Psalm 69

A Plea for Rescue

For the choir director: according to “The Lilies.”(A) Of David.

Save me, God,
for the water has risen to my neck.(B)
I have sunk in deep mud, and there is no footing;
I have come into deep water,
and a flood sweeps over me.(C)
I am weary from my crying;
my throat is parched.
My eyes fail, looking for my God.(D)
Those who hate me without cause
are more numerous than the hairs of my head;
my deceitful enemies, who would destroy me,
are powerful.(E)
Though I did not steal, I must repay.(F)

God, you know my foolishness,
and my guilty acts are not hidden from you.(G)
Do not let those who put their hope in you
be disgraced because of me,
Lord God of Armies;
do not let those who seek you
be humiliated because of me,
God of Israel.(H)
For I have endured insults because of you,
and shame has covered my face.(I)
I have become a stranger to my brothers
and a foreigner to my mother’s sons(J)
because zeal for your house has consumed me,(K)
and the insults of those who insult you
have fallen on me.(L)
10 I mourned and fasted,
but it brought me insults.(M)
11 I wore sackcloth as my clothing,
and I was a joke to them.
12 Those who sit at the city gate talk about me,
and drunkards make up songs about me.(N)

13 But as for me, Lord,
my prayer to you is for a time of favor.
In your abundant, faithful love, God,
answer me with your sure salvation.(O)
14 Rescue me from the miry mud; don’t let me sink.
Let me be rescued from those who hate me
and from the deep water.(P)
15 Don’t let the floodwaters sweep over me
or the deep swallow me up;
don’t let the Pit close its mouth over me.(Q)
16 Answer me, Lord,
for your faithful love is good.
In keeping with your abundant compassion,
turn to me.(R)
17 Don’t hide your face from your servant,
for I am in distress.
Answer me quickly!(S)
18 Come near to me and redeem me;
ransom me because of my enemies.(T)

19 You know the insults I endure—
my shame and disgrace.
You are aware of all my adversaries.(U)
20 Insults have broken my heart,
and I am in despair.
I waited for sympathy,
but there was none;
for comforters, but found no one.(V)
21 Instead, they gave me gall for my food,
and for my thirst
they gave me vinegar to drink.(W)

22 Let their table set before them be a snare,
and let it be a trap for their allies.(X)
23 Let their eyes grow too dim to see,
and let their hips continually quake.(Y)
24 Pour out your rage on them,
and let your burning anger overtake them.(Z)
25 Make their fortification desolate;
may no one live in their tents.(AA)
26 For they persecute the one you struck
and talk about the pain of those you wounded.(AB)
27 Charge them with crime on top of crime;
do not let them share in your righteousness.(AC)
28 Let them be erased from the book of life
and not be recorded with the righteous.(AD)

29 But as for me—poor and in pain—
let your salvation protect me, God.(AE)
30 I will praise God’s name with song
and exalt him with thanksgiving.(AF)
31 That will please the Lord more than an ox,
more than a bull with horns and hooves.(AG)
32 The humble will see it and rejoice.
You who seek God, take heart!(AH)
33 For the Lord listens to the needy
and does not despise
his own who are prisoners.(AI)

34 Let heaven and earth praise him,
the seas and everything that moves in them,(AJ)
35 for God will save Zion
and build up[a] the cities of Judah.
They will live there and possess it.(AK)
36 The descendants of his servants will inherit it,
and those who love his name will live in it.(AL)

Footnotes

  1. 69:35 Or and rebuild

A Cry of Distress and Imprecation on Adversaries.

To the Chief Musician; set to [the tune of] “Lilies.” A Psalm of David.

69 Save me, O God,
For the waters have threatened my life [they have come up to my neck].

I have sunk in deep mire, where there is no foothold;
I have come into deep waters, where a flood overwhelms me.

I am weary with my crying; my throat is parched;
My eyes fail while I wait [with confident expectation] for my God.

Those who hate me without cause are more than the hairs of my head;
Those who would destroy me are powerful, being my enemies wrongfully;
I am forced to restore what I did not steal.(A)


O God, You know my folly;
My wrongs are not hidden from You.

Do not let those who wait [confidently] for You be [a]ashamed through me, O Lord [b]God of hosts;
Do not let those who seek You [as necessary for life itself] be dishonored through me, O God of Israel,

Because for Your sake I have borne reproach;
Confusion and dishonor have covered my face.

I have become estranged from my brothers
And an alien to my mother’s sons.(B)

For zeal for Your house has consumed me,
And the [mocking] insults of those who insult You have fallen on me.(C)
10 
When I wept and humbled myself with fasting,
It became my reproach.
11 
When I made sackcloth my clothing [as one in mourning],
I became a byword [a mere object of scorn] to them.
12 
They who sit in the [city’s] gate talk about me and mock me,
And I am the song of the drunkards.

13 
But as for me, my prayer is to You, O Lord, at an acceptable and opportune time;
O God, in the greatness of Your favor and in the abundance of Your lovingkindness,
Answer me with truth [that is, the faithfulness of Your salvation].
14 
Rescue me from the mire and do not let me sink;
Let me be rescued from those who hate me and from the deep waters.
15 
Do not let the floodwater overwhelm me,
Nor the deep waters swallow me up,
Nor the pit [of Sheol] shut its mouth over me.

16 
Answer me, O Lord, for Your lovingkindness is sweet and good and comforting;
According to the greatness of Your compassion, turn to me.
17 
Do not hide Your face from Your servant,
For I am in distress; answer me quickly.
18 
Draw near to my soul and redeem it;
Ransom me because of my enemies [so that they do not delight in my distress].
19 
You know my reproach and my shame and my dishonor [how I am insulted];
My adversaries are all before You [each one fully known].

20 
Reproach and insults have broken my heart and I am so sick.
I looked for sympathy, but there was none,
And for comforters, but I found none.
21 
They (self-righteous hypocrites) also gave me gall [poisonous and bitter] for my food,
And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.(D)

22 
May their table [with all its abundance and luxury] become a snare [to them];
And when they are in peace [secure at their sacrificial feasts], may it become a trap.
23 
May their eyes be dimmed so that they cannot see,
And make their loins shake continually [in terror and weakness].
24 
Pour out Your indignation on them,
And let [the fierceness of] Your burning anger overtake them.
25 
May their encampment be desolate;
May no one dwell in their tents.(E)
26 
For they have persecuted him whom You have struck,
And they tell of the pain of those whom You have pierced and wounded.
27 
Add [unforgiven] iniquity to their iniquity [in Your book],
And may they not come into Your [c]righteousness.
28 
May they be blotted out of the book of life [and their lives come to an end]
And may they not be recorded with the righteous (those in right standing with God).(F)

29 
But I am sorrowful and in pain;
May Your salvation, O God, set me [securely] on high.
30 
I will praise the name of God with song
And magnify Him with thanksgiving.
31 
And it will please the Lord better than an ox
Or a young bull with horns and hoofs.
32 
The humble have seen it and are glad;
You who seek God [requiring Him as your greatest need], let your heart revive and live.(G)
33 
For the Lord hears the needy
And does not despise His who are prisoners.

34 
Let heaven and earth praise Him,
The seas and everything that moves in them.
35 
For God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah,
That His servants may remain there and possess it.
36 
The descendants of His servants will inherit it,
And those who love His name will dwell in it.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 69:6 I.e. have their expectations in Your goodness be disappointed.
  2. Psalm 69:6 Heb YHWH (Yahweh), usually rendered Lord.
  3. Psalm 69:27 I.e. be justified and acquitted by You.

Psalm 69

To the Chief Musician; [set to the tune of] “Lilies.” [A Psalm] of David.

Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck [they threaten my life].

I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, where the floods overwhelm me.

I am weary with my crying; my throat is parched; my eyes fail with waiting [hopefully] for my God.

Those who hate me without cause are more than the hairs of my head; those who would cut me off and destroy me, being my enemies wrongfully, are many and mighty. I am [forced] to restore what I did not steal.(A)

O God, You know my folly and blundering; my sins and my guilt are not hidden from You.

Let not those who wait and hope and look for You, O Lord of hosts, be put to shame through me; let not those who seek and inquire for and require You [as their vital necessity] be brought to confusion and dishonor through me, O God of Israel.

Because for Your sake I have borne taunt and reproach; confusion and shame have covered my face.

I have become a stranger to my brethren, and an alien to my mother’s children.(B)

For zeal for Your house has eaten me up, and the reproaches and insults of those who reproach and insult You have fallen upon me.(C)

10 When I wept and humbled myself with fasting, I was jeered at and humiliated;

11 When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword (an object of scorn) to them.

12 They who sit in [the city’s] gate talk about me, and I am the song of the drunkards.

13 But as for me, my prayer is to You, O Lord. At an acceptable and opportune time, O God, in the multitude of Your mercy and the abundance of Your loving-kindness hear me, and in the truth and faithfulness of Your salvation answer me.

14 Rescue me out of the mire, and let me not sink; let me be delivered from those who hate me and from out of the deep waters.

15 Let not the floodwaters overflow and overwhelm me, neither let the deep swallow me up nor the [dug] pit [with water perhaps in the bottom] close its mouth over me.

16 Hear and answer me, O Lord, for Your loving-kindness is sweet and comforting; according to Your plenteous tender mercy and steadfast love turn to me.

17 Hide not Your face from Your servant, for I am in distress; O answer me speedily!

18 Draw close to me and redeem me; ransom and set me free because of my enemies [lest they glory in my prolonged distress]!

19 You know my reproach and my shame and my dishonor; my adversaries are all before You [fully known to You].

20 Insults and reproach have broken my heart; I am full of heaviness and I am distressingly sick. I looked for pity, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none.

21 They gave me also gall [poisonous and bitter] for my food, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar (a soured wine) to drink.(D)

22 Let their own table [with all its abundance and luxury] become a snare to them; and when they are secure in peace [or at their sacrificial feasts, let it become] a trap to them.

23 Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and make their loins tremble continually [from terror, dismay, and feebleness].

24 Pour out Your indignation upon them, and let the fierceness of Your burning anger catch up with them.

25 Let their habitation and their encampment be a desolation; let no one dwell in their tents.(E)

26 For they pursue and persecute him whom You have smitten, and they gossip about those whom You have wounded, [adding] to their grief and pain.

27 Let one [unforgiven] perverseness and iniquity accumulate upon another for them [in Your book], and let them not come into Your righteousness or be justified and acquitted by You.

28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living and the book of life and not be enrolled among the [uncompromisingly] righteous (those upright and in right standing with God).(F)

29 But I am poor, sorrowful, and in pain; let Your salvation, O God, set me up on high.

30 I will praise the name of God with a song and will magnify Him with thanksgiving,

31 And it will please the Lord better than an ox or a bullock that has horns and hoofs.

32 The humble shall see it and be glad; you who seek God, inquiring for and requiring Him [as your first need], let your hearts revive and live!(G)

33 For the Lord hears the poor and needy and despises not His prisoners (His miserable and wounded ones).

34 Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and everything that moves in them.

35 For God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah; and [His servants] shall remain and dwell there and have it in their possession;

36 The children of His servants shall inherit it, and those who love His name shall dwell in it.