PsalmsChapter 70

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For the choir director. Of David. To bring remembrance.

God, come and rescue me! LORD, hurry to my help!

Let those who seek my life be shamed and humiliated; let those who delight in my ruin be driven back in disgrace.

Let those who say, "Aha! Aha!" be turned back by their own shame.

But let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; let those who love your salvation always say, "Let God be magnified!"

As for me, I am poor and needy — God, hurry to me! You are my help and my deliverer; LORD, do not delay.

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Summary2

Chapter 70

Main Theme: A short, intense prayer for God's swift help against enemies.

Content: The psalmist cries out to God to hurry and save him. He prays that those who seek his life may be put to shame and turn back, while those who seek God should rejoice and praise Him. The psalm concludes with the psalmist's confession of his own poverty and helplessness, and a heartfelt plea that God must not delay.

Key Words/Images:

"Hurry" (חוּשָׁה): Repeated twice, emphasizing the desperate urgency of the prayer.
Shame and disgrace: The enemies will experience the opposite of what they intended for the psalmist.
"Poor and needy" (עָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן): The psalmist's self-description expressing total dependence on God.
"Great is God": The praise that believers will proclaim when God intervenes.

Historical context

Key Concepts

"Lehazkir" (לְהַזְכִּיר) – "For a Reminder"

The heading contains the Hebrew expression lehazkir, which means "for a reminder" or "to bring to remembrance." This is a rare liturgical term that appears in the headings of Psalm 38 and 70. The term is connected to the azkara offering, part of the grain offering where a handful of flour and oil was burned as a "memorial" before the Lord (Lev 2:2). This suggests that the psalm may have been used in connection with specific sacrificial rituals in the temple, possibly as a prayer asking God to "remember" the petitioner in distress.

"Heach, heach" (הֶאָח הֶאָח) – A Mocking Exclamation

In verse 4 we find the onomatopoeic expression heach heach, a mocking cry of triumph from enemies. This is an expressive sound word that conveys the sound of gloating and scorn. Similar expressions are found in other laments (Ps 35:21,25; 40:16) and reflect the intense honor culture of ancient Israel, where public shame was one of the worst forms of suffering.

Events and Customs

The Parallel Psalm in Psalm 40

Psalm 70 is almost identical to Psalm 40:14–18. Psalm 70 functions as an independent prayer psalm that may have been separated for its own liturgical use. The most striking difference is the use of God’s name: Psalm 70 primarily uses Elohim (God), while the parallel in Psalm 40 uses YHWH (the Lord), reflecting different liturgical practices.

People1

David1

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Key words8

Help — Assistance or support given to someone in need or difficulty.
Enemies — Persons or groups who are opponents and may wish harm or defeat for the other party.
Lord — A title showing respect and reverence, often used to address God in a religious context.
Hasten — To make something faster or to increase the speed of a process or event.
Salvation — In a religious context, it means saving someone from sin, evil, or danger, especially regarding their soul and eternal life.
Praise song — A song or poem expressing gratitude, honor, or praise, especially to God.
Praise — To express recognition, admiration, or thankfulness for something or someone, especially God.
Shame — A feeling of humiliation, disgrace, or degradation resulting from an action, situation, or behavior.