Seventh-day Adventist Bible CommentaryPsalms 70

Make haste. The phrase is supplied. In the Hebrew the psalm begins abruptly, “O God, to deliver me,” suggesting the intensity of the psalmist’s distress—as if there is not even sufficient control of emotion over intellect to make the grammatical construction complete. O God. Heb. ’Elohim. Ps. 40:13 has Yahweh (Vol. I, pp. 170–173).

Let them be ashamed. The first clause differs only slightly from Ps. 40:14; the word “together” after “confounded” and the phrase “to destroy it” after “my soul” do not appear in Ps. 70.

Turned back. The phrase is milder than the word “desolate” of Ps. 40:15. The phrase “unto me” of Ps. 40:15 does not appear in this verse. This may be an omission suggesting a change from personal to national application.

God. Heb. ’Elohim. Ps. 40:16 has Yahweh (see on v. 1).

Make haste unto me, O God. Instead of this clause, Ps. 40:17 has “The Lord thinketh upon me.” Also, instead of the Heb. ’Adonai, “Lord” (Ps. 40:17), Ps. 70:5 has ’Elohim, “God” (see on v. 1). For a discussion of the significance of the various divine names, see Vol. I, pp. 170–173. O Lord. Heb. Yahweh. Ps. 40:17 has ’Elohim. The profession of confidence in God (vs. 1–4) is here changed to a cry of need, and the tone of the poem closes in a plaintive mood. That this change in names has no special significance is shown by the fact that the change occurs both ways (see on vs. 1, 4).