Psalms 69

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

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

2 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.

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

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

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

4 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.

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.

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

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

6 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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I wept and fasted, but it brought me reproach.

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

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

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

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

13 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.

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.

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

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

15 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

20 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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

35 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.

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

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

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