Psalms 69

1 For the leader. On shoshannim. Of David. Save me, O God; for the waters are threatening my life.

For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of David. Save me, O God, for the waters are up to my neck.

2 I am sunk in depths of mire, where ground there is none. I am come into deep deep waters, the flood overwhelms me.

I have sunk into the miry depths, where there is no footing; I have drifted into deep waters, where the flood engulfs me.

3 I am weary of crying, my throat is parched, my eyes are wasted with waiting for God.

I am weary from my crying; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God.

4 More than the hairs of my head are those who wantonly hate me. More than my bones in number are those who are falsely my foes. That which I never robbed, how am I then to restore?

Those who hate me without cause outnumber the hairs of my head; many are those who would destroy me— my enemies for no reason. Though I did not steal, I must repay.

5 O God, you know my folly, my guilt is not hidden from you.

You know my folly, O God, and my guilt is not hidden from You.

6 Through me let not any be shamed, who wait for you, Lord God of hosts. Through me let not those be confounded who seek you, O God of Israel.

May those who hope in You not be ashamed through me, O Lord GOD of Hosts; may those who seek You not be dishonored through me, O God of Israel.

7 It’s in your cause that I have borne taunts, and my face has been covered with shame;

For I have endured scorn for Your sake, and shame has covered my face.

8 I became to my kindred a foreigner, to my mother’s sons a stranger.

I have become a stranger to my brothers and a foreigner to my mother’s sons,

9 It was zeal for your house that consumed me, and the insults they hurled at you fell upon me.

because zeal for Your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult You have fallen on me.

10 When I chastened myself with fasting, they took occasion to taunt me.

I wept and fasted, but it brought me reproach.

11 When I put on a garment of sackcloth, they made me the theme of a taunt-song.

I made sackcloth my clothing, and I was sport to them.

12 Those who sit in the gate make sport of me in the music of drunken songs.

Those who sit at the gate mock me, and I am the song of drunkards.

13 But I pray to you, Lord, for a time of favour. In your great love answer me; with your loyal help, save me

But my prayer to You, O LORD, is for a time of favor. In Your abundant loving devotion, O God, answer me with Your sure salvation.

14 from sinking down in the mire. Lift me out of the deep deep waters,

Rescue me from the mire and do not let me sink; deliver me from my foes and out of the deep waters.

15 that the rushing flood may not drown me, that the deep may not swallow me up, nor the pit close her mouth upon me.

Do not let the floods engulf me or the depths swallow me up; let not the Pit close its mouth over me.

16 Answer me, Lord, in your gracious kindness, turn to me in your great compassion.

Answer me, O LORD, for Your loving devotion is good; turn to me in keeping with Your great compassion.

17 Hide not your face from your servant, for I am in trouble; O answer me speedily.

Hide not Your face from Your servant, for I am in distress. Answer me quickly!

18 Draw near to me, redeem me; because of my enemies, ransom me.

Draw near to my soul and redeem me; ransom me because of my foes.

19 You know how I am insulted; in your sight are all my foes.

You know my reproach, my shame and disgrace. All my adversaries are before You.

20 Insult has broken my heart, past cure are my shame and confusion. For pity I looked – there was none! And for comforters, but I found none.

Insults have broken my heart, and I am in despair. I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found no one.

21 Poison they gave me for food, and to slake my thirst they gave vinegar.

They poisoned my food with gall and gave me vinegar to quench my thirst.

22 May their table, outspread, be a trap to them, and their peace-offerings be a snare.

May their table become a snare; may it be a retribution and a trap.

23 May their eyes be darkened and blind, make them shake without ceasing.

May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.

24 Pour your indignation upon them, let your burning wrath overtake them.

Pour out Your wrath upon them, and let Your burning anger overtake them.

25 May their camp be a desolation, in their tents be there none to live.

May their place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in their tents.

26 For those whom you struck, they persecute, and those whom you wounded, they pain yet more.

For they persecute the one You struck and recount the pain of those You wounded.

27 Charge them with sin upon sin, may they not be acquitted by you.

Add iniquity to their iniquity; let them not share in Your righteousness.

28 From the book of life be they blotted, may their names not be written with the righteous.

May they be blotted out of the Book of Life and not listed with the righteous.

29 Lift me, O God, by your help above my pain and misery.

But I am in pain and distress; let Your salvation protect me, O God.

30 Then will I praise God in song and magnify him with thanksgiving,

I will praise God’s name in song and exalt Him with thanksgiving.

31 which shall please the Lord better than ox, or than bullock with horns and hoofs.

And this will please the LORD more than an ox, more than a bull with horns and hooves.

32 The oppressed shall rejoice at the sight. You who seek after God, let your heart revive.

The humble will see and rejoice. You who seek God, let your hearts be revived!

33 For the Lord listens to the poor, he does not despise his prisoners.

For the LORD listens to the needy and does not despise His captive people.

34 Let the heavens and the earth sing his praises, the seas, and all creatures that move in them.

Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and everything that moves in them.

35 For God will bring help to Zion, and build up the cities of Judah, his people shall live there in possession.

For God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah, that they may dwell there and possess it.

36 His servants’ children shall have it for heritage, and those who love him shall live therein.

The descendants of His servants will inherit it, and those who love His name will settle in it.