Psalms 70:1 Meaning Explained

Psalms 70:1

Make haste, O God, to deliver me! O LORD, make haste to help me!

English Standard Version (ESV)

This isn't just a panicked cry, but a deliberate repetition of an earlier prayer from Psalm 40, suggesting David is facing similar overwhelming troubles again. The repeated "make haste" emphasizes not just his distress, but his desperate trust that God is ready and able to act swiftly.

What Psalms 70:1 means

David is in a desperate situation, feeling overwhelmed by enemies and in deep distress. This short psalm, almost identical to a section in Psalm 40, acts as an urgent plea for immediate divine intervention. It’s a raw cry born from repeated troubles, reminding us that even the most faithful can find themselves in dire straits, needing God's swift rescue.

Desperate Pleas for God's Swift Action

Have you ever felt so overwhelmed that you just needed God to step in, right now? This verse is a raw cry from a heart facing extreme distress.

David, the writer of this psalm, is in deep trouble. He doesn't just ask for help; he pleads for God to 'make haste.' This isn't a casual request; it's a desperate shout from someone feeling imminent danger.

Extreme Danger: The repetition of 'make haste' emphasizes the urgency. David feels like he's on the brink, and any delay could be disastrous.
A Pattern of Prayer: Many scholars note that this verse is almost identical to a passage in Psalm 40. This suggests David, or others, might have used this prayer repeatedly during times of crisis, showing that persistent, urgent prayer is a valid and even necessary response to God in desperate situations.

The Purpose: Remembrance and God's Glory

Why would David repeat such a desperate plea? It wasn't just about his immediate need; it was also about something deeper.

The superscription of this psalm calls it 'A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance.' This title gives us a crucial clue about its purpose, especially since much of it is repeated from Psalm 40.

Remembering God's Faithfulness: One key purpose of these repeated prayers is to help the one praying remember God's past faithfulness and power. In moments of crisis, it's easy to forget how God has helped before. Praying these familiar words can stir up faith and remind us that God is still able to deliver.
A Form of Prayer: These verses were likely intended as a prayer pattern. Not only could David use it, but others facing similar distress could adopt it. It serves as a model for how to approach God in deep need, ensuring that the plea for help is presented.
Shaming Enemies, Glorifying God: The ultimate goal of God's intervention, as seen in the verses that follow, is not just David's deliverance but also the confusion of his enemies and the exaltation of God's name. The urgent plea is part of a larger narrative of God's power and sovereignty being displayed.

Understand the original words

Original language

LORDיְהוָה

Yĕhovah · Hebrew Proper Noun

In Hebrew, this is the personal, covenantal name of God, YHWH, revealed to Moses at the burning bush. It signifies the self-existent, eternal, and unchanging nature of God, who enters into a relational covenant with His people.

Historical context

Written: Likely composed during David's reign, around the 11th century BC.
Author: Traditionally understood as King David, though some scholars suggest other authors for certain psalms.
Location: Likely written from the wilderness or while fleeing from enemies within Israel.
Genre: Poetry, specifically a psalm of lament with strong appeals for deliverance and vivid imprecations.

Historical background

This Psalm, a repetition of a section from Psalm 40, highlights David's recurring moments of intense distress. The 'haste' he pleads for isn't just a general wish for help, but an urgent cry born from immediate, life-threatening danger that marked much of his troubled reign.

c. 1023 BC— this verse
David's Reign Amidst Rebellion
David faced numerous threats and rebellions throughout his long reign, including those from his own son Absalom and earlier challenges from figures like Saul. These constant dangers often put him in perilous situations.
c. 1020 BC
Rebellion of Absalom
Absalom's rebellion forced David to flee Jerusalem, experiencing deep betrayal and a desperate need for God's swift intervention to reclaim his throne and his life.
Throughout David's Reign
Constant Pursuit by Enemies
David was frequently pursued by enemies, both internal and external, creating a pattern of life-threatening crises that necessitated urgent prayer for deliverance.

Key themes

01Urgent divine intervention
02Desperate plea for help
03Enemy's opposition

Cross-references

Psalms 40:13

This verse is almost identical to Psalm 70:1, indicating that the psalmist was repeating a prayer from a previous time of distress, emphasizing the urgency of his need for God's intervention.

Psalms 22:19

Here, David also cries out for immediate help, pleading 'But you, O LORD, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid!' This echoes the desperate plea for haste found in Psalm 70:1.

Acts 7:59

Stephen, facing a violent death, cries out 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!' This shows the timeless human need to call on God for swift deliverance in moments of extreme peril, mirroring the urgency of Psalm 70:1.

Isaiah 61:1

This passage describes the Messiah being sent 'to proclaim good news to the poor,' and 'to comfort all who mourn.' While not a plea for help, it highlights God's active, timely intervention in human suffering, a principle David appeals to in his urgent cry.

Scholarly commentary

Psalms 70:1: "To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance. Make haste, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O LORD."

Make haste to help me - I am in extreme distress, and the most imminent danger. Haste to help me, or I am lost.
clarke

Psalms 70:1: "To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance. Make haste, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O LORD."

THE ARGUMENT The contents of this Psalm are almost all to be found Psalm 40:13 , &c. Nor is it strange that they are here repeated, because the same or like occasions were oft repeated; and David’s returning distresses might well make him sometimes repeat the same words. And as these things were joined with many other passages in Psalm 40 , so they ar…
poole

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What Psalms 70:1 means

Historical context

Written: Likely composed during David's reign, around the 11th century BC.
Author: Traditionally understood as King David, though some scholars suggest other authors for certain psalms.
Location: Likely written from the wilderness or while fleeing from enemies within Israel.
Genre: Poetry, specifically a psalm of lament with strong appeals for deliverance and vivid imprecations.

Historical background

c. 1023 BC— this verse

David's Reign Amidst Rebellion

David faced numerous threats and rebellions throughout his long reign, including those from his own son Absalom and earlier challenges from figures like Saul. These constant dangers often put him in perilous situations.

c. 1020 BC

Rebellion of Absalom

Absalom's rebellion forced David to flee Jerusalem, experiencing deep betrayal and a desperate need for God's swift intervention to reclaim his throne and his life.

Throughout David's Reign

Constant Pursuit by Enemies

David was frequently pursued by enemies, both internal and external, creating a pattern of life-threatening crises that necessitated urgent prayer for deliverance.