Psalms 69

1 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.

For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Lilies.” By David. Save me, God, for the waters have come up to my neck!

2 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.

I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold. I have come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.

3 I have laboured with crying; my jaws are become hoarse: my eyes have failed, whilst I hope in my God.

I am weary with my crying. My throat is dry. My eyes fail looking for my God.

4 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.

Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head. Those who want to cut me off, being my enemies wrongfully, are mighty. I have to restore what I didn’t take away.

5 O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my offences are not hidden from thee:

God, you know my foolishness. My sins aren’t hidden from you.

6 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.

Don’t let those who wait for you be shamed through me, Lord GOD of Hosts. Don’t let those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me, God of Israel.

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

Because for your sake, I have borne reproach. Shame has covered my face.

8 I am become a stranger to my brethren, and an alien to the sons of my mother.

I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my mother’s children.

9 For the zeal of thy house hath eaten me up: and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.

For the zeal of your house consumes me. The reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.

10 And I covered my soul in fasting: and it was made a reproach to me.

When I wept and I fasted, that was to my reproach.

11 And I made haircloth my garment: and I became a byword to them.

When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them.

12 They that sat in the gate spoke against me: and they that drank wine made me their song.

Those who sit in the gate talk about me. I am the song of the drunkards.

13 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.

But as for me, my prayer is to you, LORD, in an acceptable time. God, in the abundance of your loving kindness, answer me in the truth of your salvation.

14 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.

Deliver me out of the mire, and don’t let me sink. Let me be delivered from those who hate me, and out of the deep waters.

15 Let not the tempest of water drown me, nor the deep swallow me up: and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.

Don’t let the flood waters overwhelm me, neither let the deep swallow me up. Don’t let the pit shut its mouth on me.

16 Hear me, O Lord, for thy mercy is kind; look upon me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.

Answer me, LORD, for your loving kindness is good. According to the multitude of your tender mercies, turn to me.

17 And turn not away thy face from thy servant: for I am in trouble, hear me speedily.

Don’t hide your face from your servant, for I am in distress. Answer me speedily!

18 Attend to my soul, and deliver it: save me because of my enemies.

Draw near to my soul and redeem it. Ransom me because of my enemies.

19 Thou knowest my reproach, and my confusion, and my shame.

You know my reproach, my shame, and my dishonor. My adversaries are all before you.

20 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.

Reproach has broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness. I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; for comforters, but I found none.

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

They also gave me poison for my food. In my thirst, they gave me vinegar to drink.

22 Let their table become as a snare before them, and a recompense, and a stumblingblock.

Let their table before them become a snare. May it become a retribution and a trap.

23 Let their eyes be darkened that they see not; and their back bend thou down always.

Let their eyes be darkened, so that they can’t see. Let their backs be continually bent.

24 Pour out thy indignation upon them: and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them.

Pour out your indignation on them. Let the fierceness of your anger overtake them.

25 Let their habitation be made desolate: and let there be none to dwell in their tabernacles.

Let their habitation be desolate. Let no one dwell in their tents.

26 Because they have persecuted him whom thou hast smitten; and they have added to the grief of my wounds.

For they persecute him whom you have wounded. They tell of the sorrow of those whom you have hurt.

27 Add thou iniquity upon their iniquity: and let them not come into thy justice.

Charge them with crime upon crime. Don’t let them come into your righteousness.

28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; and with the just let them not be written.

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

29 But I am poor and sorrowful: thy salvation, O God, hath set me up.

But I am in pain and distress. Let your salvation, God, protect me.

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

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

31 And it shall please God better than a young calf, that bringeth forth horns and hoofs.

It will please the LORD better than an ox, or a bull that has horns and hoofs.

32 Let the poor see and rejoice: seek ye God, and your soul shall live.

The humble have seen it, and are glad. You who seek after God, let your heart live.

33 For the Lord hath heard the poor: and hath not despised his prisoners.

For the LORD hears the needy, and doesn’t despise his captive people.

34 Let the heavens and the earth praise him; the sea, and every thing that creepeth therein.

Let heaven and earth praise him; the seas, and everything that moves therein!

35 For God will save Sion, and the cities of Juda shall be built up. And they shall dwell there, and acquire it by inheritance.

For God will save Zion, and build the cities of Judah. They shall settle there, and own it.

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

The children also of his servants shall inherit it. Those who love his name shall dwell therein.