Psalm 70

Psalm 70 belongs to Book II of the Psalms (Psalms 42–72). It follows Psalm 69, a lengthy lament over suffering at the hands of surrounding enemies, and consists of a short, urgent plea for rescue. The superscription reads, "To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance" (KJV). The "chief Musician" refers to the leader who directed the singing.

Structure

• Verse 1 The psalmist cries out to God to deliver and help him quickly.
• Verses 2–3 He asks that those who seek his life, and those who delight in his hurt and mock him with "Aha, aha," be put to shame and turned back.
• Verse 4 He asks that all who seek the Lord rejoice, and that those who love His salvation continually say, "Let God be magnified."
• Verse 5 He confesses that he is poor and needy and closes with the plea that the Lord, his help, not delay.

Key Verses

• Psalm 70:1 "Make haste, O God, to deliver me" — this line captures the theme of the entire psalm: an urgent plea for deliverance.
• Psalm 70:5 "But I am poor and needy" — the psalmist's confession of his own helplessness becomes the ground for seeking God's help.

People and Places

• David: The second king of Israel, named in the superscription as the author of the psalm.
• The enemies: An unnamed group who seek the psalmist's life and mock his misfortune.

Points for Reflection

• This psalm is nearly identical to Psalm 40:13–17. However, several places where Psalm 40 uses the name the LORD (Yahweh) read "God" (Elohim) in Psalm 70. Some scholars explain this difference in connection with the tendency of Book II to refer to God primarily as "Elohim."
• The phrase "to bring to remembrance" in the superscription also appears in the superscription of Psalm 38. Its precise meaning and its use in worship remain uncertain.
• The following psalm, Psalm 71, has no superscription. For this reason, some interpreters read the two psalms as a single continuous prayer.
• No direct quotation of this psalm in the New Testament is known.
• Verse 1 has served as an opening versicle in the Western church's tradition of fixed-hour prayer. Opening prayers such as those in the Liturgy of the Hours of the Catholic Church and in the Anglican Book of Common Prayer ("O God, make speed to save us") derive from this verse.