Psalms 69

1 Be my saviour, O God; because the waters have come in, even to my neck.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Psalms 69 Commentary

Chapter 69

David complains of great distress. (1-12) And begs for succour. (13-21) He declares the judgments of God. (22-29) He concludes with joy and praise. (30-36)

Verses 1-12 We should frequently consider the person of the Sufferer here spoken of, and ask why, as well as what he suffered, that, meditating thereon, we may be more humbled for sin, and more convinced of our danger, so that we may feel more gratitude and love, constraining us to live to His glory who died for our salvation. Hence we learn, when in affliction, to commit the keeping of our souls to God, that we may not be soured with discontent, or sink into despair. David was hated wrongfully, but the words far more fully apply to Christ. In a world where unrighteousness reigns so much, we must not wonder if we meet with those that are our enemies wrongfully. Let us take care that we never do wrong; then if we receive wrong, we may the better bear it. By the satisfaction Christ made to God for our sin by his blood, he restored that which he took not away, he paid our debt, suffered for our offences. Even when we can plead Not guilty, as to men's unjust accusations, yet before God we must acknowledge ourselves to deserve all that is brought upon us. All our sins take rise from our foolishness. They are all done in God's sight. David complains of the unkindness of friends and relations. This was fulfilled in Christ, whose brethren did not believe on him, and who was forsaken by his disciples. Christ made satisfaction for us, not only by putting off the honours due to God, but by submitting to the greatest dishonours that could be done to any man. We need not be discouraged if our zeal for the truths, precepts, and worship of God, should provoke some, and cause others to mock our godly sorrow and deadness to the world.

Verses 13-21 Whatever deep waters of affliction or temptation we sink into, whatever floods of trouble or ungodly men seem ready to overwhelm us, let us persevere in prayer to our Lord to save us. The tokens of God's favour to us are enough to keep our spirits from sinking in the deepest outward troubles. If we think well of God, and continue to do so under the greatest hardships, we need not fear but he will do well for us. And if at any time we are called on to suffer reproach and shame, for Christ's sake, this may be our comfort, that he knows it. It bears hard on one that knows the worth of a good name, to be oppressed with a bad one; but when we consider what a favour it is to be accounted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Jesus, we shall see that there is no reason why it should be heart-breaking to us. The sufferings of Christ were here particularly foretold, which proves the Scripture to be the word of God; and how exactly these predictions were fulfilled in Jesus Christ, which proves him to be the true Messiah. The vinegar and the gall given to him, were a faint emblem of that bitter cup which he drank up, that we might drink the cup of salvation. We cannot expect too little from men, miserable comforters are they all; nor can we expect too much from the God of all comfort and consolation.

Verses 22-29 These are prophecies of the destruction of Christ's ( psalms 69:22-23 ) upon the unbelieving Jews, in ( romans 11:9 romans 11:10 ) . When the supports of life and delights of sense, through the corruption of our nature, are made the food and fuel of sin, then our table is a snare. Their sin was, that they would not see, but shut their eyes against the light, loving darkness rather; their punishment was, that they should not see, but should be given up to their own hearts' lusts which hardened them. Those who reject God's great salvation proffered to them, may justly fear that his indignation will be poured out upon them. If men will sin, the Lord will reckon for it. But those that have multiplied to sin, may yet find mercy, through the righteousness of the Mediator. God shuts not out any from that righteousness; the gospel excludes none who do not, by unbelief, shut themselves out. But those who are proud and self-willed, so that they will not come in to God's righteousness, shall have their doom accordingly; they themselves decide it. Let those not expect any benefit thereby, who are not glad to be beholden to it. It is better to be poor and sorrowful, with the blessing of the Lord, than rich and jovial, and under his curse. This may be applied to Christ. He was, when on earth, a man of sorrows that had not where to lay his head; but God exalted him. Let us call upon the Lord, and though poor and sorrowful, guilty and defiled, his salvation will set us up on high.

Verses 30-36 The psalmist concludes the psalm with holy joy and praise, which he began with complaints of his grief. It is a great comfort to us, that humble and thankful praises are more pleasing to God than the most costly, pompous sacrifices. The humble shall look to him, and be glad; those that seek him through Christ shall live and be comforted. God will do great things for the gospel church, in which let all who wish well to it rejoice. A seed shall serve him on earth, and his servants shall inherit his heavenly kingdom. Those that love his name shall dwell before him for ever. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Arise, thou great Restorer of the ancient places to dwell in, and turn away ungodliness from thy people.

Taken from Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)

Chapter Summary

To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, [A Psalm] of David. Of the word "shoshannim," See Gill on "Ps 45:1," title. The Targum renders it, "concerning the removal of the sanhedrim;" which was about the time of Christ's death. The Talmudists {t} say, that forty years before the destruction of the temple, the sanhedrim removed, they removed from the paved chamber, &c. But it can hardly be thought that David prophesied of this affair; nor of the captivity of the people of Israel, as the Targum, Aben Ezra, Kimchi, Arama, and R. Obadiah interpret it: and so Jarchi takes the word "shoshannim" to signify lilies, and applies it to the Israelites, who are as a lily among thorns. But not a body of people, but a single person, is spoken of, and in sorrowful and suffering circumstances; and, if the Jews were not blind, they might see that they are the enemies of the person designed, and the evil men from whom he suffered so much. And indeed what is said of him cannot be said of them, nor of any other person whatever but the Messiah: and that the psalm belongs to Christ, and to the times of the Gospel, is abundantly evident from the citations out of it in the New Testament; as

Psalm 69:4 in John 15:25;
Psalm 69:9 in John 2:17;
Psalm 69:21 in Matthew 27:34;
Psalm 69:22 in Romans 11:9;
Psalm 69:25 in Acts 1:16.

The inscription of the psalm in the Syriac version is, "'a psalm' of David, according to the letter, when Shemuah (Sheba), the son of Bichri, blew a trumpet, and the people ceased from following after him (David); but the prophecy is said concerning those things which the Messiah suffered, and concerning the rejection of the Jews." And Aben Ezra interprets Psalm 69:36 of the days of David, or of the days of the Messiah.

{t} T. Bab. Avoda Zara, fol. 8. 2. & Roshhashanah, fol. 31. 1, 2.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible