Psalm 69

A Plea for Rescue

For the choir director: according to “The Lilies.” u Davidic.

1 Save me, God,

for the water has risen to my neck. v

2 I have sunk in deep mud, and there is no footing;

I have come into deep waters,

and a flood sweeps over me. w

3 I am weary from my crying;

my throat is parched.

My eyes fail, looking for my God. x

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. y

Though I did not steal, I must repay. z

5 God, You know my foolishness,

and my * guilty acts are not hidden from You. a

6 Do not let those who put their hope in You

be disgraced because of me,

Lord God of * Hosts;

do not let those who seek You

be humiliated because of me,

God of Israel. b

7 For I have endured insults because of You,

and shame has covered my face. c

8 I have become a stranger to my brothers

and a foreigner to my mother’s sons d

9 because zeal for Your house has consumed me, e

and the insults of those who insult You

have fallen on me. f

10 I mourned and fasted,

but it brought me insults. g

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. h

13 But as for me, Lord,

my prayer to You is for a time of favor.

In Your abundant, faithful love, God,

answer me with Your sure salvation. i

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 waters. j

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. k

16 Answer me, Lord,

for Your faithful love is good;

in keeping with Your great compassion,

turn to me. l

17 Don’t hide Your face from Your servant,

for I am in distress.

Answer me quickly! m

18 Draw near to me and redeem me;

ransom me because of my enemies. n

19 You know the insults I endure—

my shame and disgrace.

You are aware of all my adversaries. o

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. p

21 Instead, they gave me gall q for my food,

and for my thirst

they gave me vinegar to drink. r

22 Let their table set before them be a snare,

and let it be a trap for their allies. s

23 Let their eyes grow too dim to see,

and let their loins continually shake. t

24 Pour out Your rage on them,

and let Your burning anger overtake them. u

25 Make their fortification desolate;

may no one live in their tents. v

26 For they persecute the one You struck

and talk about the pain of those You wounded. w

27 Add guilt to their guilt;

do not let them share in Your righteousness. x

28 Let them be erased from the book of life

and not be recorded with the righteous. y

29 But as for me—poor and in pain—

let Your salvation protect me, God. z

30 I will praise God’s name with song

and exalt Him with thanksgiving. a

31 That will please * Yahweh more than an ox,

more than a bull with horns and hooves. b

32 The humble will see it and rejoice.

You who seek God, take heart! c

33 For the Lord listens to the needy

and does not despise

His own who are prisoners. d

34 Let heaven and earth praise Him,

the seas and everything that moves in them, e

35 for God will save * Zion

and build up f the cities of Judah.

They will live there and possess it. g

36 The descendants of His servants will inherit it,

and those who love His name will live in it. h