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For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Lilies.” By David.

69 Save me, God,
    for the waters have come up to my neck!
I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold.
    I have come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.
I am weary with my crying.
    My throat is dry.
    My eyes fail looking for my God.
Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head.
    Those who want to cut me off, being my enemies wrongfully, are mighty.
    I have to restore what I didn’t take away.
God, you know my foolishness.
    My sins aren’t hidden from you.
Don’t let those who wait for you be shamed through me, Lord Yahweh of Armies.
    Don’t let those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me, God of Israel.
Because for your sake, I have borne reproach.
    Shame has covered my face.
I have become a stranger to my brothers,
    an alien to my mother’s children.
For the zeal of your house consumes me.
    The reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.
10 When I wept and I fasted,
    that was to my reproach.
11 When I made sackcloth my clothing,
    I became a byword to them.
12 Those who sit in the gate talk about me.
    I am the song of the drunkards.
13 But as for me, my prayer is to you, Yahweh, in an acceptable time.
    God, in the abundance of your loving kindness, answer me in the truth of your salvation.
14 Deliver me out of the mire, and don’t let me sink.
    Let me be delivered from those who hate me, and out of the deep waters.
15 Don’t let the flood waters overwhelm me,
    neither let the deep swallow me up.
    Don’t let the pit shut its mouth on me.
16 Answer me, Yahweh, for your loving kindness is good.
    According to the multitude of your tender mercies, turn to me.
17 Don’t hide your face from your servant,
    for I am in distress.
    Answer me speedily!
18 Draw near to my soul and redeem it.
    Ransom me because of my enemies.
19 You know my reproach, my shame, and my dishonor.
    My adversaries are all before you.
20 Reproach has broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness.
    I looked for some to take pity, but there was none;
    for comforters, but I found none.
21 They also gave me poison for my food.
    In my thirst, they gave me vinegar to drink.
22 Let their table before them become a snare.
    May it become a retribution and a trap.
23 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they can’t see.
    Let their backs be continually bent.
24 Pour out your indignation on them.
    Let the fierceness of your anger overtake them.
25 Let their habitation be desolate.
    Let no one dwell in their tents.
26 For they persecute him whom you have wounded.
    They tell of the sorrow of those whom you have hurt.
27 Charge them with crime upon crime.
    Don’t let them come into your righteousness.
28 Let them be blotted out of the book of life,
    and not be written with the righteous.
29 But I am in pain and distress.
    Let your salvation, God, protect me.
30 I will praise the name of God with a song,
    and will magnify him with thanksgiving.
31 It will please Yahweh better than an ox,
    or a bull that has horns and hoofs.
32 The humble have seen it, and are glad.
    You who seek after God, let your heart live.
33 For Yahweh hears the needy,
    and doesn’t despise his captive people.
34 Let heaven and earth praise him;
    the seas, and everything that moves therein!
35 For God will save Zion, and build the cities of Judah.
    They shall settle there, and own it.
36 The children also of his servants shall inherit it.
    Those who love his name shall dwell therein.

Psalm 69

Prayer for Deliverance from Persecution

To the leader: according to Lilies. Of David.

Save me, O God,
    for the waters have come up to my neck.(A)
I sink in deep mire,
    where there is no foothold;
I have come into deep waters,
    and the flood sweeps over me.(B)
I am weary with my crying;
    my throat is parched.
My eyes grow dim
    with waiting for my God.(C)

More in number than the hairs of my head
    are those who hate me without cause;
many are those who would destroy me,
    my enemies who accuse me falsely.
What I did not steal,
    must I now restore?(D)
O God, you know my folly;
    the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you.(E)

Do not let those who hope in you be put to shame because of me,
    O Lord God of hosts;
do not let those who seek you be dishonored because of me,
    O God of Israel.
It is for your sake that I have borne reproach,
    that shame has covered my face.(F)
I have become a stranger to my kindred,
    an alien to my mother’s children.(G)

It is zeal for your house that has consumed me;
    the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.(H)
10 When I humbled my soul with fasting,[a]
    they insulted me for doing so.(I)
11 When I made sackcloth my clothing,
    I became a byword to them.(J)
12 I am the subject of gossip for those who sit in the gate,
    and the drunkards make songs about me.(K)

13 But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord.
    At an acceptable time, O God,
    in the abundance of your steadfast love, answer me.
With your faithful help(L) 14 rescue me
    from sinking in the mire;
let me be delivered from my enemies
    and from the deep waters.(M)
15 Do not let the flood sweep over me
    or the deep swallow me up
    or the Pit close its mouth over me.(N)

16 Answer me, O Lord, for your steadfast love is good;
    according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.(O)
17 Do not hide your face from your servant,
    for I am in distress—make haste to answer me.(P)
18 Draw near to me; redeem me;
    set me free because of my enemies.

19 You know the insults I receive
    and my shame and dishonor;
    my foes are all known to you.(Q)
20 Insults have broken my heart,
    so that I am in despair.
I looked for pity, but there was none;
    and for comforters, but I found none.(R)
21 They gave me poison for food,
    and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.(S)

22 Let their table be a trap for them,
    a snare for their allies.(T)
23 Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see,
    and make their loins tremble continually.(U)
24 Pour out your indignation upon them,
    and let your burning anger overtake them.(V)
25 May their camp be a desolation;
    let no one live in their tents.(W)
26 For they persecute those whom you have struck down,
    and those whom you have wounded they attack still more.[b](X)
27 Add guilt to their guilt;
    may they have no acquittal from you.
28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living;
    let them not be enrolled among the righteous.(Y)
29 But I am lowly and in pain;
    let your salvation, O God, protect me.(Z)

30 I will praise the name of God with a song;
    I will magnify him with thanksgiving.(AA)
31 This will please the Lord more than an ox
    or a bull with horns and hoofs.(AB)
32 Let the oppressed see it and be glad;
    you who seek God, let your hearts revive.(AC)
33 For the Lord hears the needy
    and does not despise his own who are in bonds.(AD)

34 Let heaven and earth praise him,
    the seas and everything that moves in them.(AE)
35 For God will save Zion
    and rebuild the cities of Judah,
and his servants shall live[c] there and possess it;(AF)
36     the children of his servants shall inherit it,
    and those who love his name shall live in it.(AG)

Footnotes

  1. 69.10 Gk Syr: Heb I wept, with fasting my soul, or I made my soul mourn with fasting
  2. 69.26 Gk Syr: Heb recount the pain of
  3. 69.35 Syr: Heb and they shall live