Psalms 71:21 · Bible study
Psalms 71:21 Commentary: Honor Restored After Trouble
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
A prayer of an aging believer for renewed honor and complete comfort from God, grounded in confidence that God restores those who trust Him.
Research Summary
- Meaning: A prayer that God will restore and enlarge the psalmist’s honor and surround him with comfort after severe trials.
- Key words: “Increase” (H7235, jussive), “honor/greatness” (H1420, can be personal or national), “turn/surround” (H5437), “comfort” (H5162, Piel).
- Main debate: Whether the increase refers to personal vindication (David’s throne) or national restoration (the whole people’s honor). Most see both as intertwined.
- Theological theme: God’s faithfulness to restore the humble who trust Him, even after long suffering.
- Best use: A model of hopeful prayer for aging believers who need reassurance that God still has a purpose for their lives.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
You will increase my honor and comfort me once again.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Increase my honor and comfort me again.
KJV King James Version 1769
Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Increase thou my greatness, And turn again and comfort me.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Thou dost increase my greatness, And Thou surroundest--Thou comfortest me,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Thou wilt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.
Translations in other languages (9 available)
Aumentarás mi grandeza, y volverás á consolarme.
Tu aumentarás minha honra e voltarás para me consolar.
Relève ma grandeur,
Du machst mich sehr groß und tröstest mich wieder.
Gij zult mijn grootheid vermeerderen, en mij rondom vertroosten.
tu accrescerai la mia grandezza, e ti volgerai di nuovo a me per consolarmi.
Rozmnożysz dostojność moję a zasię ucieszysz mię.
求你使我越發 昌大，又轉來 安慰我。
You will make me greater than before, and give me comfort on every side.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 71:21
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 that this verse expresses the psalmist’s confident hope that God will restore him after deep trouble and even enlarge his honor. The Hebrew verbs te‛rev (“may you increase”) and tissob (“may you turn”) are jussive forms, often translated as future indicative (“thou shalt increase”) because the speaker’s faith treats the prayer as already certain. Barnes notes that God “will not merely restore me to my former condition, but will enlarge my happiness.” Gill sees both temporal and spiritual greatness: restoration to David’s throne and deeper fellowship with God. The Cambridge Bible suggests that “greatness” may include sharing in the honor of the whole nation, as the psalmist’s vindication mirrors Israel’s restoration. The surrounding context (vv. 19, 20) grounds this plea: God’s righteousness reaches the heavens, and the same God who showed “many and bitter troubles” will “bring us up again from the depths of the earth.” The request is therefore not a desperate scream but a settled assurance rooted in God’s character.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The psalmist confidently prays for God to restore his honor and surround him with comfort after severe trouble, trusting in God’s past faithfulness and righteous character.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Scope of 'greatness' | All commentators see it as a positive restoration after trouble, either personal or national. | Clarke and Gill emphasize personal, temporal restoration (David’s throne); Cambridge and Keil & Delitzsch see a national dimension, the psalmist shares in the honor of the restored people. |
| Tense of the verbs | The forms are jussive (prayer), but translations often render them as future indicative because of the confidence expressed. | Some (e.g., Geneva, KJV) treat it as a statement of future fact; others (ASV, BSB) keep the prayer sense. Both readings are supported by the grammar. |
| Authorship and setting | Traditional reading ascribes to David in old age during a rebellion (likely Absalom). | Lange and others allow that the speaker may be a representative figure (the nation or a righteous sufferer), not necessarily David. But the majority of older commentators hold to David. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 71 has no title, but most older commentators (Calvin, Gill, Matthew Henry) connect it to David during Absalom’s rebellion, when David was old and gray-haired (v. 9, 18). This fits the psalmist’s description: an elderly king who once enjoyed God’s favor now faces enemies who say “God has forsaken him” (v. 11). The language of “greatness” (gedullah, H1420) echoes royal honors, the king’s status before God and people. In ancient Near Eastern culture, honor was a public commodity; vindication from shame was essential for a ruler to govern effectively. The psalmist thus asks God to restore not just his life but his public standing, so that all may see God’s hand.
The Hebrew verb tissob (H5437) means “turn, surround, encompass.” The KJV’s “comfort me on every side” captures the image of God encircling the sufferer with consolation, like a protective wall. The parallel verb tenachameni (H5162, Piel stem) intensifies the comfort: it is active, repeated soothing. The psalm as a whole echoes earlier psalms (especially 31, 35, 40), suggesting the poet is weaving older prayers into a new song of hope. This literary borrowing implies that the psalmist’s trust is not novel but rests on the tested faithfulness of God across generations.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Cambridge Bible mentions that the Septuagint and some Vulgate manuscripts read “thy righteousness” or “thy greatness” in place of “my greatness,” but the Hebrew text (Masoretic) is well-supported and the reading “my greatness” is retained by most versions.
Reception History
Throughout church history, this verse has been a comfort to aging believers who feel their strength and influence slipping away. Early Christian writers saw in it a type of Christ’s resurrection: the one who descended “into the depths of the earth” (v. 20) was brought up again and given honor (Philippians 2:9). In the medieval period, monastics used the psalm as a daily prayer for perseverance. Protestant reformers like Calvin read it as an expression of the believer’s confidence in God’s covenant faithfulness, even when outward circumstances suggest abandonment. Modern hymnody echoes its themes: songs like “It Is Well with My Soul” capture the same movement from trouble to trust.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Honor that comes from God alone. The psalmist does not demand greatness; he asks God to “increase” it. This is a posture of humility, acknowledging that any true honor flows from God’s hand, not from human achievement.
- Comfort that surrounds completely. The verb “turn” (surround) and the Piel “comfort” picture God encircling the sufferer with care. Not a distant promise but an enveloping presence.
- Confidence born of past faithfulness. The surrounding verses (19, 20) recall God’s great deeds and rescue from “the depths of the earth.” Past experience fuels present prayer.
Five-point outline
- Honest lament: The psalmist admits to “many and bitter troubles” (v. 20).
- Fixed hope: He refuses to abandon trust even when old and faced with enemies.
- Public witness: He asks for restored honor so that God’s righteousness is visible.
- Complete comfort: “On every side”, no corner of grief left untouched.
- Response of praise: The following verse (22) launches into musical thanksgiving.
Illustration hooks
- A long-term employee passed over for promotion. After years of faithful service, someone else gets the recognition. This verse speaks to the hope that God sees and will set things right, not just a promotion but a restored sense of worth.
- A grandparent praying for their own legacy. When age brings doubts about whether one’s life has mattered, the prayer “increase my honor” becomes a plea for God to affirm a lifetime of faithfulness.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God care about my public reputation, or only about my inner faith?
- How do I pray for restoration when my circumstances seem to get worse, not better?
- What does it mean to be “comforted on every side” when I feel alone?
Leading a Discussion
This verse sits in the middle of a psalm that moves from lament to praise. The speaker is old, has seen hard times, but still expects God to restore his honor and surround him with comfort. In small groups, use these questions to explore what this prayer teaches about faith in the middle of a long struggle.
Discussion questions
- What do you think the psalmist means by “my greatness” or “my honor”? Is it about reputation, inner worth, or something else?
- Why does the psalmist pair an increase in honor with comfort? How are these two gifts connected?
- Look at verses 19, 20. How do God’s past “great things” and “bitter troubles” shape the psalmist’s prayer in verse 21?
- The Hebrew word for “turn” (surround) suggests God wrapping the psalmist in comfort. How does this image change the way you think about God’s comfort?
- When have you felt like your “honor” was lost or diminished? How did you, or how could you, bring that to God in prayer?
- This verse is part of a psalm that includes praise (vv. 22, 24). In what ways can hope lead to worship even before the situation changes?
- How can older members of the church model this kind of confident trust in God for younger generations?
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)
| II Samuel 3:1 | Now there was long war between Saul’s house and David’s house. David grew stronger and stronger, but Saul’s house grew weaker and weaker. |
| Psalms 18:35 | You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your right hand sustains me. Your gentleness has made me great. |
| Psalms 23:4 | Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. |
| Psalms 32:10 | Many sorrows come to the wicked, but loving kindness shall surround him who trusts in Yahweh. |
| Psalms 72:11 | Yes, all kings shall fall down before him. All nations shall serve him. |
| Psalms 86:17 | Show me a sign of your goodness, that those who hate me may see it, and be shamed, because you, Yahweh, have helped me, and comforted me. |
| Isaiah 9:7 | Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, on David’s throne, and on his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from that time on, even forever. The zeal of Yahweh of Armies will perform this. |
| Isaiah 12:1 | In that day you will say, “I will give thanks to you, Yahweh; for though you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you comfort me. |
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
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke interprets this as a king’s prayer for restoration to his throne, expecting God to act in a way that makes His hand visible and increases the king’s honor. The request for comfort means gaining loyal friends from every tribe and quarter.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes highlights two distinct ideas: God will not merely restore but will enlarge the psalmist's happiness with even greater blessings. He also notes the Hebrew word for comfort on every side can mean to surround or encircle, picturing God going around the person to give complete, encompassing consolation.
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
Cambridge Bible notes that the word "greatness" in this context is rarely used for human dignity; it typically refers to God's own majesty in Scripture. The commentator therefore understands the psalmist to be asking for a share in the honour of the restored nation, not merely for personal advancement.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Thou wilt increase mine honour, and returne and comfort me.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill reads this verse as a prayer for both outward and inward enlargement. He sees David asking God to increase his temporal prosperity through deliverance from his enemies and to advance his spiritual life through deeper experiences of grace and knowledge of Christ. The comfort God gives, Gill says, comes from every direction, completely encompassing the believer.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
increase, c.—that is, the great things done for me ( Ps 71:19 compare Ps 40:5 ).
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch observes that the poet's faith is so strong he already treats the deliverance as accomplished, so his uncomplaining prayer dissolves into a loud song of praise. They note that his personal vindication is interwoven with the nation's restoration, and that he will praise God's truth with both song and speech.
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.