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].

Unto the end, for them that shall be changed; for David. SAVE me, O God: for the waters are come in even unto my soul.

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 stick fast in the mire of the deep: and there is no sure standing. I am come into the depth of the sea: and a tempest hath overwhelmed 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 have laboured with crying; my jaws are become hoarse: my eyes have failed, whilst I hope in 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!

They are multiplied above the hairs of my head, who hate me without cause. My enemies are grown strong who have wrongfully persecuted me: then did I pay that which I took not away.

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].

O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my offences are not hidden from thee:

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.

Let not them be ashamed for me, who look for thee, O Lord, the Lord of hosts. Let them not be confounded on my account, who seek thee, O God of Israel.

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

Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face.

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

I am become a stranger to my brethren, and an alien to the sons of my mother.

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.

For the zeal of thy house hath eaten me up: and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon 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.

And I covered my soul in fasting: and it was made a reproach to me.

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

And I made haircloth my garment: and I became a byword to them.

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

They that sat in the gate spoke against me: and they that drank wine made me their song.

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 as for me, my prayer is to thee, O Lord; for the time of thy good pleasure, O God. In the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy 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!

Draw me out of the mire, that I may not stick fast: deliver me from them that hate me, 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].

Let not the tempest of water drown me, nor the deep swallow me up: and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.

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

Hear me, O Lord, for thy mercy is kind; look upon me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.

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

And turn not away thy face from thy servant: for I am in trouble, hear me speedily.

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

Attend to my soul, and deliver it: save me because of my enemies.

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

Thou knowest my reproach, and my confusion, and my shame.

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.

In thy sight are all they that afflict me; my heart hath expected reproach and misery. And I looked for one that would grieve together with me, but there was none: and for one that would comfort me, and I found none.

21 [Instead], they gave me food [that tasted like] poison, and when I was thirsty, they gave me sour wine to drink.

And they gave me gall for my food, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

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.

Let their table become as a snare before them, and a recompense, and a stumblingblock.

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.

Let their eyes be darkened that they see not; and their back bend thou down always.

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

Pour out thy indignation upon them: and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them.

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

Let their habitation be made desolate: and let there be none to dwell in their tabernacles.

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.

Because they have persecuted him whom thou hast smitten; and they have added to the grief of my wounds.

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

Add thou iniquity upon their iniquity: and let them not come into thy justice.

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.

Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; and with the just let them not be written.

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

But I am poor and sorrowful: thy salvation, O God, hath set me up.

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

I will praise the name of God with a canticle: and I will magnify him with praise.

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

And it shall please God better than a young calf, that bringeth forth horns and hoofs.

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.

Let the poor see and rejoice: seek ye God, and your soul shall live.

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

For the Lord hath heard the poor: and hath not despised his prisoners.

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 the heavens and the earth praise him; the sea, and every thing that creepeth therein.

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 Sion, and the cities of Juda shall be built up. And they shall dwell there, and acquire it by inheritance.

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

And the seed of his servants shall possess it; and they that love his name shall dwell therein.