David
Psalm 69
To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, A Psalm of David.
Scripture (KJV)
1Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.
2I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.
3I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.
4They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.
5O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee.
6Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord GOD of hosts, be ashamed for my sake: let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel.
7Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face.
8I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother’s children.
9For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.
10When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.
11I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them.
12They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards.
13But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.
14Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.
15Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.
16Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.
17And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily.
18Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: deliver me because of mine enemies.
19Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour: mine adversaries are all before thee.
20Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.
21They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
22Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.
23Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake.
24Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them.
25Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents.
26For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.
27Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy righteousness.
28Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.
29But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.
30I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.
31This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs.
32The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God.
33For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.
34Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein.
35For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession.
36The seed also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that love his name shall dwell therein.
Summary
Psalm 69 is one of the most frequently quoted psalms in the New Testament, a deep lament of a sufferer whose cries echo the suffering of Christ. David cries, "Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul." He sinks in deep mire, is weary of crying, and is hated without cause. He has borne reproach for God’s sake, become a stranger to his brethren, and the zeal of God’s house has eaten him up—a verse applied to Jesus in John 2. They give him gall for meat and vinegar to drink—fulfilled at the cross. Yet in the midst of suffering, David prays, "Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is good," and turns to praise: "I will praise the name of God with a song." The psalm closes with God saving Zion, the humble being glad, and the seed of His servants inheriting the land.
The major themes are suffering, reproach, imprecation, praise, and restoration. Practically, the psalm teaches that the depths of suffering can become the ground of praise and that God hears the poor and does not despise His prisoners. The great lesson is that the zeal of God’s house and the reproaches of God fall upon the faithful, yet God saves Zion.
Key Themes
A Prayer from Psalm 69
Save me, O God, for the waters have come in unto my soul. I sink in deep mire; I am weary of crying. They hate me without cause and reproach me for Your sake. The zeal of Your house has eaten me up. Let not the waterflood overflow me, nor the deep swallow me up. Hear me, O LORD, for Your lovingkindness is good; turn to me according to the multitude of Your tender mercies. Draw nigh to my soul and redeem it. Reproach has broken my heart, yet I will praise the name of God with a song and magnify Him with thanksgiving. Let heaven and earth praise Him. God will save Zion, and they that love His name shall dwell therein. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Reflection Questions
- 1How does this psalm point to the suffering of Christ?
- 2What does it mean that "the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up"?
- 3How can praise arise in the midst of brokenness?
- 4Where do I need God to draw nigh to my soul and redeem it?
Related Psalms
Psalm 35
“Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.”
A prayer for God to contend against unjust enemies and vindicate the righteous.
Read morePsalm 40
“I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.”
Thanksgiving for rescue and a delight to do God’s will.
Read morePsalm 55
“Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.”
A lament of betrayal by a close friend, longing to flee to God.
Read morePsalm 70
“Make haste, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O Lord.”
A short urgent prayer for swift help and shame for adversaries.
Read morePsalm 109
“Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise;”
Psalm 109 is an imprecatory psalm in which David, falsely accused and repaid evil for good, brings his anguish before the God of justice.
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