< 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.
“To the chief musician upon Shoshannim, by David.” Save me, O God; for the waters are come even to threaten my life.
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 am sunk in the mire of the deep, where there is no standing; I am come into the depths of the waters, and the flood overfloweth me.
3 I am weary from my crying; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God.
I am weary of my calling; my throat is hoarse; my eyes fail, while I hope for 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.
More than the hairs of my head are those that hate me without a cause; numerous are those that would destroy me, that are my enemies wrongfully: what I have not robbed shall I now restore.
5 You know my folly, O God, and my guilt is not hidden from You.
O God, thou art well aware of my folly, and my guilty deeds are from thee not hidden.
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 not those that wait on thee, O Lord Eternal of hosts, be made ashamed through me: let not those that seek thee be confounded through me, O God of Israel.
7 For I have endured scorn for Your sake, and shame has covered my face.
Because for thy sake have I borne reproach, hath confusion covered my face.
8 I have become a stranger to my brothers and a foreigner to my mother’s sons,
A stranger am I become unto my brothers, and an alien unto my mother's children.
9 because zeal for Your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult You have fallen on me.
Because the zeal for thy house hath devoured me; and the reproaches of those that reproached thee are fallen upon me.
10 I wept and fasted, but it brought me reproach.
When I wept at the fasting of my soul, it became a reproach to me.
11 I made sackcloth my clothing, and I was sport to them.
And when I made sackcloth my garment, I became a proverb to them.
12 Those who sit at the gate mock me, and I am the song of drunkards.
Those that sit in the gate talk against me; and [about me make] songs the drinkers of strong drink.
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, I direct my prayer unto thee, O Lord, in a time of favor; O God, in the multitude of thy kindness: answer me in the truth of thy salvation.
14 Rescue me from the mire and do not let me sink; deliver me from my foes and out of the deep waters.
Deliver me out of the mire, that I may not sink: let me be delivered from those that hate me, and out of the depths of the waters.
15 Do not let the floods engulf me or the depths swallow me up; let not the Pit close its mouth over me.
Let not the flood of waters overflow me, and let not the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit close its mouth upon me.
16 Answer me, O LORD, for Your loving devotion is good; turn to me in keeping with Your great compassion.
Answer me, O Lord; for thy kindness is good: according to the multitude of thy mercies turn thou unto me.
17 Hide not Your face from Your servant, for I am in distress. Answer me quickly!
And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in distress: make haste and answer me.
18 Draw near to my soul and redeem me; ransom me because of my foes.
Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: because of my enemies do thou ransom me.
19 You know my reproach, my shame and disgrace. All my adversaries are before You.
Thou well knowest my reproach, and my shame, and my confusion: before thee are all my assailants.
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.
Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am sick; and I waited for pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.
21 They poisoned my food with gall and gave me vinegar to quench my thirst.
And they put into my food gall; and in my thirst they give me vinegar to drink.
22 May their table become a snare; may it be a retribution and a trap.
May [then] their table become a snare before them: and to those that are at peace, a trap.
23 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.
May their eyes become dark, that they cannot see; and make their loins continually to waver.
24 Pour out Your wrath upon them, and let Your burning anger overtake them.
Pour out over them thy indignation, and let the heat of thy anger overtake them.
25 May their place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in their tents.
May their palace become desolate: in their tents let no one dwell.
26 For they persecute the one You struck and recount the pain of those You wounded.
For whom thou hast smitten they persecute; and of the pain of those whom thou but wounded do they converse.
27 Add iniquity to their iniquity; let them not share in Your righteousness.
Lay guilt upon their guilt; and let them not come into thy righteousness.
28 May they be blotted out of the Book of Life and not listed with the righteous.
Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; and with the righteous let them not be written down.
29 But I am in pain and distress; let Your salvation protect me, O God.
But I am poor and suffering: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.
30 I will praise God’s name in song and exalt Him with thanksgiving.
I will praise the name of God with song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.
31 And this will please the LORD more than an ox, more than a bull with horns and hooves.
And this will please the Lord better than an ox or bullock having horns and cloven hoofs.
32 The humble will see and rejoice. You who seek God, let your hearts be revived!
The meek will see this, and be rejoiced: ye that seek God, and your heart shall revive.
33 For the LORD listens to the needy and does not despise His captive people.
For the Lord listeneth unto the needy, and his prisoners he despiseth not.
34 Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and everything that moves in them.
Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein.
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 will build the cities of Judah: that they may abide there, and have it in possession:
36 The descendants of His servants will inherit it, and those who love His name will settle in it.
And the seed of his servants shall inherit it; and they that love his name shall dwell therein.