Psalm 69
For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Lilies.” By David.
1 Save
me, God,
for the waters
have come up to
my neck!
2 I sink
in deep mire, where there
is no foothold.
I have come
into deep waters, where
the floods overflow me.
3 I am weary
with my crying.
My throat is dry.
My eyes fail looking for my God.
4 Those who hate
me without a cause
are more than the hairs
of my head.
Those who want to cut
me off, being
my enemies wrongfully, are mighty.
I have to restore
what I didn’t take away.
5 God,
you know my foolishness.
My sins aren’t hidden from
you.
6 Don’t let
those who wait for
you be shamed
through me, Lord
GOD of Armies.
Don’t let those
who seek you
be brought to dishonor
through me, God
of Israel.
7 Because for
your sake, I
have borne reproach.
Shame has covered
my face.
8 I
have become
a stranger to
my brothers,
an alien to
my mother’s children.
9 For
the zeal of
your house consumes me.
The reproaches of
those who reproach
you have fallen
on me.
10 When
I wept and
I fasted,
that was to
my reproach.
11 When
I made sackcloth
my clothing,
I became a byword
to them.
12 Those
who sit in
the gate talk about
me.
I am the song
of the drunkards.
13 But as
for me, my prayer
is to you,
LORD, in
an acceptable time.
God, in the abundance
of your loving kindness, answer me
in the truth of
your salvation.
14 Deliver
me out of the mire,
and don’t let
me sink.
Let me be
delivered from those
who hate me,
and out of the deep
waters.
15 Don’t let
the flood
waters overwhelm me,
neither let the
deep swallow me up.
Don’t let the pit shut its mouth
on me.
16 Answer me,
LORD, for
your loving kindness is good.
According to
the multitude of
your tender mercies, turn to
me.
17 Don’t hide
your face from
your servant,
for I am
in distress.
Answer me speedily!
18 Draw near
to my soul
and redeem it.
Ransom me because
of my enemies.
19 You know
my reproach, my shame,
and my dishonor.
My adversaries are
all before you.
20 Reproach
has broken my heart,
and I am full
of heaviness.
I looked for some
to take pity, but
there was none;
for comforters, but
I found none.
21 They
also gave me poison
for my food.
In my thirst,
they gave me vinegar
to drink.
22 Let
their table before them become
a snare.
May it become
a retribution and
a trap.
23 Let
their eyes be darkened,
so that they can’t
see.
Let their backs
be continually bent.
24 Pour out
your indignation on
them.
Let the fierceness of
your anger overtake them.
25 Let
their habitation be desolate.
Let no one dwell in
their tents.
26 For they
persecute him whom you
have wounded.
They tell of the sorrow
of those whom you
have hurt.
27 Charge them
with crime upon crime.
Don’t let them come into
your righteousness.
28 Let
them be blotted
out of the book
of life,
and not be written
with the righteous.
29 But I am
in pain and distress.
Let your salvation, God, protect
me.
30 I
will praise the name
of God with a song,
and will magnify
him with thanksgiving.
31 It
will please the
LORD better than an ox,
or a bull that has horns and hoofs.
32 The humble
have seen it, and
are glad.
You who seek after
God, let your heart live.
33 For
the LORD hears
the needy,
and doesn’t despise his captive
people.
34 Let heaven
and earth praise
him;
the seas, and everything
that moves therein!
35 For
God will save Zion,
and build the cities
of Judah.
They shall settle
there, and own it.
36 The
children also of
his servants shall
inherit it.
Those who love
his name shall
dwell therein.