REMEMBERANCE IS GRATITUDE

PSALM 70

SCRIPTURE READING

Please click PSALM 70

INTRODUCTION

This is a psalm written as a prayer to keep in remembrance the faithfulness of God for all who humble themselves to seek the LORD their God for He is immediate help and deliverer in our trouble. Remembrance is gratitude. I pray the LORD will help us to be a thankful people.

The psalmist David articulated in his prayer in 7 petitions - 3 pertaining to his enemies (v 2-3 ), 2 pertaining to his spiritual and emotional well-being (v 4a ,b) and concluded with thanksgiving and praise for God to be exalted (v 4c ).

The situation is urgent, he asked the LORD 3 times to "make haste" (v 1a ,b & 5b) and "make no tarrying" (v 5d ) to rescue him from his impasse. He acknowledged his need for his God (v 5a ). He declared that God is his help and deliverer (v 5c ).

View the psalm from verse 5 ,we shall work our way up to the preface of the psalm.

(1) OUR HELP (v 5 )

Our sufficiency is not in ourselves or the resources at our disposal but in God. The word used is “עֵ֫זֶר”  Strong number <5828> pronounced [`ezer {ay'-zer}]. The word means "help, succour". It describes God who helps us in our troubles. This word is first used in Genesis 2:18 when God declared to Adam that he will make Eve as a help meet for him. Moses in Exodus 18:4 named his son Eliezer in remembrance of God's delivering him from the wrath of Pharaoh -`God was mine help' - "And the name of the other was Eliezer;1 for the God of my father, said he, was mine help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh." The prayer of Moses for the tribe Judah in Deuteronomy 33:7 "And this is the blessing of Judah: and he said, Hear, LORD, the voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people: let his hands be sufficient for him; and be thou an help to him from his enemies." The prophet Hosea said to Israel in Hosea 13:9 "O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself, but in Me is thine help."

Is this your experience as a child of God? It must be! Yet, we often fail to call upon the LORD in our time of need but wallow in our despair and distress. This must not be!

And if we have been helped time and time again by Him, what must be our response? It must be of gratitude and thanksgiving, glorying Him and praising Him for all that He is to us.

(2) OUR DELIVERER (v 5 )

The word "deliverer" used is the noun used is the noun “יְשׁוּעָה” “yeshuah”<3444>meaning “salvation, deliverance”   by God. He gives victory to His seeker.

The same form of the word is first used in 2 Samuel 22:2 by David, "And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer." Also, Psalms 18:2 "The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower." And in Psalms 40:17 "But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God." It describes the unfailing faithfulness of God in caring for His people to save them out of their troubles.

(3) OUR SALVATION (v 4b )

The word “יְשׁוּעָה” "yeshuah" <3444> translated "salvation, deliverance" by God. The primary meaning is to rescue from distress or danger. He gives victory to His seeker, used 78 times in the Old Testament with 65 times translated "salvation". In the majority of the cases, God is declared to be the agent of salvation, on behalf of His people [Expository Dictionary of Bible Words].

First occurrence of the word in Genesis 49:18 "I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD." These are the injective prayer of Jacob for deliverance of his posterity. Exodus 14:13 "And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever." And Exodus 15:2 "The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him."

Illusration

In the New Testament the word for salvation is “σωτηρία” in particular to salvation having come to God's people in the person of Christ. Simeon in the Temple first testified of the child Jesus as the Messiah of Israel and all mankind in Luke 2:30 "For mine eyes have seen thy salvation." This was the account. Luke 2:25-30 "And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation."

(4) OUR JOY (v 4a )

Jesus has wrought for us our eternal salvation and is most concern to ensure that we will arrive securely in heaven to be with Him. Do we remember Him? The psalmist declared that all who know his/her God ought to rejoice and be happy (v 4a ).

(5) OUR ENEMIES (v 2-3 )

The psalmist prayer is that his enemies be (1) ashamed (v 2a ) (2) confounded (v 2b ) (3) turned backwards (v 2c ) (4) put to confusion (v 2d ) (5) their advances be checked turned back with shame (v 3 ). The enemies scorn and mock His people. The enemies were swift, the matter was urgent. The psalmist cried 3 times for the LORD to make haste and to deliver immediately.

(6) OUR REMEMBRANCE (Preface)

May the Lord help us to truly rejoice in our hearts daily remembering all that He had done to purchase our eternal salvation, not only for this trouble that we are facing now but for all future trials that comes till we see Him face to face. May we not forget all that He has done for us!