Psalms 69

1 To the chief music-maker; put to Shoshannim. Of David. Be my saviour, O God; because the waters have come in, even to my neck.

For the end, [a Psalm] of David, for alternate [strains]. Save me, O God; for the waters have come in to my soul.

2 My feet are deep in the soft earth, where there is no support; I have come into deep waters, the waves are flowing over me.

I am stuck fast in deep mire, and there is no standing: I am come in to the depths of the sea, and a storm has overwhelmed me.

3 I am tired with my crying; my throat is burning: my eyes are wasted with waiting for my God.

I am weary [of] crying, my throat has become hoarse; mine eyes have failed by my waiting on my God.

4 Those who have hate for me without cause are greater in number than the hairs of my head; those who are against me, falsely desiring my destruction, are very strong; I gave back what I had not taken away.

They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head: my enemies that persecute me unrighteously are strengthened: then I restored that which I took not away.

5 O God, you see how foolish I am; and my wrongdoing is clear to you.

O God, you know my foolishness; and my transgressions are not hidden from you.

6 Let not those who have hope in you be put to shame because of me, O Lord God of armies: let not those who are waiting for you be made low because of me, O God of Israel.

Let not them that wait on you, O Lord of hosts, be ashamed on my account: let not them that seek you, be ashamed on my account, O God of Israel.

7 I have been wounded with sharp words because of you; my face has been covered with shame.

For I have suffered reproach for your sake; shame has covered my face.

8 I have become strange to my brothers, and like a man from a far country to my mother's children.

I became strange to my brethren, and a stranger to my mother's children.

9 I am on fire with passion for your house; and the hard things which are said about you have come on me.

For the zeal of your house has eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached you are fallen upon me.

10 My bitter weeping, and my going without food, were turned to my shame.

And I bowed down my soul with fasting, and that was made my reproach.

11 When I put on the clothing of grief, they said evil of me.

And I put on sackcloth for my covering; and I became a proverb to them.

12 I am a cause of wonder to those in authority; a song to those who are given to strong drink.

They that sit in the gate talked against me, and they that drank wine sang against me.

13 But as for me, let my prayer be made to you, O Lord, at a time when you are pleased; O God, give me an answer in your great mercy, for your salvation is certain.

But I [will cry] to you, O Lord, in my prayer; O God, it is a propitious time: in the multitude of your mercy hear me, in the truth of your salvation.

14 Take me from the grip of the sticky earth, so that I may not go down into it; let me be lifted up from the deep waters.

Save me from the mire, that I stick not [in it]: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and from the deep waters.

15 Let me not be covered by the flowing waters; let not the deep waters go over my head, and let me not be shut up in the underworld.

Let not the waterflood drown me, nor let the deep swallow me up; neither let the well shut its mouth upon me.

16 Give an answer to my words, O Lord; for your mercy is good: be turned to me, because of your great pity.

Hear me, O Lord; for your mercy is good: according to the multitude of your compassions look upon me.

17 Let not your face be covered from your servant, for I am in trouble; quickly give me an answer.

And turn not away your face from your servant; for I am afflicted: hear me speedily.

18 Come near to my soul, for its salvation: be my saviour, because of those who are against me.

Draw near to my soul and redeem it: deliver me because of mine enemies.

19 You have seen my shame, how I was laughed at and made low; my haters are all before you.

For you know my reproach, and my shame, and my confusion; all that afflict me are before you.

20 My heart is broken by bitter words, I am full of grief; I made a search for some to have pity on me, but there was no one; I had no comforter.

My soul has waited for reproach and misery; and I waited for one to grieve with me, but there was none; and for one to comfort me, but I found none.

21 They gave me poison for my food; and bitter wine for my drink.

They gave [me] also gall for my food, and made me drink vinegar for my thirst.

22 Let their table before them be for their destruction; let their feasts become a net to take them.

Let their table before them be for a snare, and for a recompense, and for a stumbling block.

23 Let their eyes be blind so that they may not see; let their bodies for ever be shaking.

Let their eyes be darkened that they should not see; and bow down their back continually.

24 Let your curse come on them; let the heat of your wrath overtake them.

Pour out your wrath upon them, and let the fury of your anger take hold on them.

25 Give their houses to destruction, and let there be no one in their tents.

Let their habitation be made desolate; and let there be no inhabitant in their tents:

26 Because they are cruel to him against whom your hand is turned; they make bitter the grief of him who is wounded by you.

Because they persecuted him whom you have struck; and they have added to the grief of my wounds.

27 Let their punishment be increased; let them not come into your righteousness.

Add iniquity to their iniquity; and let them not come into your righteousness.

28 Let their names be taken from the book of the living, let them not be numbered with the upright.

Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and let them not be written with the righteous.

29 But I am poor and full of sorrow; let me be lifted up by your salvation, O Lord.

I am poor and sorrowful; but the salvation of your countenance has helped me.

30 I will give praise to the name of God with a song; I will give glory to him for what he has done.

I will praise the name of my God with a song, I will magnify him with praise;

31 This will be more pleasing to the Lord than an ox, or a young ox of full growth.

and [this] shall please God more than a young calf having horns and hoofs.

32 The poor will see it and be glad: you who are lovers of God, let your hearts have life.

Let the poor see and rejoice; seek the Lord diligently, and you shall live.

33 For the ears of the Lord are open to the poor, and he takes thought for his prisoners.

For the Lord hears the poor, and does not set at nothing his fettered ones.

34 Let the heavens and the earth give praise to him, the seas, and everything moving in them.

Let the heavens and the earth raise him, the sea, and all things moving in them.

35 For God will be the saviour of Zion, and the builder of the towns of Judah; so that it may be their resting-place and heritage.

For God will save Sion, and the cities of Judea shall be built; and [men] shall dwell there, and inherit it.

36 The seed of his servants will have their part in it, and there the lovers of his name will have rest.

And the seed of his servants shall possess it, and they that love his name shall dwell therein.