Psalms 69:8

8 My brothers shun me like a bum off the street; My family treats me like an unwanted guest.

Psalms 69:8 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 69:8

I am become a stranger unto my brethren
Not only to the Jews in general, who were his own people and nation, to whom he came, and of whom he came; who received him not, hid as it were their faces from him, and rejected him as the Messiah; but also to such who were still nearer akin to him, according to the flesh, who did not believe in him, ( John 7:5 ) ; and even in some sense to his disciples and followers; some of which having heard some doctrines delivered by him not agreeable to them, withdrew from him, and walked no more with him, ( John 6:60 John 6:66 ) ; yea, to his apostles, whom he often called his brethren: one of these betrayed him, another denied him with oaths and cursing, and all of them forsook him and fled, when he was taken by his enemies, and about to suffer death;

and an alien unto my mother's children;
which is the same as before, in other words. The Targum is,

``as the son of the Gentiles to my mother's children;''

that is, as an Heathen to them; see ( Matthew 18:17 ) .

Psalms 69:8 In-Context

6 Don't let those who look to you in hope Be discouraged by what happens to me, Dear Lord! God of the armies! Don't let those out looking for you Come to a dead end by following me - Please, dear God of Israel!
7 Because of you I look like an idiot, I walk around ashamed to show my face.
8 My brothers shun me like a bum off the street; My family treats me like an unwanted guest.
9 I love you more than I can say. Because I'm madly in love with you, They blame me for everything they dislike about you.
10 When I poured myself out in prayer and fasting, All it got me was more contempt.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.