Psalm 70

1 Make haste, o God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O Lord.

2 Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul: let them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt.

3 Let them be turned back for a reward of their shame that say, Aha, aha.

4 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified.

5 But I am poor and needy: make haste unto me, O God: thou art my help and my deliverer; O Lord, make no tarrying. (KJV)

This psalm was probably written when David was running from Saul.  This time frame of around seven years was probably the most depressing time in his life.  Having also having been through a dark period in my life for a long period of time where the events in my life that I desire to achieve were not in my hands to control, but in the hands of those who desired my downfall; makes the psalms of this time period of David’s life more meaningful to me.  However, after going through these rough periods of life and learning to wait on the Lord and follow his ways, has made me realize how wonderful the Lord has been in my life.

Reading this psalm, I can picture Christ praying this during his earthly ministry. The message of God’s love and the way of his righteousness was not only rejected but was opposed by the very ones he was sent to share the good news of God’s salvation. As you read this psalm ask yourself this simple which group would I be in: those who desire Christ’s ruin, or those who love your salvation? Those who seek his ruin will be turned back in disgrace, those who love his salvation will praise the Lord.

As I listen to the messages that are in the world around me the message of Christ and the price that was paid with his death on the cross seems to be lost even during the Easter season that we are now approaching. May I be along those who love the salvation that the Lord provides.  The words in verse five “Yet I am poor and needy, come quickly to me” can also be used to describe this generation.  These words are like those that John used to describe the condition of the church of Laodicea in the Revelations chapter three.  The corruption of mankind in this world can be seen all around us.  And yet the focus of the church today making the world around it a better place and in the process forgetting the message of the cross. 

We must realize that we are all poor and needy, and no matter how hard we try we can’t change the course of the evil in this world.  We are given the instruction on how to try to live peaceable with all man; however, with the ungodly this is almost impossible.   We must realize that in our fallen state we can never achieve perfection.  Instead, we are to strive to live each day as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God.  This is only possible if we live in the power of God’s Word.  We can try to change the world to be a better place; however, we must realize that we are in a war and that the enemy is continually trying to destroy our works.   However, there will come a day that God will judge all men.  The only hope for anyone is that they accept the free gift of God for their salvation and that is the Lord Jesus.  This is the true message of the gospel.