“O God, do act quickly for me. You are my help and the Provider of escape for me.”—PS. 70:5. ?????

[Bible Speaks]

JehovahדProvider of Escape” in Bible Times

“O God, do act quickly for me. You are my help and the Provider of escape for me.”—PS. 70:5.

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An important question arises: Can we really expect Jehovah to respond to our prayers for help? The faith-strengthening answer is found in Psalm 70. This stirring psalm was written by David, aloyal worshipper of Jehovah who faced many difficult trials and challenges during his life. This inspired psalmist was moved to say of Jehovah: “O God, . . . you are my help and the Provider of escape for me.” (Ps. 70:5) An examination of Psalm 70 can help us to see why we too can turn to Jehovah in times of need and fully trust that he will be our “Provider ofescape.”

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“You Are . . . the Provider of Escape”

Psalm 70 begins and ends with an urgent cry for God’s help. (Read Psalm 70:1-5.) David implores Jehovah to “make haste” and to “act quickly” to deliver him. In the verses in-between, David makes five petitions, each beginning with “may” and expressing a desire, or wish. The first three are about those trying to kill him. David petitions Jehovah to defeat these enemies and shame them for their wickedness. The next two pleas, in verse 4, relate to God’s people. David prays that those seeking Jehovah be moved to rejoice and to magnify him. In concluding his psalm, David says to Jehovah: “You are my help and the Provider of escape for me.” Notice that David does not say, “May you prove to be,” as if making another petition. Instead, he says, “You are,” expressing his confidence. David believes that he will receive divine help.

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What does Psalm 70 indicate about David? When he had been faced with determined enemies who were out to take his life, David chose not to take matters into his own hands. Instead, he trusted that Jehovah would deal with the opposers in his own time and way. (1 Sam. 26:10) David continued firmly convinced that Jehovah helps and delivers those who seek him. (Heb. 11:6) David believed that such true worshippers have every reason to rejoice and to magnify Jehovah by telling others about his greatness.—Ps. 5:11; 35:27.

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Like David, we can have full confidence that Jehovah is our Helper and “the Provider of escape” for us. Hence, when we face difficult trials or feel in desperate need of assistance, we can rightly pray that Jehovah quickly come to our aid. (Ps. 71:12) What, though, may Jehovah do in response to our prayers for assistance? Before we discuss how Jehovah may help us, let us examine three ways in which he provided David with escape, helping him in times of urgent need.

David’s trust in “the Provider ofescape” did not waver. Concerning an upright worshipper who is ill, David said: “In the day of calamity Jehovah will provide escape for him. Jehovah himself will sustain him upon a divan of illness; all his bed you will certainly change during his sickness.” (Ps. 41:1, 3) Here again, notice David’s confidence, as expressed in the words “Jehovahhimself will.” David was sure that Jehovah would provide escape for him. 

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David was just one of many worshippers for whom Jehovah provided escape in Bible times. Since David’s time, God has time and again demonstrated the truthfulness of the apostle Peter’s words: “Jehovah knows how to deliver people of godly devotion out of trial.” (2 Pet. 2:9) 

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It is faith-strengthening to reflect on the evidence that Jehovah helps his people. What he did in the past gives us basis for confidence. No matter what challenges we may be facing now or may yet encounter in the future, we too can put full trust in Jehovah as our “Provider of escape.”

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https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2008682?q=jehovah+is+a+provider+of+escape&p=par