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.
Unto the end, for them that shall be changed; for David. SAVE me, O God: for the waters are come in even unto 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 stick fast in the mire of the deep: and there is no sure standing. I am come into the depth of the sea: and a tempest hath overwhelmed me.
3 I am tired with my crying; my throat is burning: my eyes are wasted with waiting for my God.
I have laboured with crying; my jaws are become hoarse: my eyes have failed, whilst I hope in 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 are multiplied above the hairs of my head, who hate me without cause. My enemies are grown strong who have wrongfully persecuted me: then did I pay that which I took not away.
5 O God, you see how foolish I am; and my wrongdoing is clear to you.
O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my offences are not hidden from thee:
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 be ashamed for me, who look for thee, O Lord, the Lord of hosts. Let them not be confounded on my account, who seek thee, O God of Israel.
7 I have been wounded with sharp words because of you; my face has been covered with shame.
Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath 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 am become a stranger to my brethren, and an alien to the sons of my mother.
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 thy house hath eaten me up: and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.
10 My bitter weeping, and my going without food, were turned to my shame.
And I covered my soul in fasting: and it was made a reproach to me.
11 When I put on the clothing of grief, they said evil of me.
And I made haircloth my garment: and I became a byword 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 sat in the gate spoke against me: and they that drank wine made me their song.
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 as for me, my prayer is to thee, O Lord; for the time of thy good pleasure, O God. In the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy 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.
Draw me out of the mire, that I may not stick fast: deliver me from them that hate me, and out of 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 tempest of water drown me, nor the deep swallow me up: and let not the pit shut her 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 thy mercy is kind; look upon me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.
17 Let not your face be covered from your servant, for I am in trouble; quickly give me an answer.
And turn not away thy face from thy servant: for I am in trouble, hear me speedily.
18 Come near to my soul, for its salvation: be my saviour, because of those who are against me.
Attend to my soul, and deliver it: save me because of my enemies.
19 You have seen my shame, how I was laughed at and made low; my haters are all before you.
Thou knowest my reproach, and my confusion, and my shame.
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.
In thy sight are all they that afflict me; my heart hath expected reproach and misery. And I looked for one that would grieve together with me, but there was none: and for one that would comfort me, and I found none.
21 They gave me poison for my food; and bitter wine for my drink.
And they gave me gall for my food, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
22 Let their table before them be for their destruction; let their feasts become a net to take them.
Let their table become as a snare before them, and a recompense, and a stumblingblock.
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 see not; and their back bend thou down always.
24 Let your curse come on them; let the heat of your wrath overtake them.
Pour out thy indignation upon them: and let thy wrathful anger take hold of 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 none to dwell in their tabernacles.
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 have persecuted him whom thou hast smitten; and they have added to the grief of my wounds.
27 Let their punishment be increased; let them not come into your righteousness.
Add thou iniquity upon their iniquity: and let them not come into thy justice.
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 with the just let them not be written.
29 But I am poor and full of sorrow; let me be lifted up by your salvation, O Lord.
But I am poor and sorrowful: thy salvation, O God, hath set me up.
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 God with a canticle: and 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 it shall please God better than a young calf, that bringeth forth 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 ye God, and your soul shall live.
33 For the ears of the Lord are open to the poor, and he takes thought for his prisoners.
For the Lord hath heard the poor: and hath not despised his prisoners.
34 Let the heavens and the earth give praise to him, the seas, and everything moving in them.
Let the heavens and the earth praise him; the sea, and every thing that creepeth therein.
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 Juda shall be built up. And they shall dwell there, and acquire it by inheritance.
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.
