Psalms 70:1-4

Context

Psalm 70¹

For the music director; by David; written to get God’s attention.²

70:1 O God, please be willing to rescue me!³

O Lord, hurry and help me!⁴

70:2 May those who are trying to take my life

be embarrassed and ashamed!⁵

May those who want to harm me

be turned back and ashamed!⁶

70:3 May those who say, “Aha! Aha!”

be driven back⁷ and disgraced!⁸

70:4 May all those who seek you be happy and rejoice in you!

May those who love to experience⁹ your deliverance say continually,¹⁰

“May God¹¹ be praised!”¹²

[70:1] ¹sn Psalm 70. This psalm is almost identical to Ps 40:13-17. The psalmist asks for God’s help and for divine retribution against his enemies.

[70:1] ²tn Heb “to cause to remember.” The same form, a Hiphil infinitive of זָכַר (zakhar, “remember”), also appears in the superscription of Ps 38. Some understand this in the sense of “for the memorial offering,” but it may carry the idea of bringing one’s plight to God’s attention (see P. C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50 [WBC], 303).

[70:1] ³tn Heb “O God, to rescue me.” A main verb is obviously missing. The verb רָצָה (ratsah, “be willing”) should be supplied (see Ps 40:13). Ps 40:13 uses the divine name “Lord” rather than “God.”

[70:1] ⁴tn Heb “hurry to my help.” See Pss 22:19; 38:22.

[70:2] ⁵tn Heb “may they be embarrassed and ashamed, the ones seeking my life.” Ps 40:14 has “together” after “ashamed,” and “to snatch it away” after “my life.”

[70:2] ⁶tn The four prefixed verbal forms in this verse are understood as jussives. The psalmist is calling judgment down on his enemies.

[70:3] ⁷tn The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive in this imprecation.

[70:3] ⁸tn Heb “May they be turned back according to their shame, those who say, ‘Aha! Aha!’” Ps 40:15 has the verb “humiliated” instead of “turned back” and adds “to me” after “say.”

[70:4] ⁹tn Heb “those who love,” which stands metonymically for its cause, the experience of being delivered by God.

[70:4] ¹⁰tn The three prefixed verbal forms prior to the quotation are understood as jussives. The psalmist balances out his imprecation against his enemies with a prayer of blessing on the godly.

[70:4] ¹¹tn Ps 40:16 uses the divine name “Lord” here instead of “God.”

[70:4] ¹²tn The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive, “may the Lord be magnified [in praise].” Another option is to take the verb as an imperfect, “the Lord is great.” See Ps 35:27.