MAKE HASTE, O GOD, TO DELIVER ME This poem is, to a great extent, analogous to psalm (40). Some believe it to be an annex of the last psalm (69), and an introduction of the next one (71). It seems that the prophet David, confronting a serious situation that dwelt upon him, and feeling that every moment of his life had its price, begins this psalm by asking God to make haste to deliver him; and ends it by asking Him not to delay. In a sermon by St. Augustine on a feast of the martyrs, he interpreted this psalm, counting it as a a poem presented to God the Father, by His Son the Lord Christ, in the name of the suffering members of His body -- the martyrs in particular. He considered it as a church song concerning the martyrs, who followed the lead of their Head, the Lord Christ, who, through His own free will, chose to be buried as a grain of wheat, to produce much grain (John 12: 24). Thanks to the Grain of wheat; He who intended to die and to be buried, to produce a double harvest of grains! … Thanks to the Only -- begotten Son of God, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who did not despise submitting to our death, to make us worthy of our life! … Look at Him, who was alone until He went there; He was a single grain of wheat in some way, so that a multitude of grains of wheat would liken Him in His passion, to be lifted up, when celebrating the new birthdays of the martyrs1! … Many then, are His members under one Head, our Savior Himself; bound together with the bond of love and peace; as though they are one man; you hear one voice of one man; You hear one man crying out, as though all cry together in One. (St. Augustine) The title: A prayer for relief from adversaries. To the Chief Musician. A psalm of David. To bring to remembrance. “Make haste, O God, to deliver me! Make haste, to help me, O Lord” (1) The pure prayer is the quickest message that can travel from the heart to heaven; and in a glimpse, it will enjoy a divine response, more than what you ask, and beyond what you seek. It so happen sometimes that God postpones His response, so that we may be justified before Him, trusting in His wisdom and good ordinance; and so that our longing for His sweet mercies would increase more and more. Concerning this ordinance of the “perpetual prayer”; we may compare it to the way of teaching the little babes, who still, have not the ability to understand the preliminary lessons concerning the alphabetical letters; although they may recognize their forms and shapes, when we provide them with cube models of them.… In a similar way, let me present to you a model of the spiritual contemplation, to put it perpetually before your eyes, and meditate in it for your own benefit, until you rise 1 یتطلع القدیس أغسطینوس إلى یوم استشھاد الشھداء أنھ یوم میلادھم الجدید. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 2 up to a higher vision. … Let me put before you a particular way to reach this ordinance you look for…. Let me provide you with that particular prayer, that everyone of us should recite for the sake of his spiritual progress in an unceasing remembrance of God, driving away every other thought; For the heart would never be able to hold fast to Him, unless it is set free of every interest concerning the body. This way, is delivered to us through a few, who have got it in turn from clever elder fathers … To keep remembering God on a perpetual basis, put this marvelous prayer before your eyes: “Make haste, O God, to deliver me! Make haste, to help me, O Lord!” (Psalm 70: 1). This verse was chosen from the holy Scripture, not haphazardly, but because it bears all the feelings that could be in the human nature, and that conforms to all situations which could dwell upon us. … It bears a supplication to God for the sake of all dangers, and bears as well a pious confession, full of contrition, of alert interest, and of perpetual fear…. It bears the feeling of man of his own weakness, together with a trust in God’s response. … It confirms that His help is swift and prompt; because man is calling for help from God who is perpetually present among us. … It bears a kindled love, and an understanding of the plots of the enemies (the demons), whom, seeing them surrounding him day and night, he confesses his helplessness to confront them without the divine help. This verse is a mighty stronghold and a strong weapon for those who are tired of the consistent attacks of the devil; as it does not allow those who fall into a mental depression, and are overwhelmed by grief, to despair of finding an effective healing; And as it proclaims that God, to whom we supplicate, is perpetually aware of our struggle, and is never far from those who seek His help. It warns us, whose portion is the spiritual success and the gladness of heart; lest we become puffed up, because of our happiness; confirming to us that we would never live without God, our keeper. This verse is a help and a benefit for everyone of us whatever his or her condition is, For man, in all the aspects of his life, needs God’s help, not only in sorrows and grief, but even in joy and success; to be saved from the former, and to keep on in the later; for man, by his human weakness cannot endure both without the help of God1. Now, I shall suggest to you a way to reach this spiritual ordinance, sought by every soul for the perpetual remembrance of God, beside the control of the mind. … First of all, forget yourself, and forsake your own thoughts; …. Let us together approach God, bare ourselves of every worries of the body. … And be sure that this way along which you will walk, has been treated by our elder fathers, who have known the secrets of the Spirit. … Now, keep on reciting this prayer: “Make haste, O God to deliver me, Make haste to help me, O Lord”. Father Isaac, disciple of Abba Anthony “Let them be ashamed and confounded who seek my life. Let them be turned back and confused who desire my hurt” (2) It is the nature of sin to bring about disgrace to its doer; And in case he does not repent, disgrace will be his portion on an eternal level. 1 Cassian, Conferences 10: 10. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 3 This request against those who seek his life is a prophecy of what will dwell upon them, rather than a curse from him against them. “Let them be turned back because of their shame, who say: ‘Aha, Aha!’” (3) The first weapon that the wicked use against the children of God is to ridicule and despise them. If that was what the world used against its Savior, how much more would it be against those who preach Him?! Ridicule is not something new, for it is the language of the wicked whenever they address the righteous; for the later to be justified through his balance and steadfastness like a rock before the storms of no avail. The word “Aha” came in psalms 35, 21, and 25, to express some kind of scoffing; or, according to St. Augustine, a way of with false sweet words of commendation. “Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; And let those who love your salvation say continually, ‘Let God be magnified;” (4) While the righteous is ridiculed by those who seek his life, he praises the Lord, magnifies Him on His salvation work, and rejoice in Him. It was not possible for the prison in Philippi to draw the hearts of Paul and Silas away from the rejoices of heaven. “But I am poor and needy; Make haste to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay” (5) Poverty for the sake of the Lord will make Him haste to save, and not to delay. Poverty in spirit, and the optional poverty in the body for the sake of the Lord, are the two wings of prayer, by which it may reach up to the bosom of God, and take His great mercies by force. The riches and honors of the world would never be able to take away from the righteous his feeling of poverty; for he would never find what to enrich him and give him comfort, except God’s exalted mercies. What does “do not delay” mean? … Many would say that there was still a very long time until the first coming (in the flesh) of the Lord Christ. What then?! … Will He come before the time He designated, when we say to Him, “do not delay”!... It actually means: I wish Your coming does not seem to me to delay much. For me, it may seem as though there is still a long time to wait; whereas for God, to whom a thousand years are like one day, or a three hours night watch, it is not a long time. St. Augustine https://coptic-treasures.com/ 4 AN INSPIRATION FROM PSALM 70 WHO CAN TAKE YOUR JOY AWAY FROM ME?! With every morning, the enemy sets snares to catch me; But with every morning, I taste the sweetness of Your exalted mercies. Let the afflictions by the enemy increase! For, together with every affliction, I experience a new taste of Your divine mercies. The enemy does his best to catch me; But You hasten to lift me up to You; What could the snares of the enemy do? As long as I am lifted up by You to Your heavens? The enemy will never cease to reproach me; He scoffs me and makes me a laughingstock and a byword! He will never cease to say: “Aha, Aha!” Behold, he gathers up for himself a great deposit of ridicule; He can ridicule me for some moments; And he will be ridiculed eternally in hell. Every time the enemy seeks my life to enslave; I would enjoy Your cross, the grantor of freedom; My soul would become glad in Your salvation; And Your works would become magnified in me; Can the enemy draw me away from Your hands? Can all his hosts deprive me of Your joy? Even if the world put all its possibilities in my hands; I would still be poor and needy; Until I get rich by You; O You, who became poor, so that by Your poverty, You make me rich; Make haste, O my Savior, and do not delay! Make haste, not just to rescue me from my enemy; But so that I would acquire You, and You get to possess me; I am Yours, And You are mine; O my soul’s beloved! https://coptic-treasures.com/ 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS PSALM 61: A CRY TO SEEK HELP, AND A THANKSGIVING TO GOD. A cry to God, his Savior; A thanksgiving to God for His mercies; A vow to dedicate his life; A prayer for the sake of the king; A pledge to fulfill his vow. -- An inspiration from psalm 61: Our moans are a fellowship with Yours. PSALM 62:TRUSTING IN GOD. God, my Rock, and my salvation; The deception and the violence of the opponents; Confirming his trust in God; Exhortingothers to trust in God; God, whole in might, mercy, and justice. -- An inspiration from psalm 62: You are my Rock, my Salvation, and my Refuge. PSALM 63:MY SOUL THIRSTS FOR YOU, O MY GOD. The soul’s thirsts for God; The soul’s satisfaction with God; The soul’s confidence in God. -- An inspiration from psalm 63: When will my soul be satisfied with Your love? PSALM 64: CONFORTS AMID THE AFFLICTION. The evil doers; The divine intervention. -- An inspiration from psalm 64: Let me take refuge in You; and let me exult. PSALM 65: GOD’S EXALTED GRACE AND CARE; Praise be to You, O Savior; Praise be to You, O Creator; Praise be to You, O Care-Giver. -- An inspiration from psalm 65: My heart shouts for joy for Your care. PSALM 66:A CALL TO PRAISE THE LORD. A call to all humanity to praise God; Remembering God’s salvation works; Praising God for His salvation of His people; A call to all those who fear God to praise Him. -- An inspiration from psalm 66: Joyfully shout to God, together with all mankind. PSALM 67:A PRAYER FOR THE SAKE OF THE EXTENSION OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD. Our enlightenment by His face; Knowledge, the grantor of life; A call to the people to praise God; The increase of fruition. -- An inspiration from psalm 67: Shine with Your light on all. PSALM 68:THE KING, THE CONQUORER IN HIS CHURCH. The Lord arose us together with Him; The Lord grants us the conquest; The Lord grants us the heavenly joys; The Lord grants Us His dwelling in us; The Lord leads us by Himself; The Lord works by His Holy Spirit in us; The Lord grants us His divine commandment; The collapse of the enemies, and our ascension together with the Lord; The Lord sets us as holy mountains; The Lord sets us as divine chariots; Exultant captives; Glorified captives; Great singers of praise; A call to all nations to enjoy the divine gifts. --An inspiration from psalm 68: The procession of Christ ascending up to heaven. PSALM 60:SCREAMS OF A CAST-OUT. https://coptic-treasures.com/ 6 A lamentation from the heart; An urgent plea for salvation; Seeking punishment for the evil opponents; A praise of conquest. --An inspiration from psalm 69: From the depths of my heart, I cry out to You. PSALM 70:MAKE HASTE, O GOD, TO DELIVER ME. -- An inspiration from psalm 70: Who can take Your joy away from me?
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