Psalm 69:1-36 (New International Version)

For the director of music. To [the tune of] "Lilies." Of David.

1 Save me, O God, for the waters¹ have come up to my neck.² 2 I sink in the miry depths,³ where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me. 3 I am worn out calling for help;⁴ my throat is parched. My eyes fail,⁵ looking for my God. 4 Those who hate me⁶ without reason⁷ outnumber the hairs of my head; many are my enemies without cause,⁸ those who seek to destroy me.⁹ I am forced to restore what I did not steal. 5 You know my folly,¹⁰ O God; my guilt is not hidden from you.¹¹ 6 May those who hope in you not be disgraced because of me, O Lord, the LORD Almighty; may those who seek you not be put to shame because of me, O God of Israel. 7 For I endure scorn¹² for your sake,¹³ and shame covers my face.¹⁴ 8 I am a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my own mother's sons;¹⁵ 9 for zeal for your house consumes me,¹⁶ and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.¹⁷ 10 When I weep and fast,¹⁸ I must endure scorn; 11 when I put on sackcloth,¹⁹ people make sport of me. 12 Those who sit at the gate²⁰ mock me, and I am the song of the drunkards.²¹ 13 But I pray to you, O LORD, in the time of your favor;²² in your great love,²³ O God, answer me with your sure salvation. 14 Rescue me from the mire, do not let me sink; deliver me from those who hate me, from the deep waters.²⁴ 15 Do not let the floodwaters²⁵ engulf me or the depths swallow me up²⁶ or the pit close its mouth over me.²⁷ 16 Answer me, O LORD, out of the goodness of your love;²⁸ in your great mercy turn to me. 17 Do not hide your face²⁹ from your servant; answer me quickly,³⁰ for I am in trouble.³¹ 18 Come near and rescue me; redeem³² me because of my foes. 19 You know how I am scorned,³³ disgraced and shamed; all my enemies are before you. 20 Scorn has broken my heart and has left me helpless; I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters,³⁴ but I found none.³⁵ 21 They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar³⁶ for my thirst.³⁷ 22 May the table set before them become a snare; may it become retribution and^a a trap.³⁸ 23 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.³⁹ 24 Pour out your wrath⁴⁰ on them; let your fierce anger overtake them. 25 May their place be deserted;⁴¹ let there be no one to dwell in their tents.⁴² 26 For they persecute those you wound and talk about the pain of those you hurt.⁴³ 27 Charge them with crime upon crime;⁴⁴ do not let them share in your salvation.⁴⁵ 28 May they be blotted out of the book of life⁴⁶ and not be listed with the righteous.⁴⁷ 29 I am in pain and distress; may your salvation, O God, protect me.⁴⁸ 30 I will praise God's name in song⁴⁹ and glorify him⁵⁰ with thanksgiving. 31 This will please the LORD more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hoofs.⁵¹ 32 The poor will see and be glad⁵²-- you who seek God, may your hearts live!⁵³ 33 The LORD hears the needy⁵⁴ and does not despise his captive people. 34 Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and all that move in them,⁵⁵ 35 for God will save Zion⁵⁶ and rebuild the cities of Judah.⁵⁷ Then people will settle there and possess it; 36 the children of his servants will inherit it,⁵⁸ and those who love his name will dwell there.⁵⁹