Note the cries for protection from the enemy in this psalm: “Deliver me . . . . rescue me . . . . save me.” We might add, “Save me from allowing my trust to be shaken when others oppose me.”
I have seen many laypersons, as well as ordained ministers, who give themselves to a life of Christian service with great enthusiasm, only to drop out after a few years. For a while we called that burnout. Simply put, they discovered people who seriously disagreed with them, even opposed them, sometimes within their own church! Because the reality in which they had to do ministry did not match their ideal, they gave up. Because they had to endure some failure and loss, they quit.
An authentic call from God remains valid no matter how many set themselves against us. Psalm 71 may give the impression that enemies constantly surround God’s servants. That has not been my experience. In fact, I give thanks for hundreds of people who have supported and encouraged my ministry. At the same time, we all will find opposition, perhaps even from those we perceived as cooperative.
One way to deal with being attacked is first to do what the psalmist does: Turn to God and put our trust where it belongs. That keeps us from losing our bearings. Next we listen to our opponent and seek to be reconciled. After we have done our best to restore harmony, even if that effort fails, we return to the work God has called us to do. Our God is a refuge but does not want us to cower when there is work to be done. We press ahead, singing God’s praise continually.