Commentary on Psalms 70

Psalm 70 is a brief, urgent cry for deliverance from enemies. David petitions God to hurry to his aid, asking for the shame and confusion of those who seek his life, while those who seek God rejoice. The psalm mirrors Psalm 40:13-17 almost verbatim, serving as a standalone plea in a moment of acute danger. It captures the raw, desperate faith of a man who knows God is his only help and who refuses to let silence or delay erode his trust.

Historical context

Psalm 70 is attributed to David and is titled “For the choirmaster. Of David, for the memorial offering.” The phrase “memorial offering” (Hebrew lehazkir לְהַזְכִּיר) likely indicates it was used when the grain offering was burned as a memorial portion before the Lord (Lev 2:2). This suggests the psalm was sung during worship as a corporate plea for God to remember His people in distress.

The psalm is nearly identical to Psalm 40:13-17, which appears in a longer context of thanksgiving and trust. Here, it stands alone as a concentrated cry for help. The historical setting is uncertain, but the language fits periods of David’s life when he was pursued by enemies—whether Saul, Absalom, or other adversaries. The urgency of the language (“hasten,” “make haste”) suggests a crisis that demanded immediate divine intervention.

Culturally, the psalm reflects the ancient Near Eastern understanding of enemies as agents of chaos and shame. To be shamed was to experience social and spiritual ruin. David’s prayer for his enemies’ shame is not personal vengeance but a plea for God’s justice to vindicate His anointed and uphold His covenant promises.

Verse by verse

• 1:

  David opens with a double imperative: “Make haste, O God, to deliver me! O Lord, make haste to help me!” The repetition of “make haste” (Hebrew chushah חוּשָׁה) underscores the urgency. This is not a calm request but a cry from the edge. David knows God is able; the question is whether He will act soon enough. The verse sets the tone for the entire psalm—raw, immediate, and dependent.

• 2:

  “Let them be put to shame and confusion who seek my life.” David prays for his enemies to experience the very shame they intend for him. The pairing of “shame” and “confusion” (Hebrew bosht בֹּשְׁתְּ and chaphar חָפַר) suggests public disgrace and disorientation. This is not a petty curse but a plea for divine justice: let those who oppose God’s servant be turned back by God’s intervention.

• 3:

  “Let them turn back because of their shame who say, ‘Aha, Aha!’” The taunt “Aha, Aha!” (Hebrew heach heach הֶאָח הֶאָח) is a cry of malicious glee. David’s enemies mock his suffering, treating it as evidence that God has abandoned him. He prays that their mockery would recoil on them—that their confidence would dissolve into shame when God acts. The verse reveals that the deepest wound is not physical but theological: the enemies’ taunt attacks God’s faithfulness.

• 4:

  “May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you! May those who love your salvation say evermore, ‘God is great!’” This is the pivot of the psalm. David shifts from petition for his enemies to a vision of the faithful community. The phrase “those who love your salvation” (Hebrew yeshu'ah יְשׁוּעָה) points beyond mere rescue to the comprehensive deliverance God provides. David’s personal plea is framed within the larger hope that God’s people would celebrate His greatness.

• 5:

  “But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay!” David returns to his own desperate state, calling himself “poor and needy” (Hebrew ani v'evyon עָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן). This is not false humility but honest self-assessment before a holy God. Yet the confession of need is immediately followed by a confession of trust: “You are my help and my deliverer.” The psalm ends as it began—with a plea for haste, but now grounded in the character of the God who helps.

Key themes

• Urgent prayer in crisis
• Divine justice against enemies
• The vindication of God's name
• Trust in God's character amid need
• Corporate joy in God's salvation

Application

Psalm 70 teaches us that it is not unspiritual to cry out to God with urgency. David does not mask his desperation with pious language; he brings his raw need before the Lord. In our own moments of crisis—when enemies seem to close in, when health fails, when relationships crumble—we are invited to do the same. The psalm also reminds us that our personal struggles are not isolated. David’s prayer for deliverance is immediately linked to the joy of the whole community of faith. When God rescues one of His children, the entire church rejoices and declares, “God is great.”

Moreover, the psalm calls us to examine our hearts when we face opposition. Do we respond with vengeful bitterness, or do we entrust our cause to the righteous Judge? David’s prayer for his enemies’ shame is not a personal vendetta but a plea for God’s justice to prevail. In Christ, we see the ultimate fulfillment of this trust: Jesus, when reviled, did not revile in return but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly (1 Pet 2:23). Our response to persecution is shaped by His example—honest lament, confident trust, and a heart that ultimately longs for God’s glory.

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