Psalms 69

1 TO THE OVERSEER. [SET] ON “LILIES.” BY DAVID. Save me, O God, for waters have come to the soul.

To the chief music-maker; put to Shoshannim. Of David. Be my saviour, O God; because the waters have come in, even to my neck.

2 I have sunk in deep mire, And there is no standing, I have come into the depths of the waters, And a flood has overflown me.

My feet are deep in the soft earth, where there is no support; I have come into deep waters, the waves are flowing over me.

3 I have been wearied with my calling, My throat has been burned, My eyes have been consumed, waiting for my God.

I am tired with my crying; my throat is burning: my eyes are wasted with waiting for my God.

4 Those hating me without cause Have been more than the hairs of my head, Mighty have been my destroyers, My lying enemies, That which I did not take away—I bring back.

Those who have hate for me without cause are greater in number than the hairs of my head; those who are against me, falsely desiring my destruction, are very strong; I gave back what I had not taken away.

5 O God, You have known Concerning my overturn, And my desolations have not been hid from You.

O God, you see how foolish I am; and my wrongdoing is clear to you.

6 Do not let those waiting on You be ashamed because of me, O Lord, YHWH of Hosts, Do not let those seeking You Blush because of me, O God of Israel.

Let not those who have hope in you be put to shame because of me, O Lord God of armies: let not those who are waiting for you be made low because of me, O God of Israel.

7 For because of You I have borne reproach, Shame has covered my face.

I have been wounded with sharp words because of you; my face has been covered with shame.

8 I have been a stranger to my brother, And a foreigner to sons of my mother.

I have become strange to my brothers, and like a man from a far country to my mother's children.

9 For [my] zeal for Your house has consumed me, And the reproaches of Your reproachers Have fallen on me.

I am on fire with passion for your house; and the hard things which are said about you have come on me.

10 And I weep in the fasting of my soul, And it is for a reproach to me.

My bitter weeping, and my going without food, were turned to my shame.

11 And I make my clothing sackcloth, And I am for an allegory to them.

When I put on the clothing of grief, they said evil of me.

12 Those sitting at the gate meditate concerning me, And those drinking strong drink, Play on instruments.

I am a cause of wonder to those in authority; a song to those who are given to strong drink.

13 And my prayer [is] to You, O YHWH, A time of good pleasure, O God, In the abundance of Your kindness, Answer me in the truth of Your salvation.

But as for me, let my prayer be made to you, O Lord, at a time when you are pleased; O God, give me an answer in your great mercy, for your salvation is certain.

14 Deliver me from the mire, and do not let me sink, Let me be delivered from those hating me, And from deep places of waters.

Take me from the grip of the sticky earth, so that I may not go down into it; let me be lifted up from the deep waters.

15 Do not let a flood of waters overflow me, Nor let the deep swallow me up, Nor let the pit shut her mouth on me.

Let me not be covered by the flowing waters; let not the deep waters go over my head, and let me not be shut up in the underworld.

16 Answer me, O YHWH, for Your kindness [is] good, Turn to me according to the abundance of Your mercies,

Give an answer to my words, O Lord; for your mercy is good: be turned to me, because of your great pity.

17 And do not hide Your face from Your servant, For I am in distress—hurry, answer me.

Let not your face be covered from your servant, for I am in trouble; quickly give me an answer.

18 Be near to my soul—redeem it, Ransom me because of my enemies.

Come near to my soul, for its salvation: be my saviour, because of those who are against me.

19 You have known my reproach, And my shame, and my blushing, All my adversaries [are] before You.

You have seen my shame, how I was laughed at and made low; my haters are all before you.

20 Reproach has broken my heart, and I am sick, And I look for a bemoaner, and there is none, And for comforters, and I have found none.

My heart is broken by bitter words, I am full of grief; I made a search for some to have pity on me, but there was no one; I had no comforter.

21 And they give gall for my food, And cause me to drink vinegar for my thirst.

They gave me poison for my food; and bitter wine for my drink.

22 Their table before them is for a snare, And for a repayment—for a trap.

Let their table before them be for their destruction; let their feasts become a net to take them.

23 Their eyes are darkened from seeing, And their loins continually shake You.

Let their eyes be blind so that they may not see; let their bodies for ever be shaking.

24 Pour Your indignation on them, And the fierceness of Your anger seizes them.

Let your curse come on them; let the heat of your wrath overtake them.

25 Their tower is desolated, There is no dweller in their tents.

Give their houses to destruction, and let there be no one in their tents.

26 For they have pursued him [whom] You have struck, And recount of the pain of Your pierced ones.

Because they are cruel to him against whom your hand is turned; they make bitter the grief of him who is wounded by you.

27 Give punishment for their iniquity, And they do not enter into Your righteousness.

Let their punishment be increased; let them not come into your righteousness.

28 They are blotted out of the scroll of life, And are not written with the righteous.

Let their names be taken from the book of the living, let them not be numbered with the upright.

29 And I [am] afflicted and pained, Your salvation, O God, sets me on high.

But I am poor and full of sorrow; let me be lifted up by your salvation, O Lord.

30 I praise the Name of God with a song, And I magnify Him with thanksgiving,

I will give praise to the name of God with a song; I will give glory to him for what he has done.

31 And it is better to YHWH than an ox, A bullock—horned [and] hoofed.

This will be more pleasing to the Lord than an ox, or a young ox of full growth.

32 The humble have seen—they rejoice, You who seek God—and your heart lives.

The poor will see it and be glad: you who are lovers of God, let your hearts have life.

33 For YHWH listens to the needy, And He has not despised His bound ones.

For the ears of the Lord are open to the poor, and he takes thought for his prisoners.

34 The heavens and earth praise Him, Seas, and every moving thing in them.

Let the heavens and the earth give praise to him, the seas, and everything moving in them.

35 For God saves Zion, And builds the cities of Judah, And they have dwelt there, and possess it.

For God will be the saviour of Zion, and the builder of the towns of Judah; so that it may be their resting-place and heritage.

36 And the seed of His servants inherit it, And those loving His Name dwell in it!

The seed of his servants will have their part in it, and there the lovers of his name will have rest.