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9/20 Reading Portions: 2 Samuel 16; 2 Corinthians 9; Ezekiel 23; Psalms 70-71
Psalm 70:5
But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay!
NEED
In this verse, we see the prophetic foreshadow of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Jesus is the eternal and almighty Creator of the universe (John 1:3), having in Himself all riches, glory, and honor in the splendor of heaven. Nevertheless, for our sakes He became poor, that through His poverty we might be rich (2 Cor 8:9). Jesus was born of poor parents. So poor were they, in fact, that His mother must offer the sacrifice of two pigeons since she was unable to afford a lamb (Lev 12:6-8; Luke 2:24). Moreover, during His earthly ministry, Jesus was homeless (Luke 9:58). As He who was ever needy, Jesus relied always upon His heavenly Father for His moment-by-moment supply (John 5:19).
As for you and me, as descendants of fallen Adam, we are impoverished and have nothing if we have not Jesus Christ. As for need, we can do nothing apart from Christ (John 15:5). Yet in Christ, our poverty is our riches; and our need of Christ and dependence upon Christ is our strength. We fail and are unfaithful to Christ when we dismiss, depart from, or deny our poverty and need. Our prayer must be for our Lord to hasten to help us and deliver us from our arrogance and independence. We need Christ Jesus to deliver us from denying our poverty and need apart from Him; and unless we decrease, Christ’s witness in our lives will not increase (John 3:30).
Yet I am poor and needy, Lord:
Draw near, do not delay;
You’re my Deliv’rer, says Your Word,
Come quick, help me today!
