Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Psalms 70
Psalm 70:1Make haste, O God, to deliver me! O Lord, make haste to help me!
This opening plea sets the tone for the entire psalm, emphasizing the critical and immediate nature of the psalmist's need for God's intervention.Psalm 70:4May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you! May those who love your salvation say evermore, "God is great!"
This verse marks a beautiful shift from personal crisis to corporate worship, reminding us that our individual struggles are connected to the larger community of faith.Psalm 70:5But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay!
Here, the psalmist humbly admits his complete dependence on God, a powerful statement of faith that recognizes God as the only source of help and deliverance.
Historical & Cultural Context
A Prayer for Life-or-Death Moments
Psalm 70 is a personal lament, a prayer from someone in deep and immediate danger. This psalm is nearly identical to the final verses of Psalm 40, suggesting it was extracted and used as a standalone prayer for urgent situations. The psalmist, traditionally identified as David, is surrounded by enemies who not only seek his life but also mock his faith. The emotional landscape is one of desperation, vulnerability, and an unwavering, last-ditch hope in God's power to save.
From Personal Pain to Communal Praise
The structure of the psalm moves with incredible speed, mirroring the psalmist's racing heart. It begins with a frantic cry for help, immediately followed by a prayer for his enemies to be shamed and confused. The focus then pivots dramatically to a blessing for all who seek God, creating a moment of communal hope. Finally, it returns to the psalmist's personal, humble admission of need, ending with one last plea for God not to wait.
An Urgent Prayer for Deliverance
Psalm 70 unfolds as a rapid-fire prayer from a heart in crisis. The psalmist doesn't waste time with lengthy introductions. He dives straight into his need. The scene is one of intense pressure, where enemies are closing in and the only hope is swift, divine intervention. From the opening cry in verse 1 to the final plea in verse 5, we witness a raw and honest conversation with God in the midst of trouble.
The Immediate Cry for Help (Psalm 70:1)
1 Make haste, O God, to deliver me! O Lord, make haste to help me!
Commentary:
The psalmist opens with an urgent, repeated cry for God to hurry and save him.
A Prayer Against the Enemy (Psalm 70:2-3)
2 Let them be put to shame and confusion who seek my life! Let them be turned back and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt!
3 Let them turn back because of their shame who say, “Aha, Aha!”
Commentary:
He asks God to thwart and disgrace his enemies who are mocking him and seeking his ruin.
A Blessing for God's People (Psalm 70:4)
4 May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you! May those who love your salvation say evermore, "God is great!"
Commentary:
Even in his distress, he prays for all who seek God to be filled with joy and praise.
The Humble Admission of Need (Psalm 70:5)
5 But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay!
Commentary:
He concludes by admitting his own helplessness and reaffirming his total dependence on God as his only savior.
From Desperation to Divine Dependence
The Honesty of Urgent Prayer
This psalm champions raw, unfiltered prayer. It shows that God isn't offended by our desperation or our urgent demands for Him to act. In fact, He invites us to come to Him exactly as we are, especially when we feel like time is running out.
Confidence in God's Justice
The psalmist confidently hands over his enemies to God. He trusts that God is a just judge who will deal with those who delight in evil. This teaches us to entrust vengeance and justice to God rather than trying to take matters into our own hands.
Joy is Found in Seeking God
Even while surrounded by trouble, the psalmist knows that true joy comes from seeking God. His prayer for others to rejoice reveals that our ultimate hope isn't in changing our circumstances, but in the unchanging greatness of God.
The Strength in Weakness
By declaring 'I am poor and needy,' the psalmist embraces his vulnerability. This isn't a sign of weak faith, but of strong trust. Recognizing our own inability to save ourselves is the very thing that positions us to receive God's powerful help.
Bringing Your Urgent Needs to God
Psalm 70 shows that God can handle your most frantic prayers. The repeated cries of 'make haste' in verse 1 are not disrespectful. They are the honest language of a heart in pain. This psalm gives you a script to use when you don't have the energy for eloquent words and need to cry out for help.
When you feel targeted, it's easy to become consumed with your enemies. Verse 4 encourages you to lift your gaze and remember you are part of a vast community of people who seek God. Praying for their joy and joining them in saying 'God is great!' can shrink the power of your critics and magnify the power of your God.
Being 'poor and needy' is about your spiritual posture before God. It means recognizing that, regardless of your earthly resources, you are completely dependent on Him for your next breath, for spiritual strength, and for ultimate deliverance. It's admitting you can't save yourself and you need a deliverer every single day.
God is our immediate help.
Psalm 70 declares that God is our emergency contact in times of crisis. It gives us a powerful model for prayer that is both desperate and full of faith. The message is that our vulnerability is not a barrier to God, but the very reason we must run to Him. He is our ever-present 'help and deliverer' who welcomes our most urgent cries.
What This Means for Us Today
Psalm 70 is an invitation to stop pretending we have it all together. It calls us to bring our panic, our pain, and our pleas directly to God without delay. Acknowledging that we are 'poor and needy' is not a failure of faith. It is the foundation of it, allowing our Helper and Deliverer to act on our behalf.
- What situation in your life right now requires an urgent 'make haste' prayer?
- Who in your life can you join with in saying, 'God is great!' despite your circumstances?
- In what area do you need to admit you are 'poor and needy' and ask for God's help?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
Connections Across Scripture
This is the original passage from which Psalm 70 is almost directly taken, showing how specific prayers were adapted for worship.
This chapter details Absalom's rebellion against his father, David, illustrating a time of intense personal danger and betrayal that reflects the cry of Psalm 70.
While a national lament, this chapter mirrors the personal anguish of Psalm 70, expressing deep sorrow while ultimately clinging to hope in God's mercy.
Discussion Questions
- When have you felt the kind of urgency expressed in Psalm 70:1? How did that experience shape the way you prayed?
- The psalmist prays for his enemies to be 'put to shame and confusion' (v. 2). How do we balance praying for justice with the New Testament call to love our enemies?
- How can we, like the psalmist in verse 4, intentionally shift our focus from our own troubles to the joy and praise of the wider community of faith?