Psalms 70:2 Commentary: Imprecatory Prayer for Divine Justice

Psalm 70 is a brief, urgent plea attributed to David, likely composed during life-threatening opposition, perhaps from Saul’s court or Absalom’s rebellion. The title “to bring to remembrance” suggests it was used liturgically to remind both the congregation and God of the covenant promises (Matthew Henry). In the ancient Near Eastern context, public shame was a severe social consequence; to be “ashamed and confounded” meant loss of honor and credibility before the community. The enemies who “seek my soul” (i.e., “seek my life”) are not merely personal foes but those who oppose God’s anointed king, making the conflict theological.

The verse is a near verbatim excerpt from Psalm 40:14, but with deliberate omissions: the word “together” and the phrase “to destroy it” are dropped. Lange highlights the change in divine names: where Psalm 40 uses Yahweh throughout, Psalm 70 employs Elohim in verse 4 and Yahweh at the close, pointing to intentional adaptation for a different liturgical setting. The placement of this psalm in Book II of the Psalter (after Psalm 69) may stem from thematic links to suffering and deliverance. The plea for enemies to be “turned backward” echoes the language of divine judgment in Psalms 6:10, 35:4, and 35:26, forming a consistent pattern of prayer for God to reverse the fortunes of the wicked. The psalmist’s own description as “poor and needy” (v.5) is the grounds on which he appeals: those without human resources must lean wholly on divine justice.

Within the Psalter’s liturgy, such imprecations functioned as public cries for God to intervene in covenant community, not as private curses. The community would join in affirming that God’s honour was at stake when His servant was threatened. The mockers’ “Aha! Aha!” (v.3) adds insult to injury, making the request for their shame a call for God to restore right order. Thus the historical context is a righteous sufferer appealing to God’s faithful character in the midst of real, present danger.

The supplied commentaries note that Psalm 70:2 closely follows Psalm 40:14 but omits the words “together” (יַחַד) and “to destroy it” (לִסְפּוֹתָהּ). These omissions are the only significant textual variation discussed. The Masoretic text for this verse is stable across Hebrew manuscripts. No other variants are mentioned in the consulted sources.

The imprecatory nature of Psalm 70:2 has challenged readers throughout church history. John Calvin, commenting on the psalm as a fragment of Psalm 40, treated it as a legitimate prayer for God to vindicate His servant, not a personal curse. Matthew Henry saw it as a means of “putting God in remembrance” of His covenant, emphasizing trust rather than malice. In the Wesleyan tradition, Adam Clarke understood the request for enemies to be “turned backward” as a cry to stop their progress, consistent with a plea for divine intervention. The Geneva Bible notes similarly frame it as a call for God to confound the wicked. Many liturgical traditions, including the Catholic Liturgy of the Hours and Protestant Psalters, include this psalm (often with the full context of vv.4-5) as part of honest lament, while some modern devotional resources pair it with New Testament teachings on loving enemies to guide Christian use.

Three-point outline

1. God hears the cry of the needy. The psalmist’s self-identification as “poor and needy” (v.5) frames the entire prayer. Preachers can help the congregation see that vulnerability is not weakness but the posture that invites God’s intervention. The urgent language, “hurry,” “make haste”, shows that desperation is an acceptable tone in prayer.
2. The request for shame is a surrender to God, not personal revenge. The verbs are passive (“be ashamed,” “be turned back”), indicating that the psalmist does not take vengeance into his own hands. He asks God to act. This section can explore how entrusting justice to God frees us from bitterness.
3. The ultimate hope is in God’s deliverance. The shift from imprecation (v.2-3) to invitation (v.4) shows that the prayer’s goal is not destruction but the glory of God and the joy of those who seek Him. The sermon can end with the promise that those who love God’s salvation will “say continually, ‘Let God be exalted!’”

Five-point outline

1. The reality of enemies. The psalm does not deny conflict; it names the threat. Preachers can acknowledge that believers face opposition, both personal and structural.
2. The prayer for shame. “Let them be ashamed” is a plea for God to expose evil and vindicate His servant. The congregation can learn that praying for justice is biblical when it aligns with God’s character.
3. Trust in God’s timing. The repetition from earlier psalms suggests that deliverance may not come instantly. The prayer itself becomes an act of patient trust.
4. The shift to praise. Verse 4 turns from enemies to those who seek God. This pivot shows that the psalmist’s heart is set on God’s glory, not on revenge.
5. The final plea for help. Verse 5 returns to the personal cry, grounding the entire prayer in human need and divine mercy.

Illustration hooks

• A parent whose child is being bullied prays for the bully’s behavior to be exposed and stopped. The prayer is not for the bully’s harm but for truth and safety to prevail.
• A small-business owner facing false lawsuits prays that the accusers’ falsehoods be “turned backward” in court, so that justice may be done.
• A Christian in a hostile work environment asks God to “confound” the schemes of those who spread lies. The request is not for personal revenge but for God to bring truth to light.

Questions your congregation is asking

• Is it wrong to pray for bad things to happen to my enemies?
• How does this verse fit with Jesus’ command to love my enemies?
• How can I pray for justice without becoming bitter or vengeful?

Psalm 70:2 confronts us with a raw, honest plea for God to shame the psalmist’s enemies. For small groups, this verse opens a conversation about how we handle injustice, fear, and anger in our prayer lives. The passage invites us to bring our full emotions to God while trusting Him with the outcome.

Discussion questions

1. Read Psalm 70:2 aloud. What words or images stand out to you? How do they make you feel?
2. Notice that this verse is nearly identical to Psalm 35:4 and Psalm 40:14. Why do you think the psalmist repeated this prayer? What does that tell us about persistence in prayer?
3. The psalmist asks God to make his enemies “ashamed and confounded.” In your own words, what is he really asking for? What would that outcome look like?
4. How does the surrounding context (vv.1, 3-5) shape the meaning of verse 2? Consider the psalmist’s description of himself as “poor and needy.”
5. Jesus tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44). How do we reconcile that command with the imprecations in this psalm? Are they in conflict, or can they both be true?
6. Have you ever felt the desire to pray for an enemy to be “turned back” or exposed? How did you handle that feeling? What might it look like to bring that desire honestly before God while still seeking to love?
7. What would change in your prayer life if you genuinely believed that God will one day set all things right, including exposing and stopping evil?