“A PSALMIST’S URGENT PLEA FOR GOD’S DELIVERANCE” PSALM 69:1-36; PSALM 70:1-5

The superscription of Psalm 69, a magnificent psalm, reads “To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim A Psalm of David.” The term “Shoshannim” means “lilies”, perhaps indicating a wedding song, according to Dr. Charles Ryrie in the Ryrie Study Bible notes, page 863. The occasion for which David wrote this psalm is unknown; however, David describes the awful suffering that he was undergoing.

In the midst of severe trouble, David calls on God to rescue him from his enemies (vv. 1-4). He cries out in verse 1, “Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.” David’s enemies’ intent was to destroy him and David is earnestly crying out to God to aid him. Being greatly humiliated through his suffering, David revealed that his suffering was because of his zeal for the Lord (vv. 5-12). He desires that no others will suffer in this way in verses , 6 and 7 and he states, “Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord GOD of hosts, be ashamed for my sake: let not those that seek thee be confounded for my  sake, O God of Israel. Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face.”

Suffering severely, David appeals to God in prayer according to the Lord’s mercy and love (vv. 13-18) He petitions God in verses 17 and 18 by saying, “And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily. Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: deliver me because of mine enemies.” The vile conduct of David’s enemies was well known by the Lord (vv. 19-21). David cites their conduct in verse 21 as, “They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.”

However, David prays an imprecatory prayer in verses 22-28, calling on God to judge his enemies so severely that he states in verse 28 “Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.”

In verses 29-33, David declares his confidence that the Lord would deliver him; and therefore, he praises God by exclaiming, “I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving” in verse 30. The poor and needy will be encouraged having heard about David’s deliverance.

This thought should also encourage us in our crisis, “If God delivered David, He can deliver us!” In the midst of our trials and distresses, let us continue to love the Lord, and wait on Him as He delivers, for Psalm 116:1-5 says, “I love the Lord, because He hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because He hath inclined His ear unto me, therefore will I call upon Him as long as I live. The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow. Then called I upon the name of the Lord; O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul. Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.” On the basis of David’s anticipated deliverance, he summons a universal praise to God (vv. 34-36). His exhortation in verse 30 reads, “Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein.”

Similarly in Psalm 70:1-5, the psalmist, David, makes an earnest plea for God’s help against his enemies. He begins verse 1 by crying out, “MAKE HASTE, O GOD, TO DELIVER ME; MAKE HASTE TO HELP ME, O LORD.” And why would David make his earnest plea to God? David knows that God is his only means of support!

May God Bless!