Psalm 70 Explained and Commentary

1. v1-3: The Cry for Immediate Deliverance and the Shame of Enemies
2. v4-5: The Joy of Seekers and the Poverty of the Psalmist

psalm 70 explained

In this study, we are diving into a chapter that is often called the "Emergency 911" of the Bible. Psalm 70 is a visceral, breathless shout for help. While it is short—only five verses—it contains an incredible amount of spiritual "weight" and cosmic tension. We will explore why this specific section was ripped from Psalm 40 and given its own seat in the Psalter, the legal terminology used in the Divine Court, and how it serves as a war-cry for the "poor and needy."

Psalm 70 is the "Short-Fuse" petition. It is defined by its extreme urgency and its "Le-hazkir" (to bring to remembrance) heading. This isn't just a quiet meditation; it is a liturgical forensic document designed to provoke God into immediate action. It bridges the gap between the suffering individual and the cosmic victory of the Divine Council over the forces of "shame."

Psalm 70 Context

Historically, Psalm 70 is categorized as a "Lament" or a "Petition." Most notably, it is an almost verbatim repetition of Psalm 40:13-17. In the arrangement of the Psalter, Book II (Psalms 42-72) is largely "Elohistic," meaning it prefers the name Elohim (God) over Yahweh (The Lord). Psalm 70 follows this trend but preserves the tension by alternating the names.

Geopolitically, the text reflects a world where social "shame" was worse than death. The "Aha! Aha!" mentioned in verse 3 is not just a laugh; it is an Ancient Near Eastern (ANE) curse-gesture intended to strip the victim of their "Kavod" (Glory). Culturally, David (the attributed author) is standing in the Covenantal framework where God is the "Avenger of the Poor." If the poor suffer and God does not act, His "Reputation" (Name) is at stake. Thus, the Psalm acts as a "polemic" against a silent heaven—forcing a response from the Judge of the Universe.

Psalm 70 Summary

Psalm 70 is a high-speed prayer for divine intervention. It begins with an urgent plea for God to "make haste" because the author is under direct assault. The mid-section asks for the legal and social reversal of his enemies—that those trying to destroy him would be the ones covered in shame. It then shifts to the community of believers, praying that they find constant joy in God’s salvation. It concludes by reinforcing the author's own dependency: he is "poor and needy," and he cannot wait another second for God’s arrival.

Psalm 70: Title – To Bring to Remembrance

For the director of music. Of David. A petition. (Hebrew: L’hazkir—to bring to remembrance/to memorialize.)

Deep Dive into the Title

• The Ritual Forensic: The Hebrew word Le-hazkir is a technical term used in the sacrificial system (Leviticus 2:2). It refers to the "memorial portion" of the grain offering. Spiritually, this suggests that the prayer itself is ascending like smoke to "jog" the divine memory. It is a legal summons for God to remember His covenant promises.
• Apostolic Continuity: In the Divine Council worldview, David isn't just writing poetry; he is an intercessor. The "Director of Music" signifies this was intended for corporate, public worship—it was meant to be shouted by the people of Israel as a collective cry.
• Mathematical Fingerprint: The repetition from Psalm 40 into Psalm 70 serves as a "stutter" in the divine narrative. When the Bible repeats itself exactly, it is for "Double Emphasis"—meaning the judgment/mercy described is established and will come quickly (Gen 41:32).

Bible references

• Leviticus 2:2: "{The memorial portion...}" (Sacrificial root of the title term)
• Psalm 40:13-17: "{Be pleased, O Lord...}" (Original source context for the chapter)

Psalm 70:1 – The Urgent Cry

Hasten, O God, to save me; come quickly, Lord, to help me.

Practical and Spiritual Analysis

• The Brevity of Breath: In the original Hebrew, this verse is remarkably short—only four words. It sounds like someone who is running for their life. “Elohim, l’hatzileni; Yahweh, l’ezrati chu-shah.”
• Linguistic Deep-Dive: The word for "Hasten/Make Haste" is Chuwsh. This is not just "moving fast." It implies a state of being "hurried to the point of agitation." It is the word used for a bird darting or a soldier rushing into battle.
• The "Names" of God: Notice the shift from Elohim (The Transcendent Creator/Judge) to Yahweh (The Personal, Covenant-keeping God). David appeals to God's Power (Elohim) to rescue and His Loyalty (Yahweh) to help.
• Divine Council Perspective: David is calling for a "sudden intervention" (Hebrew: peta). He is asking the Great King to leave the throne room and descend to the battlefield immediately. This echoes the concept of "God as a Man of War" (Exodus 15:3).

Bible references

• Psalm 22:19: "{O my Strength, come quickly...}" (Parallels the urgency in deep suffering)
• Exodus 3:7-8: "{I have come down to rescue...}" (God responding to the cry of help)

Cross references

Ps 31:2 ({Make haste to deliver me}), Ps 38:22 ({Come quickly to help}), Heb 4:16 ({Find grace to help in time of need})

Psalm 70:2-3 – The Reversal of Shame

May those who want to take my life be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace. May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!” turn back because of their shame.

Forensic and Archetypal Analysis

• Natural/Spiritual Entities: "Those who seek my life." In the ANE context, these were literal assassins. In the "Two-World Mapping," these are spiritual "Accusers" (ha-satan) who seek to disqualify the believer.
• The "Aha!" Polemic: The Hebrew Heach! Heach! is an onomatopoeia for malicious joy. It was a mock-ritual sound. In the Septuagint (LXX), this is translated as euge euge, which often refers to a triumphalist "Hurrah!" used when someone falls. This mimics the serpent's "hiss" at the fall of man.
• Symmetry of Justice: David is utilizing the law of "Lex Talionis" (Eye for an eye). If the enemies wanted to shame David, his prayer is that the very "shame" they produced becomes their own garment.
• Linguistic Deep-Dive on "Shame": The Hebrew Bosh (shame) implies a "paleness of face" or a feeling of "nothingness." David isn't just asking for them to feel bad; he is asking for their social and spiritual influence to "vaporize."
• ANE Subversion: While pagan gods were often seen laughing at humans (like the Babylonian gods during the flood), David demands that YHWH silence the laughter of the wicked.

Bible references

• Isaiah 41:11: "{All who rage against you...}" (Prophetic promise of enemies' shame)
• John 18:6: "{They drew back and fell...}" (Christ's enemies literally turning back)

Cross references

Ps 35:4 ({Let them be confounded}), Ps 35:21 ({They opened their mouth wide... "Aha!"}), Job 8:22 ({Those who hate you will be clothed with shame})

Psalm 70:4 – The Call to Praise

But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who long for your saving help always say, “The Lord is exalted!”

Human and God’s Standpoint

• The Great Pivot: The Psalm shifts from the "Dark Valley" of the enemies to the "Mountain Peak" of the Seekers.
• Magnifying God (Sod): The phrase "The Lord be exalted" (Hebrew: Yigdal Elohim) is powerful. Gadal means to make something grow or to view it through a magnifying glass. When we praise, we don't make God "bigger" in Himself, we make Him "bigger" in our perception, which shrinks the size of our problems.
• Salvation Archetype: The Hebrew word for "saving help/salvation" is Yeshuwah. Every time David prays for "Your Salvation," he is functionally praying the name of "Yeshua" (Jesus). The desire for the Yeshuwah is the desire for the Messiah's intervention.
• Practical Wisdom: Your joy is directly tied to what you "seek." If you seek the destruction of enemies only, your heart remains bitter. If you seek Elohim, your heart becomes "glad."

Bible references

• Psalm 34:3: "{Magnify the Lord with me...}" (Corporate call to enlarge God's name)
• Acts 13:48: "{The Gentiles... were glad and honored the word...}" (Real-world fulfillment of the seeking-joy)

Cross references

Ps 40:16 ({Rejoicing in seeking}), Phil 4:4 ({Rejoice in the Lord always}), 1 Thes 5:16 ({Rejoice evermore})

Psalm 70:5 – The Confession of Dependency

But as for me, I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer; Lord, do not delay.

Linguistic and Structural Engineering

• The Identity Table:
  • Ani (Poor): Depleted of strength, physically humbled.
  • Ebyon (Needy): Beggarly, one who is entirely dependent on another's will.
• The Signature of Chiasm: This verse brings the Psalm full circle. Verse 1 began with "Make haste," and Verse 5 ends with "Do not delay." This forms an "Inclusio"—locking the entire prayer in a framework of Urgency.
• Cosmic/Sod (Deep Mystery): Why does David say "Come quickly to me" when God is everywhere? This addresses the "Manifest Presence." David isn't debating God’s omnipresence; he is demanding His localization—that God would manifest in his specific GPS coordinate.
• Closing Conflict: "O Lord, do not delay" (Yahweh, al-teachar). This is the final nudge to the Divine Clock. It recognizes that while God's timing is "perfect," from the human perspective, it is "exhausting." David has reached his "Omega point"—the end of his own ability.

Bible references

• Luke 18:7-8: "{Will not God bring about justice... and will he keep putting them off?}" (Jesus addressing the "do not delay" prayer)
• Revelation 22:20: "{Even so, come, Lord Jesus.}" (The ultimate New Testament fractal of Psalm 70:5)

Cross references

Ps 109:22 ({I am poor and needy}), Ps 141:1 ({I call to you, come quickly}), Ps 143:7 ({Answer me quickly... for my spirit fails})

Key Entities and Archetypal Themes

Psalm 70 Deep-Level Analysis

1. The Mystery of the Duplication (70 vs 40)

The question every scholar asks is: Why does the Holy Spirit repeat these five verses almost exactly?

• Psalm 40 is a "Life Review" – it is long, detailing a "horrible pit" in the past and looking toward a future.
• Psalm 70 is the "Extract." It is what remains when you don't have time for the long story.
• Analysis: This teaches the "Functional Portability" of Scripture. You don't always need to recite the whole Torah; sometimes you need the "Nuclear Version." It represents a "Red Alert" status. By separating it from Psalm 40, God validates the prayer that consists only of crying out for haste. It is the "Spiritual Shortcut."

2. Divine Council Perspective: Shaming the Spirits

In Ancient Near Eastern literature, to be "ashamed" (Bosh) meant losing one's status in the heavenly decree. When David prays for his enemies to be turned back, he is asking the Heavenly Judge to revoke their "license to harass." In the unseen realm, "shame" equals a loss of authority.

• Golden Nugget: Colossians 2:15 says Jesus "triumphed over them [the powers and authorities], making a public spectacle of them." This is the direct answer to Psalm 70:2-3. Jesus didn't just win; He subjected the "Aha! Aha!" spirits to a greater cosmic shame.

3. Numerical Significance and Chiasm

• Verse 1: Hasten... help me. (Point A)
• Verse 2-3: Destruction of enemies. (Point B)
• Verse 4: Rejoicing of seekers. (Point B-prime)
• Verse 5: Hasten... my deliverer. (Point A-prime) The structure is a perfect Chiasm. This shows that the Core (The "Wow" point) of the Psalm is the Total Reversal of Destinies: The enemies fall, while the seekers rise. This is the "Great Exchange."

4. The Hebrew "Aha!" and its Spiritual Root

The mockers are not merely mocking David's weakness; they are mocking his God. Their laughter is the same laughter heard at the foot of the Cross: "He trusted in God, let God deliver him now!" (Matt 27:43). Therefore, Psalm 70 is fundamentally a Christological War Cry. When we pray Psalm 70, we are joining the prayer of the suffering Messiah who was surrounded by those crying "Aha!" (Mark 15:29).

5. Final Insights: Practical Usage

This Psalm is intended for the moment where your words fail. It is a "bullet prayer."

• Biblical Completion: While David prays "Do not delay," the Apostle Peter later explains in 2 Peter 3:9 that the Lord "is not slow (delaying) in keeping His promise... instead, he is patient." This completes the perspective: What feels like a "delay" to the Poor and Needy David is actually a "window of repentance" for the mockers.

In this chapter, we see that it is perfectly biblical to be impatient with suffering. We learn that "reproach" is a spiritual weapon and that magnifying God is the only antidote to a soul that feels "pushed back" and "ruined." Psalm 70 is the manual for those who have reached their limit but still know where to look.

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