Short answer: Psalm 70 is a brief, urgent prayer for deliverance. David asks God to make haste to help him and to confuse those who seek his life. Those who seek God are called to rejoice and be glad. The psalm ends with the same plea with which it began: 'O Lord, do not delay.'
The setting of the psalm
Psalm 70 is a brief, urgent prayer for deliverance. It is nearly identical to Psalm 40:13-17, suggesting that David reused a familiar prayer in a moment of desperate need. The psalm is characterized by its urgency — the word 'hasten' or 'make haste' appears three times. David needs God to act quickly.
The psalm has two movements. First, David asks God to put his enemies to shame and confusion. Those who seek his life are to be turned back and humiliated. The urgent plea 'Make haste, O God, to deliver me! O Lord, make haste to help me!' expresses the intensity of the crisis.
Second, David prays for those who seek God. He asks that they may rejoice and be glad in God and that those who love God's salvation may continually say, 'Great is God!' In the midst of personal danger, David's concern extends beyond himself to the community of faith.
The psalm ends with a confession of need: 'But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay!' The combination of 'poor and needy' with 'hasten' and 'do not delay' captures the urgency of desperate prayer.
For Christians, this psalm models urgent, focused prayer in times of crisis. The repetition of 'make haste' teaches that it is appropriate to ask God for swift deliverance. The confidence that God is our help and deliverer is the foundation of prayer in every emergency.
Hurry, God, to deliver me. Come quickly to help me, Yahweh. Let them be disappointed and confounded who seek my soul. Let those who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace. Let them be turned because of their shame who say, “Aha! Aha!”
Psalm 70:1-3 (World English Bible)
Key words and their meaning
The Hebrew word for 'hasten' (chushah) in verses 1 and 5 conveys urgency. David repeats this word three times, emphasizing the immediacy of his need. The repetition creates a sense of desperation and dependence.
The word 'poor' (ani) and 'needy' (evyon) in verse 5 describe David's condition before God. These words are not primarily economic but express spiritual dependence. David approaches God as one who has no resources of his own.
The phrase 'do not delay' (al-te'acher) in verse 5 is the final word of the psalm. The urgency of the opening is sustained to the very end. David does not grow more patient as the psalm progresses; he grows more urgent.
Let all those who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. Let those who love your salvation continually say, “Let God be exalted!” But I am poor and needy. Come to me quickly, God. You are my help and my deliverer. Yahweh, don’t delay.
Psalm 70:4-5 (World English Bible)
What the psalm claims
First, urgent prayer is appropriate in times of crisis. The repetition of 'make haste' teaches that we can ask God for swift deliverance.
Second, the enemies of God's people will be confounded. Those who seek the harm of God's people will ultimately be turned back.
Third, God is the help and deliverer of the poor and needy. David's confession of need is the foundation of his prayer.
Hurry, God, to deliver me. Come quickly to help me, Yahweh. Let them be disappointed and confounded who seek my soul. Let those who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace. Let them be turned because of their shame who say, “Aha! Aha!” Let all those who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. Let those who love your salvation continually say, “Let God be exalted!” But I am poor and needy. Come to me quickly, God. You are my help and my deliverer. Yahweh, don’t delay.
Psalm 70:1-5 (World English Bible)
Where readers disagree
The relationship between Psalm 70 and Psalm 40:13-17 has been discussed. The nearly identical text suggests that David reused a familiar prayer. This practice of recycling prayers is a model for believers who find words from Scripture fitting their own circumstances.
The brevity of the psalm has been noted. Some have questioned whether it is a complete psalm or a fragment. Its use in the Psalter as a separate composition suggests that brevity does not diminish its value as Scripture.
The repeated plea 'make haste' has been discussed in relation to the problem of delayed answers to prayer. The psalm teaches that urgency in prayer is appropriate, even when God seems slow to act.
Hurry, God, to deliver me. Come quickly to help me, Yahweh. Let them be disappointed and confounded who seek my soul. Let those who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace. Let them be turned because of their shame who say, “Aha! Aha!”
Psalm 70:1-3 (World English Bible)
How this psalm connects to the gospel
The themes of Psalm 70 find their ultimate fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The New Testament frequently draws on the Psalms to explain who Jesus is and what he accomplished. The psalm's language of deliverance, kingship, and steadfast love all point toward the gospel.
In Jesus, believers see the perfect fulfillment of everything this psalm celebrates. The deliverance David experienced was a foreshadowing of the greater deliverance Christ would accomplish. The kingship celebrated in the psalm points to Christ's eternal reign. The steadfast love described in the psalm is fully revealed in Jesus's sacrificial death and resurrection.
For Christians, reading this psalm is an opportunity to see God's faithfulness across the entire biblical story. The same God who heard David's cry also hears the prayers of his people today. The same deliverance David experienced finds its ultimate expression in the salvation Christ offers. The psalm invites believers to trust in this faithful God and to make his praise known to all generations.
The New Testament writers understood the Psalms as a prophetic witness to Christ. Jesus himself told his disciples that everything written about him in the Psalms must be fulfilled (Luke 24:44). When the apostles preached about Jesus, they regularly quoted the Psalms to demonstrate that his suffering, death, resurrection, and exaltation were all part of God's redemptive plan.
Psalm 70 participates in this prophetic witness. Whether through its language of kingship, its descriptions of suffering and deliverance, or its celebration of God's steadfast love, this psalm contributes to the biblical portrait of the Messiah. Reading it in light of Christ does not diminish its original meaning but reveals its deepest significance.
Let all those who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. Let those who love your salvation continually say, “Let God be exalted!” But I am poor and needy. Come to me quickly, God. You are my help and my deliverer. Yahweh, don’t delay.
Psalm 70:4-5 (World English Bible)
Biblical fidelity check
Psalm 70 is theologically sound and consistent with the broader biblical witness. Its themes of God's steadfast love, faithfulness, and righteousness are central to biblical theology. The psalm contributes to the Psalter's comprehensive portrait of God's relationship with his people. While each psalm reflects its original historical context, its truths are enduring and applicable to believers today. The New Testament affirms and deepens the themes found in this psalm, particularly through the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main message of Psalm 70?
The main message of Psalm 70 is make haste, o god, to deliver me. The psalm teaches that God is worthy of trust and praise. It calls believers to respond to God's character with faith, obedience, and worship.
How does Psalm 70 point to Christ?
Psalm 70, like all Scripture, ultimately points to Jesus Christ. The themes of God's deliverance, steadfast love, and kingship find their fullest expression in Christ. The New Testament frequently quotes the Psalms to explain Christ's person and work. As Jesus himself said, the Scriptures bear witness to him (John 5:39).
How does Psalm 70 apply to Christians today?
Psalm 70 applies to believers today by providing language for prayer, praise, and lament. It teaches about God's character and how believers should respond to him. The psalm's truths are timeless, addressing the universal human experiences of joy, suffering, hope, and trust.
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