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To the chief music-maker. Of David. To keep in memory.
1Let your salvation come quickly, O God; come quickly to my help, O Lord.
2Let those who go after my soul have shame and trouble; let those who have evil designs against me be turned back and made foolish.
3Let those who say Aha, aha! be turned back as a reward of their shame.
4Let all those who are looking for you be glad and have joy in you; let the lovers of your salvation ever say, May God be great.
5But I am poor and in need; come to me quickly, O God; you are my help and my saviour; let there be no waiting, O Lord.
The Art of Pleading to God
By Tim Conway1.2K1:00:38PSA 26:1PSA 27:9PSA 70:5MAT 7:7MAT 21:22MRK 11:24LUK 11:1HEB 4:16HEB 10:19HEB 13:5
This sermon emphasizes the importance of prayer and the art of pleading with God. It delves into the disciples' request to Jesus to teach them to pray, highlighting the need for God's power, presence, and gracious help in our lives. The sermon stresses the essential role of prayer in fulfilling God's calling for us to be like Christ and to do what we cannot do without His aid. It also explores the concept of preparing our case before God, making arguments in prayer, and seeking God's intervention based on His reputation, Word, character, providence, and our relationship as His children.
Psalm 70
By Henry Law0PSA 70:1PSA 70:4Henry Law preaches about finding respite from trouble through earnest prayer and unwavering faith in God's deliverance. He emphasizes the importance of seeking God's help in times of urgent peril and confidently expecting Him to provide sure deliverance. The Psalmist's prayers for shame and confusion upon his enemies reflect a deep trust in God's ability to defeat wicked schemes and bring justice. The joy and gladness of all who seek God are highlighted, with a call to continually magnify and praise Him for His salvation. The Psalmist's humble acknowledgment of his need for God's help serves as a reminder that God is the ultimate source of deliverance and refuge.
Exchanged Life
By Hudson Taylor0NUM 5:15PSA 38:1PSA 70:1ISA 1:11HOS 6:6MIC 6:6MRK 12:33LUK 22:191CO 11:24HEB 10:4Charles Simeon preaches on the significance of anamnesis, which involves awakening the mind to guilt before God and realizing the hindrance sin creates in our communion with Him. The Old Covenant focused on remembering sins through sacrifices, while the New Covenant emphasizes remembering our Savior's sacrifice. The Levitical system highlighted the need for constant sacrifices, but the Gospel offers complete remission of sins through Christ. Believers are encouraged to reflect on their sins, deepen their repentance, and increase their vigilance against sin, all while growing in love and gratitude towards their Savior.
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Keil-Delitzsch
- Matthew Henry
- Tyndale
Introduction
The Psalmist, probably in old age, appeals to God for help from his enemies, pleading his past favors, and stating his present need; and, in confidence of a hearing, he promises his grateful thanks and praise. (Psa. 71:1-24) (Compare Psa 30:1-3).
Introduction
INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 70 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance. This psalm, according to Kimchi, was composed by David when he fled from Saul, or from Absalom; so Theodoret; but if at either of those times, it is most likely to be the latter, since the following psalm, it is certain, was penned when he was an old man, Psa 69:9; the word translated "to bring to remembrance" is thought, by Aben Ezra, to be the first word of some pleasant song; see Psa 38:1. The Targum paraphrases it, to remember the use of the frankincense; alluding to Lev 2:2; Jarchi says it signifies prayer, and refers to Psa 20:7, as instances of the use of the word in such a sense; and so this psalm is composed by the psalmist in a petitionary way, to put the Lord in remembrance of his afflictions, and of his promises of help and deliverance, which he prays for; see Psa 132:1; and that he would avenge him on his enemies, and show respect to his friends; or it was written to refresh his own memory with his present state, and to put him in mind from whence he might expect help and salvation. The title of the psalm in the Arabic version is, and so in the Vulgate Latin, following the Septuagint, "a remembrance that the Lord had saved him:'' and in the Syriac version, "a psalm of David as to the letter, when he sent Joab to take Shemuah (Sheba), who rebelled; also a supplication of the righteous, and even of Christ himself.'' And seeing this follows upon the preceding, and may be reckoned an appendix to it, and there are some things in it which manifestly refer to the latter part of that, and the whole is detached from the fortieth psalm, with which it agrees, a few words only excepted, which manifestly belongs to the Messiah; it is right to understand this of him; Psa 40:13.
Verse 1
Make haste, O God, to deliver me,.... The phrase, "make haste", is supplied from the following clause in Psa 40:13; it is, "be pleased, O Lord", or "Jehovah". The Targum renders it, "to deliver us"; very wrongly; make haste to help me, O Lord; See Gill on Psa 22:19.
Verse 2
Let them be ashamed and confounded,.... In Psa 40:14 it is added, "together"; See Gill on Psa 40:14; that seek after my soul; or "life"; in Psa 40:14 it is added, "to destroy it"; for that was the end of their seeking after it; let them be turned backward, &c. See Gill on Psa 40:14.
Verse 3
Let them be turned back for a reward of their shame,.... In Psa 40:15 it is, "let them be desolate"; which seems to respect their land and houses, here their persons; See Gill on Psa 40:15; that say; in Psa 40:15 it is added, "to me"; not to his people, but himself, aha, aha: rejoicing at his calamity and distress. The Targum is, "we are glad, we are glad;'' See Gill on Psa 40:15, and compare with this Eze 25:3.
Verse 4
Let all those that seek thee,.... The Targum is, "that seek doctrine (or instruction) from thee.'' rejoice and be glad in thee; the Targum paraphrases it, "rejoice and be glad in thy word.'' and let such as love thy salvation say continually, let God be magnified; the Targum is, "let the glory of the Lord be increased;'' and in Psa 40:16, instead of "God", it is "the Lord", or "Jehovah": See Gill on Psa 40:16.
Verse 5
But I am poor and needy,.... In Psa 40:17 it follows, yet "the Lord thinketh on me"; instead of which it is here; see Gill on Psa 40:17; make haste unto me, O God; which repeats for sense the same petition as in Psa 71:1; thou art my help and my deliverer; O Lord, make no tarrying; in Psa 40:17 it is, "O my God". Next: Psalms Chapter 71
Verse 1
We see at once at the very beginning, in the omission of the רצה (Psa 40:14), that what we have here before us is a fragment of Ps 40, and perhaps a fragment that only accidentally came to have an independent existence. The להצּילני, which was under the government of רצה, now belongs to הוּשׁה, and the construction is without example elsewhere. In Psa 70:3 (= Psa 40:15) יחד and לספּותהּ are given up entirely; the original is more full-toned and soaring. Instead of ישׁמּוּ, torpescant, Psa 70:4 has ישׁוּבוּ, recedant (as in Ps 6:11, cf. Psa 9:18), which is all the more flat for coming after יסגו אחור. In Psa 70:4, after ויאמרים the לי, which cannot here (cf. on the contrary, Psa 35:21) be dispensed with, is wanting.
Verse 4
ויאמרו instead of יאמרו is unimportant. But since the divine name Jahve is now for once chosen side by side with Elohim, it certainly had a strong claim to be retained in Psa 70:5. Instead of תּשׁועתך we have ישׁועתך here; instead of עזרתי, here עזרי. And instead of אדני יחשׁב לי we have here אלהים חוּשׁה־לּי - the hope is turned into petition: make haste unto me, is an innovation in expression that is caused by the taking over of the לי.
Introduction
This psalm is adapted to a state of affliction; it is copied almost word for word from the fortieth, and, some think for that reason, is entitled, "a psalm to bring to remembrance;" for it may be of use sometimes to pray over the prayers we have formerly made to God upon similar occasions, which may be done with new affections. David here prays that God would send, I. Help to himself (Psa 70:1, Psa 70:5). II. Shame to his enemies (Psa 70:2, Psa 70:3). III. Joy to his friends (Psa 70:4). These five verses were the last five verses of Ps. 40. He seems to have intended this short prayer to be both for himself and us a salve for every sore, and therefore to be always in mind; and in singing we may apply it to our particular troubles, whatever they are. To the chief musician. A psalm of David, to bring to remembrance.
Verse 1
The title tells us that this psalm was designed to bring to remembrance; that is, to put God in remembrance of his mercy and promises (for so we are said to do when we pray to him and plead with him. Isa 43:26, Put me in remembrance) - not that the Eternal Mind needs a remembrancer, but this honour he is pleased to put upon the prayer of faith. Or, rather, to put himself and others in remembrance of former afflictions, that we may never be secure, but always in expectation of troubles, and of former devotions, that when the clouds return after the rain we may have recourse to the same means which we have formerly found effectual for fetching in comfort and relief. We may in prayer use the words we have often used before: our Saviour in his agony prayed thrice, saying the same words; so David here uses the words he had used before, yet not without some alterations, to show that he did not design to tie himself or others to them as a form. God looks at the heart, not at the words. I. David here prays that God would make haste to relieve and succour him (Psa 70:1, Psa 70:5): I am poor and needy, in want and distress, and much at a loss within myself. Poverty and necessity are very good pleas in prayer to a God of infinite mercy, who despises not the sighing of a contrite heart, who has pronounced a blessing upon the poor in spirit, and who fills the hungry with good things. He prays, 1. That God would appear for him to deliver him from his troubles in due time. 2. That in the mean time he would come in to his aid, to help him under his troubles, that he might not sink and faint. 3. That he would do this quickly: Make haste (Psa 70:1), and again (Psa 70:5), Make haste, make no tarrying. Sometimes God seems to delay helping his own people, that he may excite such earnest desires as these. He that believes does not make haste, so as to anticipate or outrun the divine counsels, so as to force a way of escape or to take any unlawful methods of relief; but he may make haste by going forth to meet God in humble prayer that he would hasten the desired succour. "Make haste unto me, for the longing desire of my soul is towards thee; I shall perish if I be not speedily helped. I have no other to expect relief from: Thou art my help and my delivered. Thou hast engaged to be so to all that seek thee; I depend upon thee to be so to me; I have often found thee so; and thou art sufficient, all-sufficient, to be so; therefore make haste to me." II. He prays that God would fill the faces of his enemies with shame, Psa 70:2, Psa 70:3. Observe, 1. How he describes them; they sought after his soul - his life, to destroy that - his mind, to disturb that, to draw him from God to sin and to despair. They desired his hurt, his ruin; when any calamity befel him or threatened him they said, "Aha, aha! so would we have it; we shall gain our point now, and see him ruined." Thus spiteful, thus insolent, were they. 2. What his prayer is against them: "Let them be ashamed; let them be brought to repentance, so filled with shame as that they may seek thy name (Psa 83:16); let them see their fault and folly in fighting against those whom thou dost protect, and be ashamed of their envy, Isa 26:11. However, let their designs against me be frustrated and their measures broken; let them be turned back from their malicious pursuits, and then they will be ashamed and confounded, and, like the enemies of the Jews, much cast down in their own eyes," Gen 6:16. III. He prays that God would fill the hearts of his friends with joy (Psa 70:4), that all those who seek God and love his salvation, who desire it, delight in it, and depend upon it, may have continual matter for joy and praise and hearts for both; and then he doubts not but that he should put in for a share of the blessing he prays for; and so may we if we answer the character. 1. Let us make the service of God our great business and the favour of God our great delight and pleasure, for that is seeking him and loving his salvation. Let the pursuit of a happiness in God be our great care and the enjoyment of it our great satisfaction. A heart to love the salvation of the Lord, and to prefer it before any secular advantages whatsoever, so as cheerfully to quit all rather than hazard our salvation, is a good evidence of our interest in it and title to it. 2. Let us then be assured that, if it be not our own fault, the joy of the Lord shall fill our minds and the high praises of the Lord shall fill our mouths. Those that seek God, if they seek him early and seek him diligently, shall rejoice and be glad in him, for their seeking him is an evidence of his good-will to them and an earnest of their finding him, Psa 105:3. There is pleasure and joy even in seeking God, for it is one of the fundamental principles of religion that God is the rewarder of all those that diligently seek him. Those that love God's salvation shall say with pleasure, with constant pleasure (for praising God, if we make it our continual work, will be our continual feast), Let God be magnified, as he will be, to eternity, in the salvation of his people. All who wish well to the comfort of the saints, and to the glory of God, cannot but say a hearty amen to this prayer, that those who love God's salvation may say continually, Let God be magnified.
Verse 1
Ps 70 This psalm, nearly identical to 40:13-17, contains an urgency (70:1, 5) that fits with the surrounding psalms (cp. 69:17; 71:12).
70:title asking God to remember him: The meaning of this phrase is unknown (also found in 38:title).