Chapter Summary

Prayer for help for the godly and shame for enemies.

Discussion Questions for Psalms, Chapter 70

1. The super script of this Psalm states, "For the memorial offering", what does this information tell us about the Psalm? After reading this Psalm, does it read like a traditional offertory Psalm? Why or why not?
2. Why does David tell the Lord to "haste" to deliver him? If David is a man after God's own heart, why is he afflicted by those who gloat?
3. How would the biblical definition of deliverance and the worldly definition differ? Be similar? Why do you think that is?
4. If a new Christian read this Psalm and asked you "Is it right to pray that my enemies be turned, confused, and brought to dishonor if David prayed for the same" How would you answer and defend your answer biblically?
5. If we were to follow the formula of people addressed in this Psalm, it would go first: God, then enemies/requests, others to rejoice in God, and then finally addressing himself. What should this order of people addressed tell us about the Psalm? Is there a correlation to the order? Why or why not?
6. What does it mean to be poor and needy? How can King David say he is poor and needy? Why is that?
7. When was the last time you prayed for fellow believers to "rejoice and be glad" (ESV) in God? What does David's admission of praying for other believers tell us about how we are to pray?
8. What are some ways our culture "gloats" against God (people, events, ideas, etc.)? What can these different things tell us about the culture?
9. How does David's plea to God to rescue him with "haste" tell us about his relationship with God? How this inform our fellowship with God?
10. If Jesus says that we are to "pray for our enemies" but here David prays that his enemies would be "brought to dishonor", how are we to reconcile those two texts?

Key Words/Phrase

Enemies, v. 2.

Characters

God, David.

Strong Verse(s)

4