Psalms 69

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

For the Leader; upon Shoshannim. A Psalm of David. Save me, O God; for the waters are come in even unto the soul.

2 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.

I am sunk in deep mire, where there is no standing; I am come into deep waters, and the flood overwhelmeth me.

3 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.

I am weary of my crying; my throat is dried; mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.

4 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?

They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head; they that would cut me off, being mine enemies wrongfully, are many; should I restore that which I took not away?

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

O God, Thou knowest my folly; and my trespasses are not hid from Thee.

6 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.

Let not them that wait for Thee be ashamed through me, O Lord GOD of hosts; let not those that seek Thee be brought to confusion through me, O God of Israel.

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

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

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

I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children.

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

Because zeal for Thy house hath eaten me up, and the reproaches of them that reproach Thee are fallen upon me.

10 I wept and I fasted, but they mocked me;

And I wept with my soul fasting, and that became unto me a reproach.

11 I mourned in sackcloth, but they laughed at me.

I made sackcloth also my garment, and I became a byword unto them.

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

They that sit in the gate talk of me; and I am the song of the drunkards.

13 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.

But as for me, let my prayer be unto Thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time; O God, in the abundance of Thy mercy, answer me with the truth of Thy salvation.

14 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!

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

15 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.

Let not the waterflood overwhelm me, neither let the deep swallow me up; and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.

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

Answer me, O LORD, for Thy mercy is good; according to the multitude of Thy compassions turn Thou unto me.

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

And hide not Thy face from Thy servant; for I am in distress; answer me speedily.

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

Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it; ransom me because of mine enemies.

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

Thou knowest my reproach, and my shame, and my confusion; mine adversaries are all before Thee.

20 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.

Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am sore sick; and I looked for some to show compassion, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.

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

Yea, they put poison into my food; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

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

Let their table before them become a snare; and when they are in peace, let it become a trap.

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

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

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

Pour out Thine indignation upon them, and let the fierceness of Thine anger overtake them.

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

Let their encampment be desolate; let none dwell in their tents.

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

For they persecute him whom Thou hast smitten; and they tell of the pain of those whom Thou hast wounded.

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

Add iniquity unto their iniquity; and let them not come into Thy righteousness.

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

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

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

But I am afflicted and in pain; let Thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.

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

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

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

And it shall please the LORD better than a bullock that hath horns and hoofs.

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

The humble shall see it, and be glad; ye that seek after God, let your heart revive.

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

For the LORD hearkeneth unto the needy, and despiseth not His prisoners.

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

Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein.

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

For God will save Zion, and build the cities of Judah; and they shall abide there, and have it in possession.

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

The seed also of His servants shall inherit it; and they that love His name shall dwell therein.