THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

Psalms: God's Nurture Of The Inner Man In The Life Of Faith

LXX: Petitioning God In Time-Sensitive Crises

(Psalm 70:1-5)

I. Introduction

A. Some trials that arise in the believer's life are not only great, but they come with precious little time for the believer to escape devastating destruction from what the trial threatens to do to him.

B. Psalm 70:1-5 provides a prayer for such a situation, so we view it for our insight and edification (as follows):

II. Petitioning God In Time-Sensitive Crises, Psalm 70:1-5.

A. The introductory remarks in the English Bible comprise the first verse of the Hebrew text (Kittel, Bib. Heb., p. 1035), so we stay with the numbering system in the English Bible for clarity with this lesson.

B. We translate Psalm 70:1-5 as follows:

1. "O Elohim, (hasten) to snatch me away; O Jahweh, hasten to help me," Psalm 70:1.

2. "May those who seek my life principle fall into shame and be humiliated; may they be turned back and dishonored who delight in my ruin," Psalm 70:2.

3. "Let those be turned back because of their shame who say, 'Aha, aha!'" [he'ah, here an "expression of joy over the misfortune of an enemy," B. D. B., A Heb.-Eng. Lex. of the O. T., p. 210] (Psalm 70:3)

4. "Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; and let those who love Your salvation always say, 'Let Elohim be exalted!'" (Psalm 70:4)

5. "But as for me (emph. pron.), I am afflicted and needy; O Elohim, hasten to me! You (emph. pron.) are my Help and my Escape; O Jahweh, do not delay!" (Psalm 70:5)

C. We note significant observations and applications of this psalm (as follows):

1. From the introductory notes, from references in the psalm for the need of immediate divine help (v. 1a,b, 5b) and in view of the psalm's brevity, we know it was designed for use if crises arose requiring immediate divine deliverance. (Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, ftn. to Psalm 70) This psalm was thus produced for emergency use in the event of any future great crisis that required immediate divine deliverance.

2. In light of these facts, we note several truths about overwhelming crises that call for God's immediate help:

a. In such a crisis, one can pray for help and expect God's needed quick answer if the afflicted one is upright and expects God's deliverance from wrongdoers, v. 2-3, 4.

b. Also, in such a crisis, the upright believer can expect the current crisis to result in God's glory as even applied to the lives of other believers, v. 4. Thus, the afflicted must not worry that God's people who witness the trial to the believer himself will be unduly negatively impacted by the trial he himself faces.

c. Those who suffer sudden, humanly overwhelming trials that need immediate divine attention typically desire an immediate escape (v. 1a,b, 5b). There thus exists a strong temptation for the afflicted to become so preoccupied with the threat of the trial that he can react destructively in his own power in fearful self-defense, what may be a disastrous move, or he may even turn suicidal to escape what he dreads! We must thus watch that we cease trying to handle the trial in our own might, and let God deal with it in our behalf!

d. The solution for sufferers in this kind of a trial is to see the faithfulness of God to handle the present situation as He has always handled previous trials, v. 4b's "always." Thus, reliance on the God Who is faithful provides the sense of stability amid the temptation to become insecure and unstable before the onslaught of a humanly overwhelming trial that needs immediate divine attention.

Lesson: (1)In the event of a sudden, huge crisis that demanded immediate divine intervention, David formed this psalm for use in facing a sudden, great crisis that required immediate divine help. For our part, making practical "crib sheets" of important Scriptures that we can quickly use for sudden great trials is a wise deed. (2) Also, we know we can pray such a prayer and expect God's help if we are upright, teaching us the need to keep short accounts with God. (3) We believers can also rest assured that no destructive trial we face will unduly harm the work of God in other believers, for God is too sovereign to allow that to occur. (4) In such great, sudden trials, we must resist the lure to make a sudden, impulsive move that could lead to disaster, but rely on God's wisdom and guidance. (5) We must always trust God's faithfulness to deal with such great, sudden trials that demand His immediate attention that we not become insecure, unsettled and take any unwise, destructive, reactionary action.

Application: May we heed the truths of Psalm 70:1-5 if we face great, sudden trials that demand God's quick help.