Psalm 69
A Plea for Rescue
For the choir director: according to “The Lilies.” s Of David.
1 Save me, God,
for the water has risen to my neck. t
2 I have sunk in deep mud, and there is no footing;
I have come into deep water,
and a flood sweeps over me. u
my throat is parched.
My eyes fail, looking for my God. v
4 Those who hate me without cause
are more numerous than the hairs of my head;
my deceitful enemies, who would destroy me,
are powerful. w
Though I did not steal, I must repay. x
5 God, you know my foolishness,
and my guilty acts are not hidden from you. y
6 Do not let those who put their hope in you
be disgraced because of me,
Lord GOD of Armies;
do not let those who seek you
be humiliated because of me,
God of Israel. z
7 For I have endured insults because of you,
and shame has covered my face. a
8 I have become a stranger to my brothers
and a foreigner to my mother’s sons b
9 because zeal for your house has consumed me, c
and the insults of those who insult you
have fallen on me. d
but it brought me insults. e
11 I wore sackcloth as my clothing,
and I was a joke to them.
12 Those who sit at the city gate talk about me,
and drunkards make up songs about me. f
my prayer to you is for a time of favor.
In your abundant, faithful love, God,
answer me with your sure salvation. g
14 Rescue me from the miry mud; don’t let me sink.
Let me be rescued from those who hate me
and from the deep water. h
15 Don’t let the floodwaters sweep over me
or the deep swallow me up;
don’t let the Pit close its mouth over me. i
for your faithful love is good.
In keeping with your abundant compassion,
turn to me. j
17 Don’t hide your face from your servant,
for I am in distress.
Answer me quickly! k
18 Come near to me and redeem me;
ransom me because of my enemies. l
19 You know the insults I endure—
my shame and disgrace.
You are aware of all my adversaries. m
20 Insults have broken my heart,
and I am in despair.
I waited for sympathy,
but there was none;
for comforters, but found no one. n
21 Instead, they gave me gall for my food,
and for my thirst
they gave me vinegar to drink. o
22 Let their table set before them be a snare,
and let it be a trap for their allies. p
23 Let their eyes grow too dim to see,
and let their hips continually quake. q
24 Pour out your rage on them,
and let your burning anger overtake them. r
25 Make their fortification desolate;
may no one live in their tents. s
26 For they persecute the one you struck
and talk about the pain of those you wounded. t
27 Charge them with crime on top of crime;
do not let them share in your righteousness. u
28 Let them be erased from the book of life
and not be recorded with the righteous. v
29 But as for me—poor and in pain—
let your salvation protect me, God. w
30 I will praise God’s name with song
and exalt him with thanksgiving. x
31 That will please the LORD more than an ox,
more than a bull with horns and hooves. y
32 The humble will see it and rejoice.
You who seek God, take heart! z
33 For the LORD listens to the needy
and does not despise
his own who are prisoners. a
34 Let heaven and earth praise him,
the seas and everything that moves in them, b
and build up V the cities of Judah.
They will live there and possess it. c
36 The descendants of his servants will inherit it,
and those who love his name will live in it. d