Youth and Old Age

I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken – Psalm 37:25

Here is David’s testimony: although I have seen many adventures as a youth, and faced many struggles throughout my life, I have never yet seen God neglect one of his children or forsake the godly when they are in need.

David was a man of action, a prominent ruler, and a longtime servant of God. This was not a man who lacked experience, or had hid in a corner, or had recently joined the ranks of godly men. And his declaration is that—in all his years of service, in the great variety of his circumstances—he has never, even once, seen the godly forsaken or left uncared for!

But there seems to be even more behind David’s statement than mere observation. He admits that he is now old. He has seen many other saints grow old, and even die, throughout his lifetime. And now that he is facing old age himself, he looks back on his past observations in order to draw present comfort.

“If God has never forsaken any of His servants in the past, then he will not forsake me now,” David seems to be saying. "Just as I have seen Samuel, and my father, and many others grow old—and God remained faithful to them to the end—God will be with me to the end, as well."

Dear believer, God was faithful to David; and he will be faithful to you. He has never yet failed to make good on a single one of his promises; he will be with you through the challenges of youth, and in the losses and pains of old age.