It’s His Name and I’ll Cry If I Want To

Psalm 70

Many of us have experienced difficult seasons where we feel great need and lack. As I mentioned before, I am presently experiencing such a season and I know some of you are as well. Often times, we think that we have to be "strong" and "mature" during these seasons by reminding ourselves that God is trying to teach us something important. However, in Psalm 70, we see another perspective, which is equally important.

First, we see David's unabashed request for God to deliver David out of this difficult season urgently. This is refreshing as many times, we are taught to be patient during these seasons. For David, he begins and ends the prayer with the direct request for God to make haste (vv. 1, 5).

Second, the bulk of David's prayer is a brazen plea for his enemies to be harmed (vv. 2-3). This is quite contrary to how we are supposed to pray for blessing and love for our enemies. David is so overtaken by his difficulties that he casts curses upon his enemies. We actually see something similar to this throughout the Bible (e.g., Ps 137.9; Mark 12.12-25). What we see here is that God is encouraging us to pray honestly and vulnerable before him. Many times we do not go to God because we think our prayers need to be theologically or biblically correct and we know that it is so tiring for us to be in that correct mindset. But in Psalm 70, God wants us to be open and raw.

Third, despite his difficulties, David can still experience that God is his joy, that God is great (v. 4), and that God is his help and deliverer (v. 5). This is a tremendous encouragement to know that the God of the universe wants to help and deliver us.

All of these privileges that David has is not because he is a strong believer or that he is inherently worthy of God's attention. Even David himself admits that he is "poor and needy" (v. 5). Rather, David and the people of Israel can sing this psalm because God has chosen them to be God's people. However, where does that leave us? Many of us are not Israelites or descendants of David. But we know that, more importantly, those who submit to the gospel and lordship of Jesus Christ and are now united with Christ. Therefore, all of these privileges are applicable to us because of what Jesus has done on our behalf.

So if you are going through a difficult time of lack and need, be encouraged by Psalm 70! It is because of Jesus's death and resurrection that we can enjoy these privileges of praying honestly, unabashedly, brazenly, openly, and vulnerably. And through this, we are reminded of the joy, greatness, help, and deliverance that are found in Christ alone!