Psalms 71:23 Meaning Explained

Q: What does Psalms 71:23 mean?

This verse isn't just about vocalizing joy; it's about the whole person being engaged in praise. The psalmist declares that both his "lips" (his outward expression) and his "soul" (his inner being) will participate, highlighting that true worship is a unified act of body and spirit responding to God's redemption.

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Psalms 71:23

My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed.

English Standard Version (ESV)

This verse isn't just about vocalizing joy; it's about the whole person being engaged in praise. The psalmist declares that both his "lips" (his outward expression) and his "soul" (his inner being) will participate, highlighting that true worship is a unified act of body and spirit responding to God's redemption.

What Psalms 71:23 means

This psalm is a heartfelt prayer from someone in their later years, looking back on a lifetime of trusting God amidst hardship and enemies. The psalmist recalls God's faithfulness from youth through old age, contrasting their own vulnerability with God's unwavering protection. The verse comes as the psalm concludes, brimming with confidence in God's deliverance and a fervent vow of continuous praise for the redemption of their soul.

From Lips to Soul: The Whole Self Praising

Have you ever noticed how sometimes your words feel empty, like they aren't really connecting with what's in your heart? This verse points to a praise that's much deeper than just saying the right things.

The psalmist here declares that his praise won't just be a surface-level expression.

Beyond Lip Service

He says, "My lips shall shout for joy, when I sing praises to you." This isn't just about reciting words; it's about a genuine outpouring of happiness. The original language suggests a loud, exultant sound, like a celebratory shout.

The Deeper Resonance

But he doesn't stop there. He immediately connects this outward expression to his inner being: "and my soul, which you have redeemed." This shows that true worship involves the entirety of who we are – our thoughts, emotions, will, and deepest self. It’s the soul, the very essence of his person, that is stirred and brought into the act of praise because of what God has done.

When our whole self, from our lips to our innermost soul, is engaged in praising God, our worship becomes not only more authentic but also more powerful.

Redemption as the Engine of Praise

What is it that fuels genuine, heartfelt praise? For the psalmist, it’s not just general thankfulness, but a very specific, life-altering act of God.

The core reason for the psalmist's overflowing joy and praise is found in one profound truth: God's redemptive work.

The Power of Being Redeemed

He explicitly states, "my soul, which you have redeemed." The concept of redemption here speaks of being bought back, rescued from a state of bondage or peril. It signifies a profound act of liberation and restoration that belongs entirely to God.

A Priceless Foundation

This redemption isn't a minor benefit; it's the very foundation upon which his praise is built. It's the reason his lips will shout and his soul will sing. The magnitude of being redeemed—from sin, from destruction, from despair—is what ignites an unquenchable fire of gratitude and worship.

Understand the original words

Original language

soulנֶפֶשׁ

nephesh · Hebrew Noun

The immaterial, inner being of a person; the seat of life, emotions, will, and consciousness that finds its ultimate satisfaction and vitality in relationship with God.

redeemedפָּדָה

padah · Hebrew Verb

To ransom, buy back, or deliver from bondage, debt, or destruction; in a theological sense, it signifies God’s action of rescuing His people, often through the payment of a price.

Historical context

Written: Likely composed during the later monarchy, perhaps around the 8th-6th centuries BC.
Author: Traditionally attributed to David, though some scholars suggest Jeremiah due to the psalm's tone and content.
Location: Written from Jerusalem, as it is part of the Jerusalem Temple collection.
Genre: This is a psalm, a form of Hebrew poetry, characterized by its use of parallelism and rich metaphorical language to express emotion and theological reflection.

Historical background

Attributed by some scholars to Jeremiah, this psalm reflects the deep personal faith and enduring hope of an individual, possibly during or after the tumultuous Babylonian exile, where personal testimony of God's redemption echoes the national experience of deliverance.

c. 7th century BC
Jeremiah's prophetic ministry begins
Jeremiah begins his ministry during a time of increasing political instability and looming threat from Babylon, deeply influencing his message of repentance and judgment.
605 BC
First deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar's forces deport a portion of Judah's elite, including Daniel, to Babylon, marking the beginning of the Babylonian exile and a period of great distress for the people of Judah.
597 BC
Second deportation to Babylon
Another wave of deportations occurs, this time including King Jehoiachin and many prominent citizens, intensifying the sense of national crisis and prophetic warnings.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple destruction
Nebuchadnezzar's armies conquer Jerusalem, destroy the Temple, and carry away most of the remaining population to Babylon, fulfilling the prophecies of judgment and scattering.

Key themes

01Joyful redeemed expression
02Praise from redeemed soul
03Gratitude for redemption

Cross-references

Psalms 103:1-5

This passage also speaks of the soul being deeply involved in praising God, detailing how all that is within should bless His holy name, especially remembering His redemptive acts.

Luke 1:46-49

Mary's Magnificat echoes the joy of redemption, where her 'spirit rejoices in God my Savior' because He 'has looked on the lowliness of His servant,' mirroring the psalmist's personal testimony of God's redemptive work.

Isaiah 61:10

This verse expresses a similar overflowing joy and clothing in righteousness as a direct result of salvation and redemption, showing the prophet's soul exulting in God's saving work.

Revelation 5:9-10

This future vision describes a heavenly choir singing a new song of redemption, emphasizing that people from every nation have been redeemed by Christ's blood to be kings and priests, a fulfillment of the psalmist's desire for redeemed souls to praise God.

Scholarly commentary

Psalms 71:23: "My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed."

No text from Poole on this verse.
poole

Psalms 71:1-24: "In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion."

Psalm 71:1-24 ECHOES of former psalms make the staple of this one, and even those parts of it which are not quotations have little individuality. The themes are familiar, and the expression of them is scarcely less so. There is no well-defined strophical structure, and little continuity of thought or feeling. Psalm 71:13 and Psalm 71:24 b serve as a kind of partial refrain, and may be taken as dividing the p…
expositors

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What Psalms 71:23 means

Original language

soulנֶפֶשׁ

nephesh · Hebrew Noun

The immaterial, inner being of a person; the seat of life, emotions, will, and consciousness that finds its ultimate satisfaction and vitality in relationship with God.

redeemedפָּדָה

padah · Hebrew Verb

To ransom, buy back, or deliver from bondage, debt, or destruction; in a theological sense, it signifies God’s action of rescuing His people, often through the payment of a price.

Historical context

Written: Likely composed during the later monarchy, perhaps around the 8th-6th centuries BC.
Author: Traditionally attributed to David, though some scholars suggest Jeremiah due to the psalm's tone and content.
Location: Written from Jerusalem, as it is part of the Jerusalem Temple collection.
Genre: This is a psalm, a form of Hebrew poetry, characterized by its use of parallelism and rich metaphorical language to express emotion and theological reflection.

Historical background

c. 7th century BC

Jeremiah's prophetic ministry begins

Jeremiah begins his ministry during a time of increasing political instability and looming threat from Babylon, deeply influencing his message of repentance and judgment.

605 BC

First deportation to Babylon

Nebuchadnezzar's forces deport a portion of Judah's elite, including Daniel, to Babylon, marking the beginning of the Babylonian exile and a period of great distress for the people of Judah.

597 BC

Second deportation to Babylon

Another wave of deportations occurs, this time including King Jehoiachin and many prominent citizens, intensifying the sense of national crisis and prophetic warnings.

586 BC

Fall of Jerusalem and Temple destruction

Nebuchadnezzar's armies conquer Jerusalem, destroy the Temple, and carry away most of the remaining population to Babylon, fulfilling the prophecies of judgment and scattering.