A PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE

These opening words will be familiar to many because of their place in the liturgies of some western churches. Much of this psalm has in fact already appeared as the final verses of Psalm 40. Like many good prayers or hymns, these words are worth repeating.

Although the superscription of the psalm says “Of David,” this could mean that it belonged to David’s collection rather than that it was composed by him. We can imagine times in David’s career when it might indeed have applied, but, as with many psalms, no context is given. These words can thus be used by many different people for many different occasions. We can use this psalm to express our urgent needs. The psalm makes no bones about the need for help and swift deliverance. The “saving” that is sought (e.g., 1) is not the ultimate salvation of Christian hope (though this is not excluded) but rather the temporal and immediate deliverance that is needed from the hostile intentions of others. There is a lot of this in the psalms, more perhaps than most of us are apt to experience in our ordinary lives. However, there is no doubt that those who hold positions of significant leadership often have to contend with more than their fair share of resistance. Others might wonder why anyone would be foolish enough to want to lead. For some, though, it is their vocation.

Is it appropriate to ask God reverently to get a move on? Apparently so. Or at least, God does not seem to mind if we do. Urgent language expresses how deeply we feel the personal necessity at hand (5), our sense of yearning, and the importance of what we believe to be at stake. Furthermore, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness” (2 Pet. 3:9). We can ask God to be true to God’s own self.

“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon’” (Rev. 22:20).