Psalms 69

1 For the music director. To the tune “Lilies.” A psalm of David. God, please save me, because the water is up to my neck!

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

2 I'm sinking deeper into the mud—there's no solid ground for me to stand. I find myself in deep water; floods wash over me.

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

3 I'm so tired of screaming out for help my throat is totally raw. My eyes are worn out looking for my God to help me.

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

4 Those who hate me for no reason are more than the number of hairs on my head. Many enemies try to destroy me by telling lies. How can I give back what I didn't steal?

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.

5 God, you know how foolish I am! My sins are not hidden from you.

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

6 Don't let those who trust you be ashamed because of me, Lord God Almighty. Don't let those who follow you be disgraced because of me, God of Israel.

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.

7 For your sake I put up with the insults; my face shows my embarrassment.

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

8 I have become a foreigner to my brother Israelites; a stranger to my very own brothers.

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

9 My devotion for your house is burning me up inside; the insults of those who insulted you have fallen on me.

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

10 I wept and I fasted, but they mocked me;

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

11 I mourned in sackcloth, but they laughed at me.

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

12 People sitting by the town gate gossip about me. I'm the subject of rude songs sung by drunks.

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

13 But my prayer is to you, Lord, believing this is a good time to respond to me. God, in your wonderful trustworthy love, answer me with your sure salvation.

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:

14 Please rescue me from the mud—don't let me sink! Save me from those who hate me and from drowning in the deep waters!

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.

15 Don't let the flood waters wash over me. Don't let the deep waters pull me down. Don't let the grave close over me.

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.

16 Please answer my prayers, Lord, for you are good and love me with your trustworthy love; because of your kindness, please help me.

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

17 Don't turn away from me, your servant. Please answer me quickly because I'm in trouble.

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

18 Come here and rescue me; set me free from my enemies.

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

19 You—you know my shame, my disgrace, my humiliation. You see everything my enemies are doing.

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

20 Insults have broken my heart—I am so sick there is no cure. I looked for some sympathy, but there was no one! Nobody showed me any compassion.

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.

21 Instead they gave me bitter herbs to eat and vinegar to drink.

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

22 May the table set before them become a trap for them, a net that catches them, bringing punishment.

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

23 May their eyes become blind so they cannot see, and may their backs always be bent low in dejection.

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

24 Pour out your judgment on them; chase them down in your fierce anger.

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

25 Let the places where they live be deserted. Let their homes be abandoned.

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

26 For they persecute those you have punished, and make it even more painful for those you have disciplined.

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

27 Punish them for the evil they have done. Don't acquit them.

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

28 Blot out their names from the Book of Life. Don't let them be listed with those who do right.

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

29 But I am suffering and in physical pain. God, please save me and keep me safe.

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

30 I will praise God's character in song; I will say how incredible he is and how thankful I am.

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

31 The Lord is happier with this than with offering animals as sacrifices: cattle, or bulls with horns and hooves.

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

32 The humble will see this and be happy. May God encourage everyone who comes to him.

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

33 God hears the poor, and he does not ignore his people who are in prison.

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

34 Praise him heaven and earth, the seas and everything that lives in them!

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

35 For God will save Zion, and rebuild the cities of Judah. They will live there and own the land.

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

36 The descendants of those who follow him will inherit the land, and those who love him will live there.

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