Psalm 6981

For the music director; according to the tune of “Lilies;”82 by David.

69:1 Deliver me, O God,

for the water has reached my neck.1

69:2 I sink into the deep mire

where there is no solid ground;2

I am in3 deep water,

and the current overpowers me.

69:3 I am exhausted from shouting for help;

my throat is sore;4

my eyes grow tired of looking for my God.5

69:4 Those who hate me without cause are more numerous than the hairs of my head.

Those who want to destroy me, my enemies for no reason,6 outnumber me.7

They make me repay what I did not steal!8

69:5 O God, you are aware of my foolish sins;9

my guilt is not hidden from you.10

69:6 Let none who rely on you be disgraced because of me,

O sovereign Lord and king!11

Let none who seek you be ashamed because of me,

O God of Israel!

69:7 For I suffer12 humiliation for your sake13

and am thoroughly disgraced.14

69:8 My own brothers treat me like a stranger;

they act as if I were a foreigner.15

69:9 Certainly16 zeal for17 your house18 consumes me;

I endure the insults of those who insult you.19

69:10 I weep and refrain from eating food,20

which causes others to insult me.21

69:11 I wear sackcloth

and they ridicule me.22

69:12 Those who sit at the city gate gossip about me;

drunkards mock me in their songs.23

69:13 O Lord, may you hear my prayer and be favorably disposed to me!24

O God, because of your great loyal love,

answer me with your faithful deliverance!25

69:14 Rescue me from the mud! Don’t let me sink!

Deliver me26 from those who hate me,

from the deep water!

69:15 Don’t let the current overpower me!

Don’t let the deep swallow me up!

Don’t let the pit27 devour me!28

69:16 Answer me, O Lord, for your loyal love is good!29

Because of your great compassion, turn toward me!

69:17 Do not ignore30 your servant,

for I am in trouble! Answer me right away!31

69:18 Come near me and redeem me!32

Because of my enemies, rescue me!

69:19 You know how I am insulted, humiliated and disgraced;

you can see all my enemies.33

69:20 Their insults are painful34 and make me lose heart;35

I look36 for sympathy, but receive none,37

for comforters, but find none.

69:21 They put bitter poison38 into my food,

and to quench my thirst they give me vinegar to drink.39

69:22 May their dining table become a trap before them!

May it be a snare for that group of friends!40

69:23 May their eyes be blinded!41

Make them shake violently!42

69:24 Pour out your judgment43 on them!

May your raging anger44 overtake them!

69:25 May their camp become desolate,

their tents uninhabited!45

69:26 For they harass46 the one whom you discipline;47

they spread the news about the suffering of those whom you punish.48

69:27 Hold them accountable for all their sins!49

Do not vindicate them!50

69:28 May their names be deleted from the scroll of the living!51

Do not let their names be listed with the godly!52

69:29 I am oppressed and suffering!

O God, deliver and protect me!53

69:30 I will sing praises to God’s name!54

I will magnify him as I give him thanks!55

69:31 That will please the Lord more than an ox or a bull

with horns and hooves.

69:32 The oppressed look on—let them rejoice!

You who seek God,56 may you be encouraged!57

69:33 For the Lord listens to the needy;

he does not despise his captive people.58

69:34 Let the heavens and the earth praise him,

along with the seas and everything that swims in them!

69:35 For God will deliver Zion

and rebuild the cities of Judah,

and his people59 will again live in them and possess Zion.60

69:36 The descendants of his servants will inherit it,

and those who are loyal to him61 will live in it.62