Psalms 69

1 “To the chief musician upon Shoshannim, by David.” Save me, O God; for the waters are come even to threaten my life.

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

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

3 I am weary of my calling; my throat is hoarse; my eyes fail, while I hope for my God.

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

4 More than the hairs of my head are those that hate me without a cause; numerous are those that would destroy me, that are my enemies wrongfully: what I have not robbed shall I now restore.

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 art well aware of my folly, and my guilty deeds are from thee not hidden.

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

6 Let not those that wait on thee, O Lord Eternal of hosts, be made ashamed through me: let not those that seek thee be confounded through me, O God of Israel.

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

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

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

8 A stranger am I become unto my brothers, and an alien unto my mother's children.

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

9 Because the zeal for thy house hath devoured me; and the reproaches of those 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 When I wept at the fasting of my soul, it became a reproach to me.

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

11 And when I made sackcloth my garment, I became a proverb to them.

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

12 Those that sit in the gate talk against me; and [about me make] songs the drinkers of strong drink.

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

13 But as for me, I direct my prayer unto thee, O Lord, in a time of favor; O God, in the multitude of thy kindness: answer 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 Deliver me out of the mire, that I may not sink: let me be delivered from those that hate me, and out of the depths of the 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 flood of waters overflow me, and let not the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit close its 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 Answer me, O Lord; for thy kindness is good: according to the multitude of thy mercies turn thou unto me.

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

17 And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in distress: make haste and answer me.

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

18 Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: because of my enemies do thou ransom me.

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

19 Thou well knowest my reproach, and my shame, and my confusion: before thee are all my assailants.

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

20 Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am sick; and I waited for pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but 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 put into my food gall; and in my thirst they give me vinegar to drink.

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

22 May [then] their table become a snare before them: and to those that are at peace, a trap.

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

23 May their eyes become dark, that they cannot see; and make their loins continually to waver.

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

24 Pour out over them thy indignation, and let the heat of thy anger overtake them.

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

25 May their palace become desolate: in their tents let no one dwell.

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

26 For whom thou hast smitten they persecute; and of the pain of those whom thou but wounded do they converse.

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

27 Lay guilt upon their guilt; and let them not come into thy righteousness.

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 righteous let them not be written down.

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

29 But I am poor and suffering: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.

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

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

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

31 And this will please the Lord better than an ox or bullock having horns and cloven hoofs.

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

32 The meek will see this, and be rejoiced: ye that seek God, and your heart shall revive.

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

33 For the Lord listeneth unto the needy, and his prisoners he despiseth not.

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

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

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

35 For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may abide there, and have it in possession:

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 inherit 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.