do you learn about the psalmist’s situation from verses 10, 12 and 18?
- How does the psalmist use the words “but I” to set himself apart from his enemies (v. 13)?
- The Hebrew word for “hope” (יָחַל) carries the sense of waiting with expectation. How is that different from simply wishing things would change?
- What does it mean to “add to all your praise”? Where might the psalmist find fresh reasons to praise God in his current suffering?
- How does this resolve connect to the verses that follow (vv. 15, 18)? What do those verses reveal about why the psalmist is so determined?
- Can you think of another place in Scripture where someone chooses to praise God in the middle of hardship? (Possible examples: Habakkuk 3:17, 19, Acts 16:25.)
- When is it hardest for you to hope? What practical step could you take this week to “add” praise even in a small way?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Job 13:15 | Behold, he will kill me. I have no hope. Nevertheless, I will maintain my ways before him. |
| Psalms 43:5 | Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him: my Savior, my helper, and my God. |
| Psalms 71:6 | I have relied on you from the womb. You are he who took me out of my mother’s womb. I will always praise you. |
| Psalms 130:7 | Israel, hope in Yahweh, for there is loving kindness with Yahweh. Abundant redemption is with him. |
| Lamentations 3:21 | This I recall to my mind; therefore I have hope. |
| Lamentations 3:26 | It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of Yahweh. |
| Philippians 1:9 | This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment, |
| I Thessalonians 4:10 | for indeed you do it toward all the brothers who are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brothers, that you abound more and more; |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke sees hope as an active, ongoing expectation of deliverance after deliverance and blessing after blessing. His distinctive point is that praise should increase in proportion to God's blessings, so that as grace abounds, the worshiper's thanksgiving grows correspondingly.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes emphasizes that the psalmist's resolve to never despair rests on the simple fact that having God as a Friend provides endless grounds for hope, regardless of the enemy's numbers or power. He highlights the Hebrew idiom behind "add upon all thy praise," meaning the psalmist expects to accumulate ever more reasons to praise God based on past faithfulness and future confidence.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin observes that this psalm closely follows Psalm 31, which David wrote during Saul's persecution. The distinctive feature is that David adapted the earlier prayer to his later crisis by adding references to his old age, showing how faith reuses past expressions of trust for new trials.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator highlights the deliberate contrast the psalmist draws between his own future and that of his enemies. While the wicked face judgment, the psalmist responds by committing himself to persistent hope and ever-increasing praise. This is framed as a vow of ongoing thanksgiving, not just a passing sentiment.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Note highlights the psalmist's deliberate resolve: he will wait on God without ceasing and then multiply his praises. The pattern is not a single act but a steady combination of patient trust and ever‑growing thanksgiving, each reinforcing the other.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that hope is most valuable when exercised during affliction, serving as an anchor to steady the soul and a helmet in spiritual battle. He notes that this grace must be sustained continually through the Holy Spirit's power, and that fresh mercies call for ever-increasing praise and thanksgiving.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB sees the downfall of the psalmist's enemies not as mere vengeance but as a display of God's faithfulness. That demonstrated faithfulness becomes the deliverance itself and grounds for trusting God in the future.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry observes a sudden and dramatic shift in the psalmist's tone from fear to joyful praise, rooted entirely in faith and hope. He emphasizes the deliberate choice to hope continually in the darkest conditions, which then fuels an ever-increasing offering of praise to God.