**A Cry for Deliverance: The Story of Psalms 70**

In the days of King David, when his enemies pursued him like ravenous wolves hunting their prey, the shepherd-king found himself once more in desperate straits. Though he had been anointed by God to rule Israel, his path was fraught with peril—treacherous foes sought his life, and even those he once trusted turned against him. In his distress, David poured out his heart before the Lord, and from his lips came the urgent plea that would be forever recorded as Psalm 70.

### **The Setting: A Cave of Desperation**

The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the rugged terrain of the wilderness. David crouched in the dim recesses of a cave, his breath shallow, his ears straining for the sound of approaching footsteps. Saul’s men had been scouring the hills, their swords thirsty for his blood. Even former allies had joined the hunt, whispering lies and mocking his faith.

David’s fingers tightened around the hilt of his dagger, but he knew no weapon of man could save him now. His only refuge was the Lord. Closing his eyes, he whispered into the darkness, his voice raw with urgency:

*”O God, come quickly to save me! O Lord, hasten to help me!”*

### **The Plea: A Heart Laid Bare**

The words spilled from his soul like water from a shattered vessel. He had no time for polished prayers—only the desperate cry of a man who knew that without divine intervention, he would perish.

*”May those who seek my life be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.”*

David’s enemies were not merely adversaries—they reveled in his suffering. They sneered at his trust in God, taunting, *”Where is your Lord now?”* But David knew the Lord heard the cries of the oppressed. He had seen it in the fields when the lion and the bear fell before him. He had seen it when Goliath’s towering form crashed to the earth.

*”May those who say, ‘Aha! Aha!’ be appalled at their own shame.”*

The mockers would not have the last word. God would turn their laughter into mourning, their gloating into humiliation.

### **The Faith: Rejoicing in Salvation**

Even in his fear, David’s heart clung to hope. He had known the Lord’s deliverance before, and he would know it again.

*”But may all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; may those who long for Your saving help always say, ‘The Lord is great!'”*

He thought of the faithful—those who, like him, waited on the Lord. They would see God’s victory and shout for joy. The wicked would fade like chaff in the wind, but those who trusted in the Lord would stand firm.

### **The Resolution: A Hymn of the Needy**

David’s prayer rose like incense before the throne of heaven. He was poor and needy, but the Lord was his help and deliverer.

*”Yet I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer; Lord, do not delay.”*

With those final words, a peace settled over him. The cave no longer felt like a prison but a sanctuary. The Lord had heard. The Lord would act.

### **The Aftermath: God’s Faithfulness Revealed**

Days turned to weeks, and David’s enemies faltered. Saul’s pursuit grew weary, his forces divided. The mockers stumbled in their plots, their schemes unraveling like frayed rope. And in time, David emerged—not by his own strength, but by the hand of the Almighty.

Years later, as he sat upon the throne of Israel, he would remember that desperate prayer in the cave. He would teach his people: *”The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”* (Psalm 34:18).

And so, Psalm 70 became a hymn for all generations—a cry for the oppressed, a promise for the faithful, and a testament to the God who never delays too long.

For those who wait upon the Lord will never be put to shame.