Psalms 69

1 For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of David. Save me, O God, for the waters are up to my neck.

Unto the end. For those who will be changed: of David. Save me, O God, for the waters have entered, even to my soul.

2 I have sunk into the miry depths, where there is no footing; I have drifted into deep waters, where the flood engulfs me.

I have become stuck in a deep quagmire, and there is no firm footing. I have arrived at the height of the sea, and a tempest has overwhelmed me.

3 I am weary from my crying; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God.

I have endured hardships, while crying out. My jaws have become hoarse; my eyes have failed. Meanwhile, I hope in my God.

4 Those who hate me without cause outnumber the hairs of my head; many are those who would destroy me— my enemies for no reason. Though I did not steal, I must repay.

Those who hate me without cause have been multiplied beyond the hairs of my head. My enemies, who persecuted me unjustly, have been strengthened. Then I was required to pay for what I did not take.

5 You know my folly, O God, and my guilt is not hidden from You.

O God, you know my foolishness, and my offenses have not been hidden from you.

6 May those who hope in You not be ashamed through me, O Lord GOD of Hosts; may those who seek You not be dishonored through me, O God of Israel.

Let those who wait for you, O Lord, the Lord of hosts, not be shamed in me. Let those who seek you, O God of Israel, not be confounded over me.

7 For I have endured scorn for Your sake, and shame has covered my face.

For because of you, I have endured reproach; confusion has covered my face.

8 I have become a stranger to my brothers and a foreigner to my mother’s sons,

I have become a stranger to my brothers and a sojourner to the sons of my mother.

9 because zeal for Your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult You have fallen on me.

For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproached you have fallen upon me.

10 I wept and fasted, but it brought me reproach.

And I covered my soul with fasting, and it has become a reproach to me.

11 I made sackcloth my clothing, and I was sport to them.

And I put on a haircloth as my garment, and I became a parable to them.

12 Those who sit at the gate mock me, and I am the song of drunkards.

Those who sat at the gate spoke against me, and those who drank wine made me their song.

13 But my prayer to You, O LORD, is for a time of favor. In Your abundant loving devotion, O God, answer me with Your sure salvation.

But as for me, truly, my prayer is to you, O Lord. This time has pleased you well, O God. In the multitude of your mercy, in the truth of your salvation, hear me.

14 Rescue me from the mire and do not let me sink; deliver me from my foes and out of the deep waters.

Rescue me from the quagmire, so that I may not become trapped. Free me from those who hate me and from deep waters.

15 Do not let the floods engulf me or the depths swallow me up; let not the Pit close its mouth over me.

Do not allow the tempest of water to submerge me, nor the deep to absorb me. And do not allow the well to close in on me.

16 Answer me, O LORD, for Your loving devotion is good; turn to me in keeping with Your great compassion.

Hear me, O Lord, for your mercy is kind. Look upon me, according to the fullness of your compassion.

17 Hide not Your face from Your servant, for I am in distress. Answer me quickly!

And do not turn your face away from your servant, for I am in trouble: heed me quickly.

18 Draw near to my soul and redeem me; ransom me because of my foes.

Attend to my soul, and free it. Rescue me, because of my enemies.

19 You know my reproach, my shame and disgrace. All my adversaries are before You.

You know my reproach, and my confusion, and my reverence.

20 Insults have broken my heart, and I am in despair. I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found no one.

All those who trouble me are in your sight; my heart has anticipated reproach and misery. And I sought for one who might grieve together with me, but there was no one, and for one who might console me, and I found no one.

21 They poisoned my food with gall and gave me vinegar to quench my thirst.

And they gave me gall for my food. And in my thirst, they gave me vinegar to drink.

22 May their table become a snare; may it be a retribution and a trap.

Let their table be a snare before them, and a retribution, and a scandal.

23 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.

Let their eyes be darkened, so that they may not see, and may their back always be crooked.

24 Pour out Your wrath upon them, and let Your burning anger overtake them.

Pour out your indignation upon them, and may the fury of your anger take hold of them.

25 May their place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in their tents.

May their dwelling place be deserted, and may there be no one who dwells in their tabernacles.

26 For they persecute the one You struck and recount the pain of those You wounded.

For they persecuted whomever you struck. And they have added to the grief of my wounds.

27 Add iniquity to their iniquity; let them not share in Your righteousness.

Assign an iniquity upon their iniquity, and may they not enter into your justice.

28 May they be blotted out of the Book of Life and not listed with the righteous.

Delete them from the Book of the Living, and let them not be written down with the just.

29 But I am in pain and distress; let Your salvation protect me, O God.

I am poor and sorrowful, but your salvation, O God, has taken me up.

30 I will praise God’s name in song and exalt Him with thanksgiving.

I will praise the name of God with a canticle, and I will magnify him with praise.

31 And this will please the LORD more than an ox, more than a bull with horns and hooves.

And it will please God more than a new calf producing horns and hoofs.

32 The humble will see and rejoice. You who seek God, let your hearts be revived!

Let the poor see and rejoice. Seek God, and your soul will live.

33 For the LORD listens to the needy and does not despise His captive people.

For the Lord has heard the poor, and he has not despised his prisoners.

34 Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and everything that moves in them.

Let the heavens and the earth praise him: the sea, and everything that crawls in it.

35 For God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah, that they may dwell there and possess it.

For God will save Zion, and the cities of Judah will be built up. And they will dwell there, and they will acquire it by inheritance.

36 The descendants of His servants will inherit it, and those who love His name will settle in it.

And the offspring of his servants will possess it; and those who love his name will dwell in it.