LHC Midday Word: PSALM Seventy

Wednesday, 29 December 2021

PSALM Seventy

For the director of music.

Of David. A petition.

Hasten, O God, to save me;

come quickly, Lord, to help me.

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.

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 great!’

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.

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Word by Word Meditations

by Fred Ursell

Psalm 70 : “aha!” (v.3)

David is praying for God’s urgent help – “hasten … come quickly … do not delay” (vv.1 & 5). His plea isn’t trivial; he says there are “those who seek my life” (v.2). What is his enemies’ attitude in saying “aha!” (v.3)? It isn’t clear.

Is it

[A] mocking? Are they deriding his god-centred lifestyle? Or is it per-haps

[B] threatening? Are they implying that, wherever he ran and hid, he wouldn’t be able to elude them? Or is it perhaps

[C] gloating? Are they delighted that hardship had already overtaken him?

It gets doubly hard to cope if your plight is intensified by people’s enjoyment of it. Do a David – pray!

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READING

Psalm Seventy

Read by David Suchet