The Meaning of Psalms 71:20 Explained

Psalms 71:20

KJV: 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.

YLT: Because Thou hast showed me many and sad distresses, Thou turnest back -- Thou revivest me, And from the depths of the earth, Thou turnest back -- Thou bringest me up.

Darby: Thou, who hast shewn us many and sore troubles, wilt revive us again, and wilt bring us up again from the depths of the earth;

ASV: Thou, who hast showed us many and sore troubles, Wilt quicken us again, And wilt bring us up again from the depths of the earth.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

[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. 

What does Psalms 71:20 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 71:13-24 - The Greatest Of All Workers
The singer glances both backward and forward. He goes back in thought to the time when he was cast on God at birth, and acknowledges that God has taught him from his youth and has enabled him to declare God's wondrous works. We may make the same retrospect, and as we muse on all that God has been to us, we may be assured that He will not forsake the work of His own hands, Psalms 138:8. His deliverances will give cause for endless praise, even when our eyes are closing and the heart waxes feeble in death.
But let us also think of those who are following us, and see to it that we leave behind some record of God's righteousness and salvation. Let us place a flaming torch in the hands of our children for them in turn to pass on. Let us show God's strength and power to those who are to come.
The best occupation for the aged is praise, Psalms 71:8; Psalms 71:14; Psalms 71:22-23. Thy mouth shall be filled"¦ shall tell"¦ shall talk. When our hearts are bubbling over with good matter, Psalms 45:1, we can leave our speech to take care of itself. Love will not lack for means of expression. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 71

1  David, in confidence of faith, and experience of God's favor, prays both for himself,
10  and against the enemies of his soul
14  He promises constancy
17  He prays for perseverance
19  He praises God, and promises to do it cheerfully

What do the individual words in Psalms 71:20 mean?

who - You have shown me troubles great and severe again - shall revive me and from the depths of the earth again bring me up
אֲשֶׁ֤ר הראיתנו [הִרְאִיתַ֨נִי ׀] (צָר֥וֹת) רַבּ֗וֹת וְרָ֫ע֥וֹת תָּשׁ֥וּב תחיינו [תְּחַיֵּ֑ינִי] (וּֽמִתְּהֹמ֥וֹת) הָ֝אָ֗רֶץ תָּשׁ֥וּב תַּעֲלֵֽנִי

הראיתנו  - 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, second person masculine singular, first person common plural
[הִרְאִיתַ֨נִי ׀]  You  have  shown  me 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, second person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
(צָר֥וֹת)  troubles 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: צָרָה 
Sense: straits, distress, trouble.
רַבּ֗וֹת  great 
Parse: Adjective, feminine plural
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.
וְרָ֫ע֥וֹת  and  severe 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine plural
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
תָּשׁ֥וּב  again 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
תחיינו  - 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, second person masculine singular, first person common plural
[תְּחַיֵּ֑ינִי]  shall  revive  me 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, second person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: חָיָה  
Sense: to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health.
(וּֽמִתְּהֹמ֥וֹת)  and  from  the  depths 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Noun, common plural construct
Root: תְּהֹום  
Sense: deep, depths, deep places, abyss, the deep, sea.
הָ֝אָ֗רֶץ  of  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
תָּשׁ֥וּב  again 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
תַּעֲלֵֽנִי  bring  me  up 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.