Psalm 70 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 70 on biblegateway.com
Verse 1Be pleased, O God, to deliver me. O Lord, make haste to help me!
Verse 2Let those be put to shame and confusion who seek my life. Let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who desire to hurt me.
Verse 3Let those who say, "Aha, Aha!" turn back because of their shame.
Verse 4Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. Let those who love your salvation say evermore, "God is great!"
Verse 5But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay!
Devotion
As a musician, I love that at the literal center of the Bible is a hymnal—the Psalms. Obviously there is a wide range of real emotion throughout the Psalms, and this is a prayer for deliverance. We know that Jesus had the Psalms on his lips and in his heart even at his last breath, and one must wonder if this Psalm went through his mind on that first Holy Week. The Gospels paint the picture of those who were seeking Jesus' destruction, and Jesus asked God for deliverance saying, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done" (Luke 22:42).
Like yesterday's passage, we see an image of God's greatness: "May those who love your salvation say evermore, 'God is great!'" Even as this world has so much darkness in it—mass shootings, terrorism, natural disasters—as believers, we can take joy that God will ultimately deliver us.
Prayer
Gracious God, by your Spirit help me to love your salvation and rejoice in your deliverance. Amen.