Psalm 69:12

12 They, that sat in the gate, spake against me; and they, that drank wine, sang of me. (They, who sat by the gate, spoke against me; and they, who drank wine, sang about me.)

Psalm 69:12 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 69:12

They that sit in the gate speak against me
The princes, magistrates, and judges, who sat in the gates of cities, heard and tried causes, and executed judgment there; the elders of the city; see ( Ruth 4:1 ) ( Lamentations 5:14 ) ( Zechariah 8:16 ) ; the civil rulers among the Jews are meant; and also their ecclesiastical ones, the Scribes and Pharisees that sat in Moses's seat; though some think men of lower characters are designed, idle persons that saunter about, and sit in gateways, and corners of streets, and in marketplaces; spending their time, like the Athenians, in hearing and telling of news, and prating about this and the other person, and their affairs; but the former sense seems best, since these are rather intended in the next clause: now such men of rank and figure spoke against Christ; against his person as the Son of God, against his office as the Messiah, against his doctrines and ordinances, and against his people and followers: or they spake together "of him" ^F26; they confabulated and consulted together how to seize him, and take away his life, as the chief priests and elders frequently did; and when they had taken him they gave their voice against him, and unanimously condemned him, when they sat in judgment upon him;

and I [was] the song of the drunkards;
or "of them that drink strong drink" ^F1; be it made of what it will; that is, to excess: these, while they played on their instruments of music, as the word ^F2 here used signifies, sung songs, and Christ was the subject of them; as Job complains was his case, ( Job 30:8 Job 30:9 ) ; very probably the common people that were employed in taking of Jesus might have plenty of liquor given them by the priests and elders, to encourage them; and this being a festival time too, might come at it more easily than usual, and drink more freely; and this might be the case of the Roman soldiers, when they made Christ the subject of their mirth and diversion in Pilate's hall.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F26 (yb) "de me", Tigurine version, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius, Gejerus, Michaelis.
F1 (rxv) "sechar", Montanus; siceram, Tigurine version, Cocceius; "potum inebriantem", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Michaelis.
F2 (twnygn) "cantiones ad instrumenta musica", Vatablus; "pulsationes", Gejerus.

Psalm 69:12 In-Context

10 And I covered my soul with fasting; and it was made into shame to me. (I humbled myself by fasting; and I was reproached for even that.)

11 And I putted (for) my cloth an hair-shirt; and I am made to them into a parable. (I had a hair-shirt for my cloak; and for that, I am made into their parable.)

12 They, that sat in the gate, spake against me; and they, that drank wine, sang of me. (They, who sat by the gate, spoke against me; and they, who drank wine, sang about me.)

13 But Lord, I (ad)dress my prayer to thee; God, I abide the time of good pleasance. Hear thou me in the multitude of thy mercy; in the truth of thine health. (But Lord, I direct my prayer to thee; O God, I wait for the time of thy good pleasure. Hear thou me because of thy great love; because of the truth of thy salvation/because of the surety of thy deliverance.)

14 Deliver thou me from the clay, that I be not fast set-in; deliver thou me from them that hate me, and from [the] depths of waters/and from [the] deepness of waters. (Rescue thou me from the clay, so that I do not get stuck in it; save thou me from those who hate me, and from the depths of the waters/and from the deep waters.)