Psalm 71:14 Meaning and Explanation
“But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The Context of Psalm 71:14
Psalm 71 is the prayer of an older believer who has trusted God from his youth and now asks not to be cast off in old age. Verse 14 answers the taunts of enemies in the preceding verses.
What Does Psalm 71:14 Mean?
This verse is the deliberate choice of a person who refuses to let hope run dry. The single word "But" carries the whole weight of it. The psalmist has just described enemies who say God has forsaken him, and against that accusation he plants his flag: "But I will hope continually." Hope here is a settled decision to keep leaning on God no matter what the circumstances suggest, steadier than a mood that comes and goes.
Notice the upward direction in "more and more." The psalmist aims to increase, more than merely to hold steady, praising God with growing fullness as the years pass. This is the testimony of someone who has walked with God long enough to know His faithfulness firsthand, and who treats every new deliverance as fuel for deeper worship. The verse pairs hope and praise as two sides of one life: hope looks forward to what God will yet do, and praise looks back at what He has already done. Together they form a rhythm that can carry a believer through old age, opposition, and weakness. The point is that the trusting heart keeps choosing to lift its eyes and its voice, even when troubles do not vanish.
Psalm 71:14 in the Original Language
The phrase "hope continually" uses the Hebrew verb yachal, to wait expectantly, while "more and more" renders a word for adding or increasing, picturing praise that grows rather than stays the same.
Bible Verses Related to Psalm 71:14
“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.”
- Psalm 42:5
“Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;”
- Romans 12:12
“The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.”
- Lamentations 3:24
How to Apply Psalm 71:14 Today
When voices around you or within you say that God has given up, answer them with a deliberate choice to keep hoping and to praise Him more, not less.
Frequently Asked Questions About Psalm 71:14
What does Psalm 71:14 mean?
This verse is the deliberate choice of a person who refuses to let hope run dry. The single word "But" carries the whole weight of it. The psalmist has just described enemies who say God has forsaken him, and against that accusation he plants his flag: "But I will hope continually." Hope here is a settled decision to keep leaning on God no matter what the circumstances suggest, steadier than a mood that comes and goes.
What is the context of Psalm 71:14?
Psalm 71 is the prayer of an older believer who has trusted God from his youth and now asks not to be cast off in old age. Verse 14 answers the taunts of enemies in the preceding verses.
How can I apply Psalm 71:14 today?
When voices around you or within you say that God has given up, answer them with a deliberate choice to keep hoping and to praise Him more, not less.