Psalms, chapter 70, comments

 

Psalm 70:1 ¶  «To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance.» Make haste, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O LORD. 2  Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul: let them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt. 3  Let them be turned back for a reward of their shame that say, Aha, aha. 4  Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified. 5  But I am poor and needy: make haste unto me, O God: thou art my help and my deliverer; O LORD, make no tarrying.

 

Perhaps this was written when David was old. It could have been referring to his flight from Saul or perhaps from Absalom’s rebellion. Read 2Samuel 17. Also, pay attention to Psalm 40;

 

Psalm 40:13  Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me. 14  Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil. 15  Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha. 16  Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified. 17  But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.

 

We can have times when we are oppressed mightily by a circumstance we wish to avoid, even in our modern life. Even when you are doing the best you can do and trying to do right you can be attacked on every front. There are people who live to dominate others. They are sometimes so weak minded themselves that they cannot resist controlling others. This kind of abuse can cause one to feel as if they are being crushed.

 

Whether you be an abused wife or child or, for that matter, a husband or aged parent of adults, a sibling dealing with a dominating sibling, a worker facing hateful coworkers or even a mean-spirited boss or perhaps someone in authority who is dealing with resistance to your authority this prayer can give you some comfort. In times like this we can only look to the Lord God for help and comfort. When we are overwhelmed by the people against us we can only look to God, lest we despair and give up.

 

I think of Christ’s sufferings here as well as those unfortunate people caught in the Tribulation to come at the end of history.