Psalms
Chapter 70
This short psalm is an urgent cry for help. The writer asks God to come quickly, to turn back the people who want to hurt him, and to give joy to everyone who looks for God. It ends the way it begins, with a plea for God not to wait. Almost the same words appear at the end of Psalm 40.
Plain reading written for preteens. Clear and complete, at about a fifth grade reading level.
MAKE HASTE, O GOD, TO DELIVER ME; MAKE HASTE TO HELP ME, O LORD.
1Hurry, God, and rescue me. Hurry and help me, LORD.
2Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul: let them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt.
2May the people who are trying to kill me be ashamed and embarrassed. May the people who want to hurt me be turned back and disgraced.
"Seek after my soul" in the old English means to hunt for someone's life, that is, to try to kill them.
3Let them be turned back for a reward of their shame that say, Aha, aha.
3May those who laugh and say, "Aha, aha!" be turned back because of their own shame.
"Aha, aha" is the sound of someone mocking, the way a person might laugh when you fall.
4Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified.
4But may everyone who looks for you be full of joy and glad because of you. May those who love the rescue you bring keep saying, "God is great!"
"Let God be magnified" means "let God be shown to be great," not made bigger.
5But I am poor and needy: make haste unto me, O God: thou art my help and my deliverer; O LORD, make no tarrying.
5As for me, I am poor and I need help. Hurry to me, God. You are the one who helps me and sets me free. LORD, please do not wait.
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