Commentary

Psalm 70

The Geneva Bible Notes (1599)

The margin notes of the Bible the Puritans and Shakespeare read, by English Reformers in exile. Each verse is printed with its notes.

Verse 1

[Make {b} haste], O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O LORD.
(a) Which might put him in remembrance of his deliverance. (b) He teaches us to be earnest in prayer even though God seems to delay: for at his time he will hear us.

Verse 2

Let them be ashamed and {c} confounded that seek after my soul: let them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt.
(c) He was assured that the more they raged, the nearer they were to destruction, and he the nearer to his deliverance.

Verses 3–4

Let them be turned back for a reward of their {d} shame that say, Aha, aha.
(d) By this we are taught not to mock at others in their misery, lest the same fall on our own necks.

Verse 5

But I [am] {e} poor and needy: make haste unto me, O God: thou [art] my help and my deliverer; O LORD, make no tarrying.
(e) Because he had felt God's help before, he grounds on experience, and boldly seeks him for help.

The Geneva Bible Notes (1599). Public domain, from the CrossWire SWORD module.