Psalm 69
Psalm 69 is a psalm of lament written by David. In this psalm, David cries out to God amid deep distress, feeling overwhelmed by enemies and personal suffering. He appeals to God for help and justice, expressing both his sorrow and his trust in God's deliverance. The psalm also foreshadows the suffering of Christ, making it one of the messianic psalms.
Psalm 69:1-3 (NKJV)
1 Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck.
2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing; I have come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.
3 I am weary with my crying; my throat is dry; My eyes fail while I wait for my God.
David begins with a desperate plea for help. Using vivid imagery, he describes himself as drowning in overwhelming troubles. The deep waters and mud symbolize his helpless state. He has cried out to God so long that he is physically exhausted and emotionally drained, waiting for a response that has yet to come.
Psalm 69:4-5 (NKJV)
4 Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head; They are mighty who would destroy me, being my enemies wrongfully; Though I have stolen nothing, I still must restore it.
5 O God, You know my foolishness; And my sins are not hidden from You.
David laments the injustice he faces, noting that many people hate him without reason. Even though he has done nothing wrong, he is being treated unfairly, as if he must repay a debt. At the same time, David humbly acknowledges his own faults, recognizing that God knows all his sins, even if these are not the cause of his current suffering.
Psalm 69:6-8 (NKJV)
6 Let not those who wait for You, O Lord God of hosts, be ashamed because of me; Let not those who seek You be confounded because of me, O God of Israel.
7 Because for Your sake I have borne reproach; Shame has covered my face.
8 I have become a stranger to my brothers, And an alien to my mother’s children.
David prays that his suffering will not discourage others who trust in God. He is bearing ridicule because of his commitment to God, which has even caused alienation from his own family. His loyalty to God has brought him shame in the eyes of others, making him feel isolated and estranged from those closest to him.
Psalm 69:9-10 (NKJV)
9 Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up, And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.
10 When I wept and chastened my soul with fasting, That became my reproach.
David’s passion for God and His house has made him a target for reproach. The insults aimed at God have also been directed toward David because of his faithfulness. Even his acts of fasting and weeping, meant as expressions of devotion, are mocked by others, increasing his suffering. This verse also foreshadows Christ's cleansing of the temple (John 2:17), showing how David’s experience points to Jesus.
Psalm 69:11-13 (NKJV)
11 I also made sackcloth my garment; I became a byword to them.
12 Those who sit in the gate speak against me, And I am the song of the drunkards.
13 But as for me, my prayer is to You, O Lord, in the acceptable time; O God, in the multitude of Your mercy, Hear me in the truth of Your salvation.
David mourned in humility, wearing sackcloth, but instead of receiving compassion, people mocked him. Leaders at the city gate and drunkards alike used him as an object of ridicule. Despite this, David remains faithful in prayer, trusting in God's timing and abundant mercy for deliverance.
Psalm 69:14-16 (NKJV)
14 Deliver me out of the mire, And let me not sink; Let me be delivered from those who hate me, And out of the deep waters.
15 Let not the floodwater overflow me, Nor let the deep swallow me up; And let not the pit shut its mouth on me.
16 Hear me, O Lord, for Your lovingkindness is good; Turn to me according to the multitude of Your tender mercies.
David reiterates his plea for deliverance from overwhelming troubles, asking not to be swallowed by the deep waters or the grave. He appeals to God’s goodness and mercy, trusting that God’s lovingkindness will bring him salvation.
Psalm 69:17-18 (NKJV)
17 And do not hide Your face from Your servant, For I am in trouble; Hear me speedily.
18 Draw near to my soul, and redeem it; Deliver me because of my enemies.
David pleads with God to respond quickly, asking for His presence and redemption. He feels the urgency of his situation and seeks God’s intervention to rescue him from his enemies.
Psalm 69:19-21 (NKJV)
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 someone to take pity, but there was none; And for comforters, but I found none.
21 They also gave me gall for my food, And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
David emphasizes that God sees his suffering and the injustice he endures. His heart is deeply wounded by the rejection and reproach of others. Though he searched for compassion and comfort, he found none. Verse 21 prophetically foreshadows the suffering of Christ on the cross, where Jesus was offered vinegar to drink (Matthew 27:34).
Psalm 69:22-23 (NKJV)
22 Let their table become a snare before them, And their well-being a trap.
23 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see; And make their loins shake continually.
David prays that the prosperity of his enemies will turn against them. Their blessings, instead of bringing joy, will become a snare. He also asks God to darken their spiritual sight, preventing them from understanding the truth, and to leave them in a state of fear and weakness.
Psalm 69:24-26 (NKJV)
24 Pour out Your indignation upon them, And let Your wrathful anger take hold of them.
25 Let their dwelling place be desolate; Let no one live in their tents.
26 For they persecute the ones You have struck, And talk of the grief of those You have wounded.
David calls for God’s judgment on his enemies, asking that His righteous anger be poured out upon them. He prays that their homes be abandoned, a sign of God’s punishment. David highlights their cruelty, noting how they take advantage of those already suffering under God’s discipline instead of showing mercy.
Psalm 69:27-28 (NKJV)
27 Add iniquity to their iniquity, And let them not come into Your righteousness.
28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, And not be written with the righteous.
David prays that God would allow his enemies to persist in sin, leading them further away from righteousness. He asks that they be removed from the “book of the living,” meaning they would be excluded from God’s covenant people and blessings. This reflects a plea for divine justice and separation of the wicked from the righteous.
Psalm 69:29-31 (NKJV)
29 But I am poor and sorrowful; 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 This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bull, Which has horns and hooves.
David humbly acknowledges his distress and sorrow but asks God to lift him up through salvation. He promises to respond to God’s deliverance with praise and thanksgiving, emphasizing that heartfelt worship pleases God more than ritual sacrifices. This highlights the importance of genuine devotion over outward acts.
Psalm 69:32-33 (NKJV)
32 The humble shall see this and be glad; And you who seek God, your hearts shall live.
33 For the Lord hears the poor, And does not despise His prisoners.
David anticipates that others will rejoice when they see God’s deliverance. His experience will encourage the humble and those who seek God, reviving their faith. David also affirms that God listens to the cries of the poor and does not ignore those who are suffering, showing God's compassion and care.
Psalm 69:34-36 (NKJV)
34 Let heaven and earth praise Him, The seas and everything that moves in them.
35 For God will save Zion And build the cities of Judah, That they may dwell there and possess it.
36 Also, the descendants of His servants shall inherit it, And those who love His name shall dwell in it.
David concludes with a call for all creation to praise God, reflecting the universal nature of worship. He expresses confidence in God’s future restoration of Zion and the cities of Judah, where His people will dwell securely. David foresees a time when the descendants of God’s faithful servants will inherit the land, living in the blessings and presence of God.