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 Chief Musician. To the tune of “Lilies.” By David. Save me, God, for the waters have come 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 sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold. I have come into deep waters, where the floods overflow 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 with my crying. My throat is dry. 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 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, (you see the sins that I have committed/my sins are not hidden from you). You know that I have foolishly [disobeyed your laws].
God, you know my foolishness. My sins aren’t 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.
Don’t let those who wait for you be shamed through me, Lord GOD of Armies. Don’t let those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me, God of Israel.
7 People have insulted/ridiculed me because [I am devoted to] you. They have thoroughly humiliated [IDM] me.
Because for your sake, I have borne reproach. 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, an alien to my mother’s children.
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 your house consumes me. The reproaches of those who reproach 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.
When I wept and I fasted, that was to my reproach.
11 When I put on [rough] sackcloth [to show that I am sad], they laugh at [IDM] me.
When I made sackcloth my clothing, 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.
Those who sit in the gate talk about me. I am the song of the 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 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 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!
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 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].
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 O Yahweh, answer my prayer and help me because you are good and love me faithfully.
Answer me, LORD, for your loving kindness is good. According to the multitude of your tender mercies, turn to me.
17 Do not (hide yourself from/refuse to hear) me; answer me quickly because I am in great trouble.
Don’t hide your face from your servant, for I am in distress. Answer me speedily!
18 Come near to me and save me; rescue me from my enemies.
Draw near to my soul and redeem it. Ransom 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].
You know my reproach, my shame, and my dishonor. My adversaries are all 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.
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 [Instead], they gave me food [that tasted like] poison, and when I was thirsty, they gave me sour wine to drink.
They also gave me poison for my food. 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 before them become a snare. May it become 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.
Let their eyes be darkened, so that they can’t see. Let their backs be continually bent.
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 indignation on them. Let the fierceness of your 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.
Let their habitation be desolate. Let no one 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 him whom you have wounded. They tell of the sorrow of those whom you have hurt.
27 Keep making a record of all their sins, do not acquit/pardon them [for the evil things that they have done].
Charge them with crime upon crime. Don’t let them come into 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.
Let them be blotted out of the book of life, and not be written 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, God, protect me.
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 song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.
31 My doing that will please Yahweh more than [sacrificing] oxen, more than offering him full-grown bulls.
It will please the LORD better than an ox, or a bull that has 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.
The humble have seen it, and are glad. You who seek after God, let your heart live.
33 Yahweh listens to those who are needy; He does not ignore/forget those who are oppressed/imprisoned.
For the LORD hears the needy, and doesn’t 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 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 Zion, and build the cities of Judah. They shall settle there, and own it.
36 The descendants of his people will inherit it, and those who love him will live there [safely].
The children also of his servants shall inherit it. Those who love his name shall dwell therein.
