Psalms 69

1 To the chief Musician. Upon Shoshannim. [A Psalm] of David. Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto [my] soul.

For the music director. To the tune “Lilies.” A psalm of David. God, please save me, because the water is up to my neck!

2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing; I am come into the depths of waters, and the flood overfloweth me.

I'm sinking deeper into the mud—there's no solid ground for me to stand. I find myself in deep water; floods wash over me.

3 I am weary with my crying, my throat is parched; mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.

I'm so tired of screaming out for help my throat is totally raw. My eyes are worn out looking for my God to help me.

4 They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head; they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.

Those who hate me for no reason are more than the number of hairs on my head. Many enemies try to destroy me by telling lies. How can I give back what I didn't steal?

5 Thou, O God, knowest my foolishness, and my trespasses are not hidden from thee.

God, you know how foolish I am! My sins are not hidden from you.

6 Let not them that wait on thee, Lord, Jehovah of hosts, be ashamed through me; let not those that seek thee be confounded through me, O God of Israel.

Don't let those who trust you be ashamed because of me, Lord God Almighty. Don't let those who follow you be disgraced because of me, God of Israel.

7 Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; confusion hath covered my face.

For your sake I put up with the insults; my face shows my embarrassment.

8 I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's sons;

I have become a foreigner to my brother Israelites; a stranger to my very own brothers.

9 For the zeal of thy house hath devoured me, and the reproaches of them that reproach thee have fallen upon me.

My devotion for your house is burning me up inside; the insults of those who insulted you have fallen on me.

10 And I wept, my soul was fasting: that also was to my reproach; —

I wept and I fasted, but they mocked me;

11 And I made sackcloth my garment: then I became a proverb to them.

I mourned in sackcloth, but they laughed at me.

12 They that sit in the gate talk of me, and [I am] the song of the drunkards.

People sitting by the town gate gossip about me. I'm the subject of rude songs sung by drunks.

13 But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, Jehovah, in an acceptable time: O God, in the abundance of thy loving-kindness answer me, according to the truth of thy salvation:

But my prayer is to you, Lord, believing this is a good time to respond to me. God, in your wonderful trustworthy love, answer me with your sure salvation.

14 Deliver me out of the mire, let me not sink; let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the depths of waters.

Please rescue me from the mud—don't let me sink! Save me from those who hate me and from drowning in the deep waters!

15 Let not the flood of waters overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up; and let not the pit shut its mouth upon me.

Don't let the flood waters wash over me. Don't let the deep waters pull me down. Don't let the grave close over me.

16 Answer me, O Jehovah; for thy loving-kindness is good: according to the abundance of thy tender mercies, turn toward me;

Please answer my prayers, Lord, for you are good and love me with your trustworthy love; because of your kindness, please help me.

17 And hide not thy face from thy servant, for I am in trouble: answer me speedily.

Don't turn away from me, your servant. Please answer me quickly because I'm in trouble.

18 Draw nigh unto my soul, be its redeemer; ransom me because of mine enemies.

Come here and rescue me; set me free from my enemies.

19 Thou knowest my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour: mine adversaries are all before thee.

You—you know my shame, my disgrace, my humiliation. You see everything my enemies are doing.

20 Reproach hath broken my heart, and I am overwhelmed: and I looked for sympathy, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.

Insults have broken my heart—I am so sick there is no cure. I looked for some sympathy, but there was no one! Nobody showed me any compassion.

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

Instead they gave me bitter herbs to eat and vinegar to drink.

22 Let their table become a snare before them, and their very welfare a trap;

May the table set before them become a trap for them, a net that catches them, bringing punishment.

23 Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not, and make their loins continually to shake.

May their eyes become blind so they cannot see, and may their backs always be bent low in dejection.

24 Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let the fierceness of thine anger take hold of them.

Pour out your judgment on them; chase them down in your fierce anger.

25 Let their habitation be desolate; let there be no dweller in their tents.

Let the places where they live be deserted. Let their homes be abandoned.

26 For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten, and they talk for the sorrow of those whom thou hast wounded.

For they persecute those you have punished, and make it even more painful for those you have disciplined.

27 Add iniquity unto their iniquity, and let them not come into thy righteousness.

Punish them for the evil they have done. Don't acquit them.

28 Let them be blotted out of the book of life, and not be written with the righteous.

Blot out their names from the Book of Life. Don't let them be listed with those who do right.

29 But I am afflicted and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me secure on high.

But I am suffering and in physical pain. God, please save me and keep me safe.

30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving;

I will praise God's character in song; I will say how incredible he is and how thankful I am.

31 And it shall please Jehovah more than an ox, — a bullock with horns and cloven hoofs.

The Lord is happier with this than with offering animals as sacrifices: cattle, or bulls with horns and hooves.

32 The meek shall see it, they shall be glad; ye that seek God, your heart shall live.

The humble will see this and be happy. May God encourage everyone who comes to him.

33 For Jehovah heareth the needy, and despiseth not his prisoners.

God hears the poor, and he does not ignore his people who are in prison.

34 Let heavens and earth praise him; the seas, and everything that moveth therein.

Praise him heaven and earth, the seas and everything that lives in them!

35 For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah; and they shall dwell there, and possess it:

For God will save Zion, and rebuild the cities of Judah. They will live there and own the land.

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

The descendants of those who follow him will inherit the land, and those who love him will live there.