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Psalm 70

Psa 70:1

SUPERSCRIPTION: "OF DAVID. A PETITION". Or, as AV, "to bring to remembrance": (a) To bring to remembrance Psa 40, with which Psa 70 is so closely linked. (b) To call to mind the difficult circumstances of David's experience when these words were written. (c) The Day of Atonement -- bringing iniquity to remembrance (Num 5:15). Here is a poss link with Psa 69 (see Psa 69:10,13,22,25nn). David pictures the High Priest returning from the Most Holy: the iniquities of David and his men have been put away (vv 4,5), but the iniquities of his enemies are remembered (vv 2,3)!

Psa 70:
  1. These five vv are virtually the same as Psa 40:13-17 (see notes there). There are slight verbal variations and a couple of omissions, which heighten the urgency of this brief prayer. There are also some changes in the names of God. The duplication (as with Psa 14/53) prob came about through the orig compiling of separate collections of psalms.
  2. There is also a very close similarity to Psa 35:10,25-27.
  3. V 5 (cp v 1 also) = Psa 71:12 (= Psa 40:13).
These details suggest that Psa 35, 40, 70, 71 were all written at about the same time, and with ref to the same experiences of David.

HASTEN, O GOD, TO SAVE ME: A sense of personal helplessness: cp 2Sa 16:11,12.

Psa 70:2

Vv 2,3: These imprecations can also be read as future indicative: ie this is what will happen to them. When the rebellion collapsed, this turning of the tables duly took place (2Sa 19:16-40).

PUT TO SHAME AND CONFUSION... TURNED BACK IN DISGRACE: This happened literally at his arrest in Gethsemane (Joh 18:6; see Psa 27:2n).

Psa 70:4

ALL WHO SEEK YOU: David's supporters were, of course, those who shared his godliness. Loyalty to David and loyalty to David's God were inseparable.

LET GOD BE EXALTED: Here David is encouraging his supporters to emulate his example, and to depend not so much on military resistance as on faith in God.

Psa 70:5

YET I AM POOR AND NEEDY: Notice the link with Psa 69:29. Here is a man who had been a powerful king for years -- now brought to the brink of destitution.

O LORD, DO NOT DELAY: A wonderful expression of a conviction that he has a right to call God to his aid. The time comes for most believers when it appears that God is delaying His purpose, that He has turned away and forgotten His children's needs. At one time or another we all may ask, "How long, O Lord?" (Psa 13:1; 74:10; 79:5; 89:46). It is then that we must remember that, whatever our present affliction, it is in fact -- in the divine perspective -- momentary and light when cpd with the eternal glory that awaits us (2Co 4:17,18). God's "delays" are, in reality, only "a little while" (Heb 10:37) -- and then He will send His Son "quickly" (Rev 22:20)!

(NT) The words are a measure of Jesus' desperation in his agony in the garden.

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