The Theology of the Depths: Psalm 71:20-21

“Though You have made me see troubles, many and bitter, You will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth You will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once more.”

In modern spirituality, we often try to distance God from our suffering. We prefer a theology where God only orchestrates the mountaintops, while the valleys are purely the result of random chance or enemy attacks. But the psalmist in Psalm 71 holds a much more robust, albeit difficult, view of God's sovereignty.

"You have made me see troubles, many and bitter."

He doesn't flinch from attributing the severe seasons of life to the overarching providence of God. But this isn't a statement of despair; it is the bedrock of his hope.

The Purpose of the Depths

If God is sovereign over the descent into the "depths of the earth," then He is equally sovereign over the ascent. The depths are not a grave; they are a greenhouse. The Hebrew word used for "restore" is chayah, which means to revive, to keep alive, or to give life. It is the language of resurrection.

When you are in the depths, the pressure feels like it will extinguish you. But the psalmist is declaring that the very God who allowed the pressure is the one who will use it to pump life back into your lungs.

The Multiplication of Honor

The restoration promised isn't just a return to the baseline. "You will increase my honor and comfort me once more."

The descent into bitter troubles actually expands your capacity for honor and comfort. You don't just survive the depths; you mine them. You bring up a weight of glory and a depth of empathy that could never have been acquired on the mountaintop.

If you are currently looking at "troubles, many and bitter," do not mistake the depths for a tomb. You are being prepared for a resurrection. God will bring you up again, and your honor will be multiplied.