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
With today's reading, perhaps it would do us well to be reminded that the judgment and wrath of God is not in our hands. We note that God's judgment will not primarily be about the sources of conflict we may have with one another. God's judgment is reserved for all that work against God's glory, grace and mercy.
The psalmist's prayer is that God's righteousness would be made known among God's creation even today. We all, in our sin, belong under that same judgment. God's judgment has been fulfilled in the one who bore God's wrath, and in that same moment prayed that all of creation might be forgiven. God's wrath drives us to the cross where we meet Jesus praying for forgiveness.
Prayer
Merciful God, may you find me at the foot of the cross this day. Increase my faith in you so that my prayers of forgiveness might ring forth across creation. Amen.