Psalms 70:1 Meaning: ‘Hurry, God’
For the Chief Musician. By David. A reminder. Hurry, God, to deliver me. Come quickly to help me, Yahweh.
Make haste, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O Lord.
Make haste, O God, to deliver me; Make haste to help me, O Jehovah.
To the Overseer, by David. --`To cause to remember.' O God, to deliver me, O Jehovah, for my help, haste.
Make haste, OGod, to deliver me; Jehovah, [hasten] to my help.
Meaning in one sentence
Psalms 70:1 is David's urgent cry for God to hurry and deliver him. The title 'a reminder' shows this prayer is both a plea and a memory aid.
Context
Psalm 70 stands almost word for word with the closing verses of Psalm 40. It is a short, intense prayer for God to act quickly. David, who is named in the title, was no stranger to desperate moments, fleeing from Saul, hiding from Absalom, feeling his life hang by a thread. The superscription calls this psalm 'a reminder' or 'to bring to remembrance.' That does not mean God forgets. It means the prayer itself becomes a marker, something to look back on when the crisis passes. The whole psalm moves from urgent plea to trust: 'I am poor and needy,' David says, 'but you are my help.' It is a prayer forged in the fire of real trouble and preserved for everyone who has ever needed God to hurry.
Key Words
The psalm opens with a double cry: 'hurry' and 'come quickly.' The Hebrew behind these words carries the feel of breathless urgency, a man running for his life, or a woman watching her child slip away. This is not impatience; it is the honest language of someone who knows they cannot save themselves. The title adds another layer: 'A reminder,' or in some translations, 'to bring to remembrance.' In the Old Testament, remembrance is never passive. When God 'remembers,' He acts. When we 'remember,' we hold something before Him and before ourselves. This psalm is a tool for that work. It says, in effect: When I am drowning in trouble, let me have this prayer ready. And when I am safe, let it remind me of the God who hurried to my side.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have read this psalm through different lenses. Many Reformed commentators, following Calvin, see it as a fragment of Psalm 40 adapted for a new crisis, focusing on the unchanging need for deliverance. Anglican scholars in the Cambridge Bible note the textual variations and emphasize the urgency of David's situation. Baptist writers like Spurgeon and Gill apply the words to Christ, who was 'poor and needy' for our sake. Catholic readers have long used the psalm in times of distress, seeing in it the cry of the Church. These readings do not compete; together they show how one cry for help can speak to every kind of need.
A common misunderstanding
Some think the repeated cry 'Hurry, God' sounds like panic, as if the psalmist is losing faith. In fact, the urgency is itself an act of faith. David does not demand; he pleads, and he grounds his plea in who God is: 'You are my help and my deliverer.' The title 'a reminder' shows this prayer was preserved for others to use. It is not a sign of weak faith but a template for honest faith.
Living This Out
This week, you might find yourself in a situation where you need God to act, a doctor’s report, a fractured relationship, a deadline you cannot meet. Instead of trying to sound calm, take up David’s cry of urgency. Say it out loud. Write it down. That is what the psalmist did. He turned his panic into a prayer and then kept it as a reminder. Later, when you look back, you will see not just the trouble but the God who came.
Main takeaway: In our desperate moments, we can cry “Hurry, God” and trust that He meets us with help that we will remember.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
When you are scared or need help fast, you can say, “God, please hurry and help me!” That is what David did. God always hears you when you call.
For ages 9, 12
David wrote this prayer when he was in real danger. He didn’t pretend to be calm. He asked God to hurry. And he called it a “reminder”, maybe so he could look back later and remember how God answered. You can do the same: when you are in trouble, write down a short prayer. Later, when things are better, read it again and thank God for helping you.
Questions People Ask
Why is Psalm 70 almost identical to Psalm 40:13-17?
Most scholars believe David or a later editor took the closing verses of Psalm 40 and adapted them for a new situation. The slight changes in wording and the new title suggest it was used as a separate prayer for times of urgent need.
What does the title ‘a reminder’ mean in Psalm 70?
The Hebrew phrase likely means 'to bring to remembrance.' This does not mean God forgets. Rather, it is a tool for the worshiper to remember past troubles and past deliverances, or to call on God to act on His promises.
Is it okay to pray for God to hurry?
Yes. The psalmist models honest urgency. Praying for God to hurry is a sign of dependence, not a lack of faith. God welcomes our raw emotions and meets us in them.
Why does David call himself ‘poor and needy’?
David uses this phrase to express his complete helplessness without God. It is not just about material poverty but deep spiritual desperation. It keeps his focus on God as the only source of help.
How can I use this psalm in my own prayer life?
You can pray it word for word in a crisis. You can also write your own version and keep it as a 'reminder' to look back on later, just as the psalm title suggests. This turns your urgent plea into a lasting marker of God's faithfulness.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study