Psalms 69

1 To the chief Musician. Upon Shoshannim. [A Psalm] of David. Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto [my] soul.

To the chief music-maker; put to Shoshannim. Of David. Be my saviour, O God; because the waters have come in, even to my neck.

2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing; I am come into the depths of waters, and the flood overfloweth me.

My feet are deep in the soft earth, where there is no support; I have come into deep waters, the waves are flowing over me.

3 I am weary with my crying, my throat is parched; mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.

I am tired with my crying; my throat is burning: my eyes are wasted with waiting for my God.

4 They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head; they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.

Those who have hate for me without cause are greater in number than the hairs of my head; those who are against me, falsely desiring my destruction, are very strong; I gave back what I had not taken away.

5 Thou, O God, knowest my foolishness, and my trespasses are not hidden from thee.

O God, you see how foolish I am; and my wrongdoing is clear to you.

6 Let not them that wait on thee, Lord, Jehovah of hosts, be ashamed through me; let not those that seek thee be confounded through me, O God of Israel.

Let not those who have hope in you be put to shame because of me, O Lord God of armies: let not those who are waiting for you be made low because of me, O God of Israel.

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

I have been wounded with sharp words because of you; my face has been covered with shame.

8 I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's sons;

I have become strange to my brothers, and like a man from a far country to my mother's children.

9 For the zeal of thy house hath devoured me, and the reproaches of them that reproach thee have fallen upon me.

I am on fire with passion for your house; and the hard things which are said about you have come on me.

10 And I wept, my soul was fasting: that also was to my reproach; —

My bitter weeping, and my going without food, were turned to my shame.

11 And I made sackcloth my garment: then I became a proverb to them.

When I put on the clothing of grief, they said evil of me.

12 They that sit in the gate talk of me, and [I am] the song of the drunkards.

I am a cause of wonder to those in authority; a song to those who are given to strong drink.

13 But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, Jehovah, in an acceptable time: O God, in the abundance of thy loving-kindness answer me, according to the truth of thy salvation:

But as for me, let my prayer be made to you, O Lord, at a time when you are pleased; O God, give me an answer in your great mercy, for your salvation is certain.

14 Deliver me out of the mire, let me not sink; let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the depths of waters.

Take me from the grip of the sticky earth, so that I may not go down into it; let me be lifted up from the deep waters.

15 Let not the flood of waters overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up; and let not the pit shut its mouth upon me.

Let me not be covered by the flowing waters; let not the deep waters go over my head, and let me not be shut up in the underworld.

16 Answer me, O Jehovah; for thy loving-kindness is good: according to the abundance of thy tender mercies, turn toward me;

Give an answer to my words, O Lord; for your mercy is good: be turned to me, because of your great pity.

17 And hide not thy face from thy servant, for I am in trouble: answer me speedily.

Let not your face be covered from your servant, for I am in trouble; quickly give me an answer.

18 Draw nigh unto my soul, be its redeemer; ransom me because of mine enemies.

Come near to my soul, for its salvation: be my saviour, because of those who are against me.

19 Thou knowest my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour: mine adversaries are all before thee.

You have seen my shame, how I was laughed at and made low; my haters are all before you.

20 Reproach hath broken my heart, and I am overwhelmed: and I looked for sympathy, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.

My heart is broken by bitter words, I am full of grief; I made a search for some to have pity on me, but there was no one; I had no comforter.

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

They gave me poison for my food; and bitter wine for my drink.

22 Let their table become a snare before them, and their very welfare a trap;

Let their table before them be for their destruction; let their feasts become a net to take them.

23 Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not, and make their loins continually to shake.

Let their eyes be blind so that they may not see; let their bodies for ever be shaking.

24 Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let the fierceness of thine anger take hold of them.

Let your curse come on them; let the heat of your wrath overtake them.

25 Let their habitation be desolate; let there be no dweller in their tents.

Give their houses to destruction, and let there be no one in their tents.

26 For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten, and they talk for the sorrow of those whom thou hast wounded.

Because they are cruel to him against whom your hand is turned; they make bitter the grief of him who is wounded by you.

27 Add iniquity unto their iniquity, and let them not come into thy righteousness.

Let their punishment be increased; let them not come into your righteousness.

28 Let them be blotted out of the book of life, and not be written with the righteous.

Let their names be taken from the book of the living, let them not be numbered with the upright.

29 But I am afflicted and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me secure on high.

But I am poor and full of sorrow; let me be lifted up by your salvation, O Lord.

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

I will give praise to the name of God with a song; I will give glory to him for what he has done.

31 And it shall please Jehovah more than an ox, — a bullock with horns and cloven hoofs.

This will be more pleasing to the Lord than an ox, or a young ox of full growth.

32 The meek shall see it, they shall be glad; ye that seek God, your heart shall live.

The poor will see it and be glad: you who are lovers of God, let your hearts have life.

33 For Jehovah heareth the needy, and despiseth not his prisoners.

For the ears of the Lord are open to the poor, and he takes thought for his prisoners.

34 Let heavens and earth praise him; the seas, and everything that moveth therein.

Let the heavens and the earth give praise to him, the seas, and everything moving in them.

35 For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah; and they shall dwell there, and possess it:

For God will be the saviour of Zion, and the builder of the towns of Judah; so that it may be their resting-place and heritage.

36 And the seed of his servants shall inherit it, and they that love his name shall dwell therein.

The seed of his servants will have their part in it, and there the lovers of his name will have rest.