Psalms 71:15
My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.
Psalms 71:15
This verse positions the speaker as a mouthpiece for God’s righteousness and salvation throughout life. The psalmist contends that their speech will declare God’s righteous acts and saving deeds “all the day,” rooted in a personal—yet humble—awareness: “for I know not the numbers thereof.” The honesty here is striking: the Psalmist acknowledges the immeasurable scope of God’s work, implying both the abundance of God’s righteousness and salvation and human limitations in counting or fully recounting them. In the broader psalm, the speaker’s memory is a ledger of God’s faithfulness from youth onward; the present vow to speak of God’s saving acts becomes a lifelong mission.
Historically, in the ancient Near East and within Israel’s worship, public proclamation of God’s acts was a core function of leadership and communal memory. The verse echoes prophetic and psalmic traditions that salvation history is to be rehearsed in worship, teaching, and communal life.
Key themes include God’s righteousness as the standard by which all things are measured and salvation as the centerpiece of revelation. The verse also foregrounds proclamation as worship—speaking truth about God is itself an act of praise and trust. There’s a humility implied in not knowing “the numbers thereof,” acknowledging that human speech about divine acts is inherently limited, yet still vital. The persistence of proclamation reinforces the covenantal narrative: God acts to save, and his people testify to those acts across generations.
Practically, this verse invites believers to become intentional lifelong communicators of God’s righteousness and salvation. Create a habit of journaling or recording specific acts of God you witness—answered prayers, restored relationships, or moments of grace—and share them with others regularly. In teaching or parenting, narrate God’s saving acts to children or mentees, turning history into faith. When sharing faith in a secular context, tell concise, concrete stories of God’s righteousness and salvation rather than abstract statements. The emphasis on “all the day” encourages ongoing, not episodic, witness—an ethos of living out faith in workplaces, schools, and neighborhoods.
Cross-References: Psalm 71:6; Isaiah 45:8; Romans 1:16; Psalm 96:2; 1 Peter 3:15