Psalms 69

1 To the Chief Musician. On "The Lilies." David’s. Save me, O God, For waters have entered as far as the 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 have sunk in deep swamp, Where there is no place to stand, I have come into abysses of waters, Where a flood hath overflowed 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 with mine outcry, Parched is my throat, —Mine eyes have become dim, through waiting for my 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 they who hate me without cause, —Firmer than my bones, Are they who are my foes for false cause, —What I had not plundered, then, had I 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, thou, hast known my folly, And, my wrong-doings, from thee, have not been hid.

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

6 Let them not be ashamed, through me, Who have waited for thee, O My Lord, Yahweh of hosts, —Let them not be confounded, through me, Who are seeking thee, 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 Because, for thy sake, have I borne reproach, Confusion hath covered my face;

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

8 One estranged, have I become, to my own brethren, Yea, an alien, to the sons of my own mother;

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

9 Because, zeal for thy house, hath eaten me up, And, the reproaches of them who have reproached thee, have fallen 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 have humbled my soul with fasting, Then hath it turned to my reproach;

I wept and fasted, but it brought me reproach.

11 When I have made my clothing of sackcloth, Then have I served them for a by-word;

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

12 They who sit in the gate talk against me, —And [against me are] the songs of them who imbibe strong drink.

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

13 But, as for me, my prayer shall be unto thee, O Yahweh, in a time of acceptance, O God, in the abounding of thy lovingkindness, answer me with thy saving faithfulness.

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 Rescue me out of the mire, lest I sink, Let me be rescued, From my haters, and, From abysses of waters:

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

15 Let not a flood of waters overflow me, And let not the depth swallow me up, Neither let the well close, over me, her mouth.

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, O Yahweh, for good is thy lovingkindness, According to the abounding of thy compassions, turn thou towards me:

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

17 Then do not hide thy face from thy servant, Because I am in distress, haste thou—answer me!

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

18 Oh draw near unto my soul—redeem it, Because of mine enemies, ransom me.

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

19 Thou, knowest my reproach, and my shame, and my confusion, Before thee, are all mine adversaries.

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

20 Reproach hath broken my heart, and I am weak, —Though I waited for one to pity me, yet there was none, And for comforters, yet I found not any.

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 But they put in my food—poison! And, for my thirst, they gave for my drink—vinegar!

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

22 Let their table, before them, become a snare, And unto their friends, a lure;

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

23 Let their eyes become too dim to see, And, their loins, continually cause thou to shake;

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

24 Pour out over them thine indignation, And let, the glow of thine anger, overtake them:

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

25 Let their encampment become desolate, In their tents, be there none to dwell:

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

26 For, whom, thou thyself, hadst smitten, they pursued, And, unto the pain of thy wounded ones, they must needs add.

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

27 Lay punishment on their iniquity, And let them not enter into thy righteousness;

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

28 Let them be blotted out of the book of life, And, with the righteous, let them not be enrolled.

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

29 I, then, am humbled and in pain, Thy salvation, O God, may it set me on high.

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

30 I will praise the Name of God with a song, And will magnify him with thanksgiving;

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

31 So shall it be more pleasing to Yahweh than a bullock of the herd, Showing horn [and] divided hoof.

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

32 The humbled have seen—they rejoice! Ye seekers of God, let your heart, then, revive;

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

33 For, a Hearkener to the needy, is Yahweh, And, his prisoners, hath he not despised.

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

34 Let the heavens and the earth, praise him, The seas, and everything that creepeth therein.

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

35 For, God, will save Zion, And build the cities of Judah, So shall men dwell there, and possess it:

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

36 Yea, the seed of his servants, shall inherit it, And, the lovers of his Name, shall settle down therein.

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