For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.
Passage: Psalm 70
1 Hasten, O God, to save me;
come quickly, Lord, to help me.
2 May those who want to take my life
be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin
be turned back in disgrace.
3 May those who say to me, ‘Aha! Aha!’
turn back because of their shame.
4 But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
‘The Lord is great!’
5 But as for me, I am poor and needy;
come quickly to me, O God.
You are my help and my deliverer;
Lord, do not delay.
A. Find Out:
- What was David’s basic plea? v.1,5
- Who were against him? v.2
- What did he want to happen to them? v.2,3
- Who does he then consider by contrast? v.4
- What does he tell them to do? v.4
B. Think:
- What emotion do you think would describe what David feels?
- Why is he feeling that?
- How is his relationship with the Lord revealed here?
C. Comment:
Much sin in the world is expressed through breakdowns in relationships, and that includes at national level between countries, between groups within countries and between individuals. We aren’t told at what level it was but David was obviously receiving opposition from others. It is a repeat of his words in Psa 40:13-17 but we’re still left to speculate who it was against him. They are those (v.2) “who seek my life” and “desire my ruin”. Now he doesn’t ask for their destruction, merely that they will be put to shame and confusion and turned back in disgrace (v.2). In one sense this is a real prayer of grace. He simply wants relief from their opposition.
By implication they are not the faithful people of God because he seems to contrast them in v.4 with a ‘But’. There are those who seek the Lord, who love His salvation and he says ‘may’ they be ‘glad in you'(v.4). It suggests that the faithful people of God are also under pressure and David wants deliverance not only for himself but for them also. He tells them to exalt the Lord for that is the truth – the Lord IS high and lifted up and all-powerful. The fact that they are not seeing Him like that at the moment, in the face of their enemies is neither here nor there! The Lord is almighty and David declares that He is his help and deliverer (v.5). He makes these statements of faith before he sees the outworking of them. Faith speaks what is yet to be!
D. Application:
- Can you say, the Lord is my help and my deliverer?
- Can you say that in the middle of opposition and difficulties?