An old man reflects on his life. He was taught from his mother’s knee to always trust God. He has not forgotten (vv. 6 and 17), but does God remember him? His enemies say ‘yes’; he knows better. Still, he is anxious. Even a short life can have a crisis; he has lived a long time, and God seems very far away. Although the psalmist expresses himself in traditional language, his real distress is clear. We can imagine Job’s situation here. As we age, we realize how much youthful resilience can boost even the strongest religious optimism. God, gently and gradually, teaches us to let go of it. This naive confidence in ourselves, which once served us well, is now stripped away. God feels closer than ever if old age allows it: the trust is refined.
Like the psalmist, we may have experienced life’s ups and downs and, at times, even felt like Job. Yet, the psalmist’s faith never faltered. He believes that God will lift him from the depths. If we also trust like the psalmist, we will have nothing to fear. And then, as St. Paul says in Ephesians 5:20 and 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, we will “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks to God at every moment. This is the will of God, your vocation as Christians.”