Psalms 69

1 O God, save me, because [I am in great danger]. [It is as though] flood water is up to my neck, [and I am about to drown] [MET].

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

2 I continue to sink in the deep mud, and there is no solid ground for me to stand on. I am in deep water, and flood waters are swirling around 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 exhausted from calling out [for help]; my throat is very dry. Because I have cried so much as I have waited for God [to help me], my eyes are swollen.

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

4 Those who hate me when there is no reason to hate me are more than the number of hairs on my head [HYP]! Those who want to get rid of me are strong, and they tell lies about me. They demand that I return to them things that I did not steal!

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 see the sins that I have committed/my sins are not hidden from you). You know that I have foolishly [disobeyed your laws].

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

6 O Yahweh God, [you who are the commander] of the armies [of heaven], do not allow the [wrong things that] I [have done] to cause those who trust in you to be disappointed/disillusioned. O God, you whom [we] Israeli people [worship], do not allow me to cause your people to be humiliated.

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 People have insulted/ridiculed me because [I am devoted to] you. They have thoroughly humiliated [IDM] me.

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

8 Even my own [older] brothers act as if they do not know me; they treat me like a foreigner.

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

9 [Some people have despised your temple]; but my zeal for [keeping] your temple [holy] is like a fire burning inside me. So [it is as though] those who are insulting you are also insulting 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 myself and (fasted/abstained from eating food) [to show my sadness about the disgraceful things that they have done to your temple], they just insult me.

I wept and fasted, but it brought me reproach.

11 When I put on [rough] sackcloth [to show that I am sad], they laugh at [IDM] me.

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

12 Even the elders [of the city] say bad things about me. The drunkards of the city sing [disgusting] songs about me.

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

13 But Yahweh, I will [continue] praying to you. At the time that you choose, answer me and rescue me because you faithfully love 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 Do not allow me to sink any more in the mud. Rescue me from those who hate me! Lift me up out of these 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 Do not allow flood waters to swirl around me, do not allow the deep [mud] to swallow me; keep me from sinking into the pit [of death] [MET].

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

16 O Yahweh, answer my prayer and help me because you are good and love me faithfully.

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

17 Do not (hide yourself from/refuse to hear) me; answer me quickly because I am in great trouble.

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

18 Come near to me and save me; rescue me from my enemies.

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

19 You know that I am insulted and that [people cause] me [to feel] ashamed and dishonored; you know [who] all my enemies [are].

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

20 [Their] insults have deeply offended me, and I (feel helpless/am in despair). I searched for [someone who would] pity [me], but there was no one. I wanted someone to encourage/comfort me, but there were 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 [Instead], they gave me food [that tasted like] poison, and when I was thirsty, they gave me sour wine to drink.

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

22 I hope/desire that the feasts [MTY] [that they enjoy] will (become a snare for/bring trouble to) them, and that [those whom they invite to] the sacrificial feasts will also be trapped.

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

23 I hope/desire that their eyesight will become dim so that they cannot see anything, and that their backs/bodies will become weaker and weaker.

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

24 Show them that you are very angry with them! Because of your great/furious anger, chase after them and catch them.

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

25 Cause their towns to become abandoned/deserted and that there will be no one left to live in their tents/houses.

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

26 [Do this] because they persecute those whom you have punished, (they talk about the sins of/they want to hurt even more) those whom you have wounded.

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

27 Keep making a record of all their sins, do not acquit/pardon them [for the evil things that they have done].

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

28 Erase their names [SYN] from the book [containing the names of those who have eternal] life; do not include them in the list of righteous people.

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

29 As for me, I have pain and am suffering. O God, protect me and rescue me.

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

30 When God does that, I will sing as I praise God, and I will honor him by thanking him.

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

31 My doing that will please Yahweh more than [sacrificing] oxen, more than offering him full-grown bulls.

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

32 Oppressed/Afflicted people will see [that God has rescued me], and they will be glad. I want all of you who ask God [to help you] to be encouraged.

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

33 Yahweh listens to those who are needy; He does not ignore/forget those who are oppressed/imprisoned.

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

34 I desire that everything will praise God— everything that is in heaven and on earth, and all the creatures that are in the seas.

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

35 God will rescue the people of Jerusalem [from their enemies], and he will rebuild the towns that are in Judah. His people will live there and [again] possess the land.

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

36 The descendants of his people will inherit it, and those who love him will live there [safely].

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