Psalms 71:23 Meaning: Why Lips and Soul Shout for Joy

The Hebrew word behind “redeemed” is pādâ. It means to ransom, to buy back someone who had no way to free themselves. In the Old Testament it often describes God rescuing people from slavery or death. The psalmist is not hoping for redemption; he is speaking about something God has already done. That verb is in the past tense, a settled transaction.

The word for “soul” is nephesh. In Hebrew it rarely means a ghostly inner part of you. It means your whole self, your life, your breath, your deepest wants. When the psalmist says “my soul sings,” he is not splitting body from spirit. He is saying that every part of him, from his throat to his heart, is joining the song.

And the word for “shout for joy” is rānan. It is a loud cry, not a polite murmur. The same word is used for a battle cry or a shout of celebration. There is nothing reserved about this praise. It comes from a person who knows he was bought back from ruin and cannot stay quiet.

Commentators across traditions see something important in this verse. Matthew Henry, a Reformed pastor, called it a “holy transport of joy”, praise that rises from faith and hope, even while enemies are still nearby. The Baptist scholar John Gill noted that the psalmist would praise not just with his lips but with his heart, because nothing engages us to praise like knowing we have been redeemed by costly love.

Albert Barnes, a Presbyterian, pointed out that the word “soul” might mean either the immortal part or the whole life. Either way, he said, the meaning is the same: the life God has spared finds its deepest joy in celebrating Him. The Cambridge Bible (Anglican) described the soul here as “his whole self and personality, delivered from danger.” All Christians agree: redemption turns the whole person toward gratitude, regardless of age or circumstances.

Some readers treat this verse as a wish or a request: “I hope my lips will shout for joy someday.” But the Hebrew verbs are not hoping. They are declaring what will happen because of what has already happened. The psalmist is not asking God for redemption; he is stating that God has redeemed him. The past fact grounds the present cry. This verse is a vow of praise from someone who already knows he is ransomed, not a plea to be ransomed.

This week, take one specific trouble or fear you are carrying. Maybe it is your age, a strained relationship, or a worry you have carried for years. Then quietly remind yourself: God has redeemed you. He paid the price to set you free. That is not a future promise; it is a finished work. Now let your lips say something out loud, a line from a hymn, a short prayer of thanks, even just the words “You redeemed me.” Let your whole self join in. Your soul knows it is true. Your lips only need to catch up.