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 Chief Musician. To the tune of “Lilies.” By David. Save me, God, for the waters have come 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 sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold. I have come into deep waters, where the floods overflow 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 with my crying. My throat is dry. 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 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, hast known my folly, And, my wrong-doings, from thee, have not been hid.

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

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 dishonor through me, God of Israel.

7 Because, for thy sake, have I borne reproach, Confusion hath covered my face;

Because for your sake, I have borne reproach. 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, an alien to my mother’s children.

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

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

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

When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword 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 in the gate talk about me. I am the song of the 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 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 Rescue me out of the mire, lest I sink, Let me be rescued, From my haters, and, From abysses of 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 a flood of waters overflow me, And let not the depth swallow me up, Neither let the well close, over me, her mouth.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

You know my reproach, my shame, and my dishonor. My adversaries are all 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

27 Lay punishment on their iniquity, And let them not enter 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 life, And, with the righteous, let them not be enrolled.

Let them be blotted out of the book of life, and not be written 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, God, protect me.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For the LORD hears the needy, and doesn’t 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 therein!

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 build the cities of Judah. They shall settle there, and own it.

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

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