Background to the Psalm:

The psalm is attributed to David and is a ‘Memorial Offering’ which means: ‘to bring to mind’.  It is virtually a retread of Psalm 40:13-17, the major difference being the substitution of God (Elohim) for LORD (Yahweh) in some parts of the psalm.  David may have remodelled this psalm, which may have originally been written when hiding from Saul, when he was fleeing from Absalom.  This theory is given some credence by David’s treatment of verse 13 from Psalm 40 which implies complete destruction of his enemies with the phrase: ‘Be pleased’, yet here in verse 3 illustrates restraint with the words: ‘turn back’ as David does not wish for the destruction of his own son!  Max Anders feels this psalm illustrates: ‘The best prayers are often the shortest prayers, quick distress calls offered to God in the heat of the crisis.  Without time for formality or structure these pleas are desperate cries for God to intervene quickly.’[1]

The Structure of the Psalm:

• David’s cries to God to save him completely and deliver him quickly (v1).
• David is concerned the godless should be exposed, disorientated and then defeated and that the godly would be enthused (vs2-4).
• David has confidence not in himself, but only in God (v5).

Some obviations on the text (all quotations ESV):

The tone of the psalm is established in verse 1 with the phrase: ‘Make haste, O God, to deliver me!  O Lord, make haste to help me!’  There’s little doubt David is praying with urgency because the situation is desperate.  The language David uses here invokes both God’s title ‘Elohim’ (Creator God) and Yahweh (Lord God Almighty – the Covenant name for God). This illustrates David’s total confidence in God as there’s nothing outside God’s influence.  Secondly, he’s the God who made a Covenant with his people.  In other words, he’s the God who keeps his promises, which is important as he has made promises to David at various times in his life and kingship.

Having made this request David couples his prayer with God’s cause.  There are people seeking his life, so he prays their cause will come to nothing.  David’s request is because these people are seeking to inhibit and mock the Lords cause.  As the ‘Lord’s Anointed’ an attack on him is as good as an attack on God!  The last part of verse 3 is reminiscent of those who passed by when Jesus was dying on the cross (Mark 15:29).  That reinforces that this is opposition to God and his plans.  Verse 3-4 illustrate that David feels: ‘the pure worship of God was being affected by this rebellion’[2]  He longs for true joyful worship to be restored, rather than believers developing the kind of mindset Elijah had when fleeing from Jezebel (1 Kings 19:10), as when things are going against the Lord’s people it’s very easy to develop an inaccurate and negative mindset!  Charles Spurgeon remarks in the light of this: ‘The doxology “Let’ the Lord’s name be magnified,” is infinitely more manly and ennobling than the dogs bark of “Aha aha.”’[3]

The psalm concludes with a contrast.  David maybe: ‘poor and needy’ (v5) needing instant intervention,  but he invokes the name ‘Yahweh’ again as he knows God can deliver even in this desperate situation.  Martin Luther summarise the psalm in this way: ‘This prayer is a shield, thunderbolt and defence against every attack of fear, presumption (and) lukewarmness … which are especially dominant today.’[4]

[1]  Max Anders, Holman Old Testament Commentary, Psalms 1-75 (Broadman and Holman Publishers, Nashville, 2003) 348.
[2] Eric lane, Psalms 1-89, The Lord Saves (Christian Focus Publications Ltd, Fearn, 2006) 310.
[3] Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Volume 3, Psalms 53-78 (Evangelical Press, Welwyn, 1977) 290.
[4] Martin Luther, First Lectures on the Psalms: 1, Psalms 1-75, Volume 10 in Luther’s Works, edited Hilton C.  Oswald (St. Louis, Concordia, 1974) 391.