Psalms 69

1 Save me, O God! For ¹the waters have come up to my neck.^[a]

2 I sink in deep ²mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood ³sweeps over me.

3 ⁴I am weary with my crying out; ⁵my throat is parched. ⁶My eyes grow dim with ⁷waiting for my God.

4 ⁸More in number than the hairs of my head are ⁹those who hate me ¹⁰without cause; mighty are those who would destroy me, ¹¹those who attack me with lies. What I did not steal must I now restore?

5 O God, you know my folly; the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you.

6 Let not those who hope in you ¹²be put to shame through me, O Lord GOD of hosts; let not those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me, O God of Israel.

7 For it is ¹³for your sake that I have borne reproach, that dishonor has covered my face.

8 I have become ¹⁴a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my mother's sons.

9 For ¹⁵zeal for your house has consumed me, and ¹⁶the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.

10 When I wept and humbled^[b] my soul with fasting, it became my reproach.

11 When I made ¹⁷sackcloth my clothing, I became ¹⁸a byword to them.

12 I am the talk of those who ¹⁹sit in the gate, and the drunkards make ²⁰songs about me.

13 But as for me, my ²¹prayer is to you, O LORD. At ²²an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness.

14 Deliver me from sinking in ²³the mire; ²⁴let me be delivered from my enemies and from ²⁵the deep waters.

15 Let not the flood sweep over me, or the deep swallow me up, or ²⁶the pit close ²⁷its mouth over me.

16 Answer me, O LORD, for your ²⁸steadfast love is good; according to your abundant ²⁹mercy, ³⁰turn to me.

17 ³¹Hide not your face from your servant; ³²for I am in distress; ³³make haste to answer me.

18 Draw near to my soul, redeem me; ransom me because of my enemies!

19 You know my ³⁴reproach, and my shame and my dishonor; my foes are all known to you.

20 ³⁵Reproaches have broken my heart, so that I am in ³⁶despair. I ³⁷looked for ³⁸pity, but there was none, and for ³⁹comforters, but I found none.

21 They gave me ⁴⁰poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me ⁴¹sour wine to drink.

22 ⁴²Let their own ⁴³table before them become a snare; ⁴⁴and when they are at peace, let it become a trap.^[c]

23 ⁴⁵Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see, ⁴⁶and make their loins tremble continually.

24 Pour out your indignation upon them, and let your burning anger overtake them.

25 ⁴⁷May their camp be a desolation; let no one dwell in their tents.

26 For they ⁴⁸persecute him whom ⁴⁹you have struck down, and they recount the pain of ⁵⁰those you have wounded.

27 ⁵¹Add to them punishment upon punishment; may they have no acquittal from you.^[d]

28 Let them be ⁵²blotted out of the book of the living; let them not be ⁵³enrolled among the righteous.

29 But I am afflicted and in pain; let your salvation, O God, ⁵⁴set me on high!

30 I will ⁵⁵praise the name of God with a song; I will ⁵⁶magnify him with ⁵⁷thanksgiving.

31 This will ⁵⁸please the LORD more than an ox or a bull ⁵⁹with horns and hoofs.

32 When ⁶⁰the humble see it they will be glad; you who seek God, ⁶¹let your hearts revive.

33 For the LORD hears the needy and ⁶²does not despise his own people who are prisoners.

34 Let ⁶³heaven and earth praise him, the seas and everything that moves in them.

35 For ⁶⁴God will save Zion and build up the cities of Judah, and people shall dwell there and possess it;

36 ⁶⁵the offspring of his servants shall inherit it, and those who love his name shall dwell in it.

Psalms 69 Commentary

Chapter 69

David complains of great distress. (1-12) And begs for succour. (13-21) He declares the judgments of God. (22-29) He concludes with joy and praise. (30-36)

Verses 1-12 We should frequently consider the person of the Sufferer here spoken of, and ask why, as well as what he suffered, that, meditating thereon, we may be more humbled for sin, and more convinced of our danger, so that we may feel more gratitude and love, constraining us to live to His glory who died for our salvation. Hence we learn, when in affliction, to commit the keeping of our souls to God, that we may not be soured with discontent, or sink into despair. David was hated wrongfully, but the words far more fully apply to Christ. In a world where unrighteousness reigns so much, we must not wonder if we meet with those that are our enemies wrongfully. Let us take care that we never do wrong; then if we receive wrong, we may the better bear it. By the satisfaction Christ made to God for our sin by his blood, he restored that which he took not away, he paid our debt, suffered for our offences. Even when we can plead Not guilty, as to men's unjust accusations, yet before God we must acknowledge ourselves to deserve all that is brought upon us. All our sins take rise from our foolishness. They are all done in God's sight. David complains of the unkindness of friends and relations. This was fulfilled in Christ, whose brethren did not believe on him, and who was forsaken by his disciples. Christ made satisfaction for us, not only by putting off the honours due to God, but by submitting to the greatest dishonours that could be done to any man. We need not be discouraged if our zeal for the truths, precepts, and worship of God, should provoke some, and cause others to mock our godly sorrow and deadness to the world.

Verses 13-21 Whatever deep waters of affliction or temptation we sink into, whatever floods of trouble or ungodly men seem ready to overwhelm us, let us persevere in prayer to our Lord to save us. The tokens of God's favour to us are enough to keep our spirits from sinking in the deepest outward troubles. If we think well of God, and continue to do so under the greatest hardships, we need not fear but he will do well for us. And if at any time we are called on to suffer reproach and shame, for Christ's sake, this may be our comfort, that he knows it. It bears hard on one that knows the worth of a good name, to be oppressed with a bad one; but when we consider what a favour it is to be accounted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Jesus, we shall see that there is no reason why it should be heart-breaking to us. The sufferings of Christ were here particularly foretold, which proves the Scripture to be the word of God; and how exactly these predictions were fulfilled in Jesus Christ, which proves him to be the true Messiah. The vinegar and the gall given to him, were a faint emblem of that bitter cup which he drank up, that we might drink the cup of salvation. We cannot expect too little from men, miserable comforters are they all; nor can we expect too much from the God of all comfort and consolation.

Verses 22-29 These are prophecies of the destruction of Christ's ( psalms 69:22-23 ) upon the unbelieving Jews, in ( romans 11:9 romans 11:10 ) . When the supports of life and delights of sense, through the corruption of our nature, are made the food and fuel of sin, then our table is a snare. Their sin was, that they would not see, but shut their eyes against the light, loving darkness rather; their punishment was, that they should not see, but should be given up to their own hearts' lusts which hardened them. Those who reject God's great salvation proffered to them, may justly fear that his indignation will be poured out upon them. If men will sin, the Lord will reckon for it. But those that have multiplied to sin, may yet find mercy, through the righteousness of the Mediator. God shuts not out any from that righteousness; the gospel excludes none who do not, by unbelief, shut themselves out. But those who are proud and self-willed, so that they will not come in to God's righteousness, shall have their doom accordingly; they themselves decide it. Let those not expect any benefit thereby, who are not glad to be beholden to it. It is better to be poor and sorrowful, with the blessing of the Lord, than rich and jovial, and under his curse. This may be applied to Christ. He was, when on earth, a man of sorrows that had not where to lay his head; but God exalted him. Let us call upon the Lord, and though poor and sorrowful, guilty and defiled, his salvation will set us up on high.

Verses 30-36 The psalmist concludes the psalm with holy joy and praise, which he began with complaints of his grief. It is a great comfort to us, that humble and thankful praises are more pleasing to God than the most costly, pompous sacrifices. The humble shall look to him, and be glad; those that seek him through Christ shall live and be comforted. God will do great things for the gospel church, in which let all who wish well to it rejoice. A seed shall serve him on earth, and his servants shall inherit his heavenly kingdom. Those that love his name shall dwell before him for ever. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Arise, thou great Restorer of the ancient places to dwell in, and turn away ungodliness from thy people.

Cross References

• 1. ver. 14, 15; See Psalms 32:6; Psalms 130:1; Job 22:11
• 2. ver. 14; Psalms 40:2
• 3. Psalms 124:4
• 4. Psalms 6:6
• 5. [Psalms 22:15]
• 6. Psalms 119:82, 123; Deuteronomy 28:32; Isaiah 38:14
• 7. See Psalms 31:24
• 8. Psalms 40:12
• 9. Cited John 15:25
• 10. [Psalms 35:7; Psalms 59:3, 4; Psalms 109:3; Psalms 119:161]
• 11. Psalms 35:19; Psalms 38:19
• 12. See Psalms 25:2
• 13. Jeremiah 15:15; [Psalms 44:22]
• 14. [Psalms 31:11; Psalms 38:11; Job 19:13; John 1:11]
• 15. Cited John 2:17; [Psalms 119:139]; See Psalms 132:1-5
• 16. Cited Romans 15:3; [Psalms 89:41, 50]
• 17. See Psalms 35:13
• 18. See Job 17:6
• 19. [Genesis 19:1; Esther 2:19]
• 20. See Job 30:9
• 21. Psalms 109:4
• 22. Isaiah 49:8; 2 Corinthians 6:2; [Psalms 32:6]
• 23. ver. 2
• 24. Psalms 144:7
• 25. ver. 1, 2
• 26. Psalms 55:23
• 27. Numbers 16:33
• 28. Psalms 63:3; Psalms 109:21
• 29. Psalms 106:45
• 30. See Psalms 25:16
• 31. See Psalms 27:9
• 32. See Psalms 18:6
• 33. Psalms 102:2; Psalms 143:7
• 34. ver. 10, 11; [Hebrews 12:2]; See Psalms 22:6
• 35. [See ver. 19 above]
• 36. [Matthew 26:37]
• 37. Psalms 142:4; [Isaiah 63:5]
• 38. Jeremiah 15:5
• 39. Job 16:2
• 40. Deuteronomy 29:18; Matthew 27:34
• 41. Matthew 27:48; Luke 23:36; John 19:29; [Mark 15:23]
• 42. Cited Romans 11:9, 10; See Psalms 35:4-8; Psalms 109:6-15
• 43. Psalms 23:5
• 44. [1 Thessalonians 5:3]
• 45. Isaiah 6:10; [Matthew 13:14]
• 46. Daniel 5:6; Nahum 2:10
• 47. Cited Acts 1:20; [Matthew 23:38; Luke 13:35]
• 48. [Zechariah 1:15]
• 49. Isaiah 53:4
• 50. [Job 19:21]
• 51. Nehemiah 4:5
• 52. Exodus 32:32; Revelation 3:5; [Philippians 4:3]
• 53. [Ezekiel 13:9; Luke 10:20; Hebrews 12:23]
• 54. Psalms 20:1
• 55. Psalms 28:7
• 56. See Psalms 34:3
• 57. See Psalms 50:14, 23
• 58. Psalms 50:13
• 59. Leviticus 11:3
• 60. Psalms 22:26; Psalms 34:2
• 61. Psalms 22:26; Psalms 34:2
• 62. [Psalms 68:6]
• 63. Psalms 96:11; Psalms 98:7; Isaiah 44:23; Isaiah 49:13; See Psalms 148:1-12
• 64. See Psalms 51:18; [Isaiah 44:26]
• 65. Psalms 102:28; Isaiah 65:9; [Psalms 37:29]

Footnotes

• [a]. Or waters threaten my life
• [b]. Hebrew lacks and humbled
• [c]. Hebrew; a slight revocalization yields (compare Septuagint, Syriac, Jerome) a snare, and retribution and a trap
• [d]. Hebrew may they not come into your righteousness

Chapter Summary

To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, [A Psalm] of David. Of the word "shoshannim," See Gill on "Ps 45:1," title. The Targum renders it, "concerning the removal of the sanhedrim;" which was about the time of Christ's death. The Talmudists {t} say, that forty years before the destruction of the temple, the sanhedrim removed, they removed from the paved chamber, &c. But it can hardly be thought that David prophesied of this affair; nor of the captivity of the people of Israel, as the Targum, Aben Ezra, Kimchi, Arama, and R. Obadiah interpret it: and so Jarchi takes the word "shoshannim" to signify lilies, and applies it to the Israelites, who are as a lily among thorns. But not a body of people, but a single person, is spoken of, and in sorrowful and suffering circumstances; and, if the Jews were not blind, they might see that they are the enemies of the person designed, and the evil men from whom he suffered so much. And indeed what is said of him cannot be said of them, nor of any other person whatever but the Messiah: and that the psalm belongs to Christ, and to the times of the Gospel, is abundantly evident from the citations out of it in the New Testament; as

Psalm 69:4 in John 15:25;
Psalm 69:9 in John 2:17;
Psalm 69:21 in Matthew 27:34;
Psalm 69:22 in Romans 11:9;
Psalm 69:25 in Acts 1:16.

The inscription of the psalm in the Syriac version is, "'a psalm' of David, according to the letter, when Shemuah (Sheba), the son of Bichri, blew a trumpet, and the people ceased from following after him (David); but the prophecy is said concerning those things which the Messiah suffered, and concerning the rejection of the Jews." And Aben Ezra interprets Psalm 69:36 of the days of David, or of the days of the Messiah.

{t} T. Bab. Avoda Zara, fol. 8. 2. & Roshhashanah, fol. 31. 1, 2.