Psalms 71:23

My Notes

What Does Psalms 71:23 Mean?

The psalmist describes comprehensive worship: "My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed." The rejoicing involves both the body (lips singing) and the interior (soul rejoicing). The worship is embodied and ensouled simultaneously — the outer expression and the inner reality working together.

The phrase "which thou hast redeemed" (paditha — which you ransomed, which you purchased back) grounds the rejoicing in redemption. The soul doesn't rejoice because life is easy. It rejoices because it's been redeemed. The ransom has been paid. The soul that was held captive has been purchased free. And the freedom produces the singing.

The "greatly rejoice" (ranan — to cry out in joy, to give a ringing shout of gladness) describes worship that's loud, energetic, and unrestrained. This isn't humming under your breath. It's a shout of joy so intense the lips can barely contain it. The redeemed soul produces singing the way a compressed spring produces motion — the release is proportional to the pressure.

Reflection Questions

• 1.Does your worship engage both lips (body) and soul (interior) — or is one channel silent?
• 2.How does the redemption (ransom paid, soul freed) serve as both the cause and content of your worship?
• 3.What does 'greatly rejoice' (ringing shout, not quiet gratitude) teach about worship proportional to redemption?
• 4.Where might your worship volume be too low for the ransom price your soul cost?

Devotional

My lips will shout for joy when I sing to you. My soul — the soul you redeemed — will rejoice. The worship has two sources: the body (lips singing) and the interior (soul rejoicing). Both participate because both have been affected by the redemption.

The lips and the soul together mean the worship is comprehensive: the exterior matches the interior. The singing isn't performance (lips moving without soul engaging). The rejoicing isn't internal only (soul celebrating without lips expressing). Both channels are open. Both carry the same content: the joy of redemption.

The 'which thou hast redeemed' is the cause of the worship and its content: you ransomed my soul. The singing is about the ransom. The joy is produced by the freedom the ransom purchased. Without the redemption, the lips have nothing to sing about and the soul has nothing to rejoice about. The worship is the redeemed soul's response to the one who redeemed it.

The 'greatly rejoice' (ranan — a ringing cry, a shout of gladness) describes worship at full volume. The redeemed soul doesn't worship quietly. The joy is too large for a whisper. The ransom was too costly for a mumble. The freedom is too real for restraint. The lips greatly rejoice — the emphasis is on the intensity. The worship matches the deliverance.

The proportionality matters: the volume of the worship corresponds to the value of the redemption. A cheap rescue produces polite gratitude. A costly ransom produces a shout. The psalmist's lips ring with joy because the soul they celebrate was purchased at a price that demands maximum vocal response.

How loud is your worship — and does it match the cost of your redemption?

Commentary

Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.

Cross References

Related passages throughout Scripture