Table of Contents
Background and Context
Psalm 70 is a short, sharp, and urgent cry for help. It is a prayer stripped down to its essential elements, making it a powerful “emergency prayer” for someone in immediate distress. The title identifies it as a psalm “Of David. For the memorial offering,” which might suggest it was used in a temple service to bring a person’s urgent need before the Lord.
A crucial feature of this psalm is that it is an almost exact copy of the concluding verses of another psalm, Psalm 40:13-17. The slight variations are minor, with Psalm 70 using the name “God” (Elohim) more frequently, whereas Psalm 40 uses “LORD” (Yahweh).
Why would this short section be extracted and presented as a standalone psalm? Scholars believe it was likely detached so it could function as a concise, easily memorized prayer that could be used by individuals in moments of sudden crisis. While Psalm 40 takes the worshiper on a long journey from thanksgiving to lament, Psalm 70 cuts straight to the moment of desperate need, making it a potent and focused plea for God’s immediate intervention.
Theological Themes
Despite its brevity, Psalm 70 touches on several important theological ideas.
The Urgency of Prayer: The defining characteristic of this psalm is its breathless pace. It is framed by pleas for speed: “Hasten, O God, to save me; come quickly, LORD, to help me” (verse 1) and “LORD, do not delay” (verse 5). This validates the human experience of needing God’s help now. It teaches that we can be honest with God about the urgency of our situation and implore Him to act swiftly.
The Great Divide: Two Destinies: The psalm presents a sharp contrast between two groups of people and their ultimate destinies. On one side are the psalmist’s enemies, who seek his ruin. For them, the psalmist prays for shame, confusion, and disgrace. On the other side are those who “seek God.” For them, he prays for rejoicing, gladness, and a continuous spirit of praise. This highlights the biblical theme that one’s orientation toward God determines one’s ultimate end.
Humble Dependence on God: The psalmist identifies himself as “poor and needy” (verse 5). This is not just a statement of his material condition, but of his spiritual posture. It is a confession of his utter helplessness and his complete dependence on God. He knows he cannot save himself. This humility is the proper stance for anyone seeking divine help. God is his “help and my deliverer.“
Literary Structure and Genre
Psalm 70 is a classic individual lament psalm, compressed into its most potent form. Its structure is a model of concise and balanced prayer.
- A Plea for Swift Aid (verse 1): The opening cry that sets the urgent tone.
- A Prayer Against the Enemy (verses 2-3): A petition for God to thwart the plans of the wicked.
- A Prayer For the Faithful (verse 4): A petition for God to bless and encourage those who love Him.
- A Final Personal Plea (verse 5): A concluding cry that restates the psalmist’s need and God’s sufficiency.
The psalm is perfectly balanced, with two verses directed against the enemies and one verse for the encouragement of the righteous, all framed by a personal cry for help.
Verse by Verse Commentary on Psalm 70
Verse 1: A Cry for Immediate Help
“Hasten, O God, to save me; come quickly, LORD, to help me.”
The psalm opens without any introduction or backstory. It plunges straight into the crisis. The first word in Hebrew is a plea for God to “Hasten.” This is followed by a parallel cry to “come quickly.” The psalmist is in a situation so perilous that any delay could be disastrous. This verse is a pure, unadorned cry for rescue. It establishes the theme of urgency that runs through the entire psalm. It is a prayer that can be used by anyone who feels overwhelmed and needs God’s intervention right away.
Verses 2-3: A Prayer for the Defeat of the Wicked
“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. May those who say to me, ‘Aha! Aha!’ be turned back because of their shame.”
Having cried out for help, David now prays specifically about the source of his distress: his enemies. His prayer is that their malicious plans would fail in a way that brings them public shame, confusion, and disgrace. He is asking that God would not only protect him, but also that He would expose the wickedness of his foes and bring their schemes to nothing.
The taunt “Aha! Aha!” is a cry of malicious glee. It is the sound of an enemy gloating over the psalmist’s misfortune. David prays that this mocking laughter would be silenced and that the mockers themselves would be turned back, humiliated by the failure of their plans. This is not just a prayer for personal revenge, but for the public victory of God’s justice over evil.
Verse 4: A Prayer for the Encouragement of the Faithful
“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!'”
In beautiful contrast to the previous verses, David now prays for the well-being of God’s people. His concern is not only for his own deliverance but for the joy of the entire faith community. He prays that “all who seek you” would find reasons to rejoice and be glad.
His desire is that God’s people would be so filled with an awareness of His goodness that their constant refrain would be, “The LORD is great!” (or “Let God be magnified!”). He wants his personal deliverance to result in corporate praise. This verse shows that even in personal crisis, our prayers can maintain a focus on the health and joy of the wider body of believers.
Verse 5: A Final, Humble Plea
“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.”
The psalm comes full circle, returning to the psalmist’s personal and urgent need. The word “But” provides a sharp contrast. While the faithful are magnifying God, David sees himself in his true condition: “I am poor and needy.” This is a confession of his complete vulnerability and dependence. He has no resources of his own to solve this crisis.
Because he is so helpless, he repeats his initial plea: “come quickly to me, O God.” He affirms his faith by declaring who God is to him: “You are my help and my deliverer.” The psalm ends with one final, heartfelt cry that summarizes the entire prayer: “LORD, do not delay.“
Practical Lessons for Today
God Welcomes Urgent Prayers: Psalm 70 gives us permission to be blunt and urgent with God. We don’t need to use fancy or formal language. When we are in trouble, we can cry out, “Hasten, God! Come quickly! Do not delay!” God is not offended by our honest desperation.
Pray for the Big Picture: Even in the midst of his personal crisis, David prayed for the defeat of evil (verses 2-3) and for the joy of God’s people (verse 4). This challenges us to broaden our prayers beyond our own needs and to be concerned with God’s justice and the well-being of the church.
Embrace Humble Dependence: David’s breakthrough came from a place of recognizing his own poverty and neediness. True faith is not about our own strength, but about our dependence on God’s strength. Recognizing that we are “poor and needy” is the first step to experiencing God as our “help and deliverer.”
Memorize a Go-To Prayer: The concise and powerful nature of Psalm 70 makes it an ideal “emergency prayer.” Memorizing these five verses can provide a ready and powerful prayer to use in moments of sudden fear, temptation, or crisis.
Cross References
Psalm 40:13-17: “Be pleased to save me, LORD; come quickly, LORD, to help me…” This passage is the original source from which Psalm 70 was taken. Comparing the two shows the minor variations and highlights how this section was adapted for use as a standalone prayer.
Psalm 35:4: “May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plot my ruin be turned back in dismay.” This is another of David’s laments, and it uses very similar language to Psalm 70:2, showing that this type of prayer for the shaming of one’s enemies was a common way of asking for God’s justice to be revealed.
Philippians 4:6: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” The Apostle Paul provides the New Testament framework for the kind of prayer seen in Psalm 70. Instead of being consumed by anxiety, we are to bring our urgent requests directly to God.
Hebrews 4:16: “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” This verse is a powerful encouragement to pray prayers like Psalm 70. Because of Jesus, we can confidently approach God to find the mercy and help we need in our moment of crisis.