Chapter 70
Themes, discussion questions, Christ connections, and denomination lenses.
Just read this chapter →Scripture
KJV1MAKE HASTE, O GOD, TO DELIVER ME; MAKE HASTE TO HELP ME, O LORD.
2Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul: let them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt.
3Let them be turned back for a reward of their shame that say, Aha, aha.
4Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified.
5But I am poor and needy: make haste unto me, O God: thou art my help and my deliverer; O LORD, make no tarrying.
“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.”
Overview
Psalm 70 is a brief, urgent prayer for speedy deliverance, nearly identical to the closing verses of Psalm 40. David pleads: 'Make haste, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O LORD.' He asks that those who seek his soul be ashamed and confounded, and that those who delight in his hurt be turned back. But let all who seek God rejoice and be glad, and let those who love God's salvation say continually, 'Let God be magnified.' David confesses he is poor and needy and asks God not to tarry.
Key Themes
Urgent Prayer for Help
The psalm's brevity and repeated 'make haste' express the urgency of a soul in immediate danger who cannot wait for a delayed answer.
Joy for the Seekers of God
While enemies face shame, those who seek God are invited to rejoice, be glad, and magnify the LORD — even in the midst of crisis.
Poverty and Dependence
David identifies himself as 'poor and needy' — spiritual poverty before God is not weakness but the posture that invites divine help.
Study Questions
What does the repeated plea 'make haste' (vv. 1, 5) reveal about David's situation and his faith?
Why is this very short psalm included separately from Psalm 40, which contains the same prayer?
How can those who are 'poor and needy' (v. 5) still magnify God?
What does this psalm teach about praying with urgency?
How does the contrast between the enemies' shame and the seekers' joy (vv. 2-4) frame the psalm?
Connection to Christ
Jesus in Gethsemane modeled urgent, desperate prayer to the Father. He identified with the poor and needy, humbling Himself even unto death. Through His suffering and exaltation, all who seek God can rejoice and say 'Let God be magnified.' Christ is the help that never tarries too long — His deliverance is sure and His timing is perfect.
Personal Reflection
Take time to journal or meditate on what God is teaching you through Psalms 70. How can these truths transform your thinking and actions today?