seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Psalm 70[a]For the director of music. Of David. A petition.
1 Hasten, O God, to save me;
come quickly, Lord, to help me.
2 May those who want to take my life
be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin
be turned back in disgrace.
3 May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”
turn back because of their shame.
4 But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
“The Lord is great!”
5 But as for me, I am poor and needy;
come quickly to me, O God.
You are my help and my deliverer;
Lord, do not delay.
a. Psalm 70:1 In Hebrew texts 70:1-5 is numbered 70:2-6.
This is from the easy English site.
If you read Psalm 40:13-17 you will find that it is like Psalm 70. There are very few differences. Why do these words come twice in our Bibles? If you look at Psalm 35:4, 21, 26 and 27 you will find that most of Psalm 70 is there also. It really comes three times! Perhaps the word "remember" at the top gives us help. David thought that it was important to remember the words of Psalm 70, because he was often in danger. Perhaps he used them when he was not thanking God for an answer to his prayer (as in Psalm 40). There are two other examples of psalms coming twice or three times: Psalms 14 and 53; and Psalms 57, 60 and 108.
In the New Testament also we find words repeated. Many of the stories of Jesus come more than once. The Feeding of 5000 People comes 4 times! Saint Paul also said, "To write the same things to you … is safe" (Philippians 3:1). When things come more than once it means that God wants us to remember them in a special way.
ok.... but if you ask me there are a couple of reasons for so many songs that sound the same and so many stories [including the laws] were written more than once.....
First of all... the songs.... How many renditions of the National Anthem have I heard? The one with Rosanne Barr was a real "thriller". I've heard a few that stayed right with the original song.... but most lilt somewhere different. I use to watch American Idol.... [Idol turns me off... so I stopped watching... extreme I know].... anyway... they use to applaud someone taking a song and making it theirs. Not all of the Psalms were written by David..... as some in the church Bible Studies would blindly believe.... There were other song writers and musicians.... I'm sure some of the more popular songs were written down for others.... I bet even Paul McCartney needs the lyrics once in a while.
Second reason.... WITNESS.... the descendants of Israel [Jacob's name was changed to Israel by God].... were required to get at least two witnesses. The reason the Feeding of the 5000 appears in all four gospels.... is the witness..... Four people relayed four versions of the same event.... and since all of them are basically the same story.... then the story is proven true.
Remember.... back in the old Testament at the entrance to the Promised Land.... several men went on that fact finding mission..... only two told the truth.... but their witness led to the settlement of the Promised Land by the descendants of Israel..... while the lies of the other witnesses caused them to have to wander around in the desert for forty years looking for a "true" home.... [like the pun?].
So....one more reason there might be redundancy in Psalms..... the theme might be redundant.... this is from studylight.org.
THE RESPONSE. The chief pleas are three, and God's answer always meets our necessities.
1. The malice of foes. Men are to be found who actually take pleasure in pain, and especially when the pain falls upon those they hate. The more of trouble, the greater their joy. This is the very spirit of hell. Such as persist in this kind of life must perish. God will disappoint the malice of the wicked by his deliverance of the good.
2. The benefit of God's people. The good delight in good. Happy themselves in God, they would have all others share in the same happiness. Especially have they sympathy with all of like spirit with themselves (1 Corinthians 12:26). Hence when the godly conquer their troubles by bearing them patiently, or are rescued as by the hand of God, their hearts are refreshed. What is done to others is as if done to themselves.
3. Personal necessity. God looks to individuals. None are so "poor" that he will despise them. None are so "needy" that he cannot satisfy their wants. He delighteth in mercy. Each one of us may put himself in the place of the psalmist, and cry, as he did, with lively hope, "I am poor and needy: make haste unto me, O God!" When we thus trust in God, hope rises to assurance. We feel as if what we asked was given, as if what we sought was done. "Thou art my Help and my Deliverer." But still, so long as we are in distress, and God has not yet perfected that which concerneth us, we urge the prayer, "Make no tarrying."—W.F.
So... some might just have the same theme.... so they seem the same.... It's a song book.... like the Hymnals I remember from churches [before they could just pop the words up on a screen ["since no one really reads sheet music anyway"]].... some songs sound alike or say the same words.... and some are too important to leave out just because they sound similar..... so there is redundancy built in.Sing... sing a song.... same old song....
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