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

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 sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold. I have come into deep waters, where the floods overflow 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 with my crying. My throat is dry. My eyes fail looking 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?

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

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

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.

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 dishonour through me, God of Israel.

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

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

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

I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Those who sit in the gate talk about me. 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, 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 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 don’t let me sink. Let me be delivered from those who 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

They also gave me poison for my food. 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. May it become a retribution and 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, so that they can’t see. Let their backs be continually bent.

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

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

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

Let their habitation be desolate. Let no one 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 you have wounded. They tell of the sorrow of those whom you have hurt.

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

Charge them with crime upon crime. Don’t let them come into your 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 life, 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 in pain and distress. Let your salvation, God, protect me.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Let heaven and earth praise him; the seas, and everything that moves 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. They shall settle there, and own it.

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

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