Psalms 71:15 Commentary: Telling God's Righteousness Beyond Counting

Psalm 71 carries no title, but most commentators associate it with David in his old age, possibly during Absalom's revolt. Calvin writes that 'the particular reference which David makes to his old age renders this conjecture not improbable.' The surrounding context supports an aged speaker: verse 9 pleads 'don't reject me in my old age,' and verse 18 mentions gray hair. The psalm weaves together lines from earlier psalms, especially Psalms 31, 35, and 40, suggesting a mature believer reusing the language of God’s past faithfulness for a new crisis.

In the ancient Near East, the 'mouth' was the primary instrument of worship and testimony. To 'tell' (saphar) meant both to declare and to count. The psalmist uses his mouth to broadcast God's righteousness (tsedaqah), a word that in this context carries the sense of God's saving justice, his faithful intervention on behalf of his people. 'Salvation' (teshuah) refers to deliverance from danger. The two terms are paired so closely that the Cambridge Bible says 'the one is the outcome and visible manifestation of the other.'

The phrase 'all the day' (Hebrew kol hayyom) indicates continuous, deliberate praise, not just a moment. In a culture where elders were expected to pass on God's works to the next generation (v.18), the psalmist's vow to keep speaking even when he cannot count is a profound act of trust. His admission, 'I don't know its full measure', is not failure but honest humility before a God whose mercies exceed all reckoning.

The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Psalm 71:15. The Masoretic Text is consistent; the Septuagint and Vulgate differ (the LXX reads 'I did not know business dealings'), but these are translational choices. The Hebrew phrase sĕpōrôt (numbers) is clear and well-attested. There is no serious text-critical debate regarding this verse.

Psalm 71:15 has been treasured in Christian devotional use as an expression of humble, persistent praise. Matthew Henry (1710) describes the passage as 'a holy transport of joy and praise, arising from faith and hope.' The church has sung of God's 'countless mercies' in hymns that echo this verse, though none are specifically tied to it in the supplied sources. In Reformed tradition, the emphasis on God's inexhaustible righteousness undergirds the practice of daily prayer and the rehearsal of God's works. The verse has also been cited in discussions on the mystery of God's ways, the finite creature cannot number the Creator's deeds, yet is called to keep proclaiming them. Across Protestant and Catholic traditions, the psalmist's posture of admitting ignorance while still testifying has been seen as a model of faith that is both intellectually honest and doxologically bold.

Three-point outline

1. What the mouth speaks, The psalmist commits to telling God's righteousness and salvation. This is public, intentional testimony, not private reflection. His mouth is the channel for declaring who God is and what God has done.
2. When the mouth speaks, 'All the day.' Not occasionally, not when convenient, but continuously. In the context of threats and slander (vv.10-11), this is countercultural praise born of hope (v.14).
3. Why the mouth speaks despite not knowing, He cannot count the mercies, but he knows the Giver. The incompleteness of his proclamation does not silence him; it drives him to keep talking about a God whose goodness is inexhaustible.

Five-point outline

1. God's righteousness revealed, The righteousness of God is not abstract; it is seen in his saving acts. The psalmist has experienced it.
2. God's salvation declared, 'Salvation' is the concrete outcome of that righteousness. The two belong together (cf. Isaiah 45:21).
3. All day long, Continuous praise as a discipline and a gift. The enemies may talk, but the psalmist talks louder about God.
4. The honest admission, 'I don't know its full measure.' This is not doubt; it is wonder. It keeps praise fresh and humble.
5. The inexhaustible theme, Because God's mercies cannot be counted, there is always more to say. The psalmist’s praise has no endpoint.

Illustration hooks

• Attempting to count the stars. You can stand under a clear night sky and try to number the stars, you will fail. But that failure does not stop you from looking up and marveling. The psalmist knows he cannot count God's mercies, yet he keeps speaking about them.
• A grateful child saying thank you over and over. A parent gives a gift, and the child says thank you repeatedly, not because the gift is unknown, but because joy overflows. The psalmist's 'all day' praise is like a child who cannot stop being grateful.
• Returning to a well that never runs dry. You cannot measure the water in an artesian well, but you can keep drawing from it. The psalmist's mouth draws up praise from a source that never empties.

Questions your congregation is asking

• Is it okay to praise God even when I feel like I don't know enough Scripture or don't have the right words?
• How do I keep praising God when my situation hasn't changed and I'm still in trouble?
• What does it look like to praise God 'all day' in practical daily life, does that mean I have to be constantly singing?

This verse captures a paradox at the heart of worship: we cannot fully express all that God is and has done, yet we are called to keep praising. The psalmist does not let his inability to count keep him from talking. As you discuss, notice how he frames his testimony as a daily, intentional act, even while surrounded by enemies and old age.

Discussion questions

1. Read Psalm 71:14-16. How does verse 14 (the resolve to hope) prepare for the declaration in verse 15?
2. The Hebrew root saphar means both 'to count' and 'to recount.' How does that wordplay deepen your understanding of the verse?
3. Barnes says 'righteousness' here refers to God's character shown in deliverance, and 'salvation' to what God has done. How do you see God's character and actions connected in your own life?
4. Why do you think the psalmist mentions his inability to know 'the numbers'? Does that make his praise more or less powerful?
5. What are some mercies from God that you find impossible to count? How might that awareness change the way you talk about God?
6. In what ways can a community of believers help one another praise God 'all day', even when individual energy runs low?
7. How does this verse challenge or affirm your current practice of prayer and thanksgiving?