Psalm 69:10-20

10 I humble myself by fasting, and people insult me;

11 I dress myself in clothes of mourning, and they laugh at me.

12 They talk about me in the streets, and drunkards make up songs about me.

13 But as for me, I will pray to you, Lord; answer me, God, at a time you choose. Answer me because of your great love, because you keep your promise to save.

14 Save me from sinking in the mud; keep me safe from my enemies, safe from the deep water.

15 Don't let the flood come over me; don't let me drown in the depths or sink into the grave.

16 Answer me, Lord, in the goodness of your constant love; in your great compassion turn to me!

17 Don't hide yourself from your servant; I am in great trouble - answer me now!

18 Come to me and save me; rescue me from my enemies.

19 You know how I am insulted, how I am disgraced and dishonored; you see all my enemies.

20 Insults have broken my heart, and I am in despair. I had hoped for sympathy, but there was none; for comfort, but I found none.

Psalm 69:10-20 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Footnotes

• [a] [Some ancient translations] humble myself; [Hebrew] cry.