MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10
Psalm 70:1-5
Matthew 11:28-30

The Lord is my Shepherd.

“SAVIOUR, SAVIOUR, HEAR MY HUMBLE CRY”

Let this first line of the refrain to Fanny J. Crosby’s (1820-1915) “Pass Me Not, O Gentle Saviour” serve for a more vivid title to this Psalm as in Psalm 38. “Saviour, Saviour, hear my humble cry,” which seems to express the pent-up emotions in blind Bartimaeus, again reflects David’s aching heart. The opening words, “Make haste, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O LORD,” show how urgent David’s plea is to his God. It sounds like someone beating hard on “the door” in the face of extreme danger, crying of “chiu ming” (“save life” in Chinese)!

If you compare this psalm with Psalm 40 you will see that it is a duplicate of Psalm 40 verses 13 to 17. Thus, Psalm 70 is extracted from Psalm 40 so that it may be used for an occasion where Psalm 40 is deemed too long. For example, many of John Sung’s choruses were not his own but taken from the refrains of long hymns. Moreover, he made variations of these to suit his purpose. Thus, the chorus of “Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross,” according to the revivalist, is:

In the cross, in the cross, be my glory ever,
All my sins are washed away
In the blood of Jesus.

It is observed that Psalm 70 is a fitting pendant to Psalm 69, and a suitable preface to Psalm 71.

This Psalm differs from Psalm 40 in that its plea is an abrupt and broken cry in an hour of dire distress (Ps 70:1), whereas in Psalm 40 the plea is introduced by “Be pleased” (Ps 40:13), which is more formal. God knows our heart, every aching heart, when we cry to Him. Prayer is readily heard when sent not as a letter but as a telegram.

THOUGHT: “Thou art my help and my deliverer …” (Ps 70:5b)
PRAYER: (Use Psalm 70:1.)