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A Cry for Help[a]

69 Save me, O God!
    The water is up to my neck;
I am sinking in deep mud,
    and there is no solid ground;
I am out in deep water,
    and the waves are about to drown me.
I am worn out from calling for help,
    and my throat is aching.
I have strained my eyes,
    looking for your help.

(A)Those who hate me for no reason
    are more numerous than the hairs of my head.
My enemies tell lies against me;
    they are strong and want to kill me.
They made me give back things I did not steal.
My sins, O God, are not hidden from you;
    you know how foolish I have been.
Don't let me bring shame on those who trust in you,
    Sovereign Lord Almighty!
Don't let me bring disgrace to those who worship you,
    O God of Israel!
It is for your sake that I have been insulted
    and that I am covered with shame.
I am like a stranger to my relatives,
    like a foreigner to my family.

(B)My devotion to your Temple burns in me like a fire;
    the insults which are hurled at you fall on me.
10 I humble myself[b] by fasting,
    and people insult me;
11 I dress myself in clothes of mourning,
    and they laugh at me.
12 They talk about me in the streets,
    and drunkards make up songs about me.

13 But as for me, I will pray to you, Lord;
    answer me, God, at a time you choose.
Answer me because of your great love,
    because you keep your promise to save.
14 Save me from sinking in the mud;
    keep me safe from my enemies,
    safe from the deep water.
15 Don't let the flood come over me;
    don't let me drown in the depths
    or sink into the grave.

16 Answer me, Lord, in the goodness of your constant love;
    in your great compassion turn to me!
17 Don't hide yourself from your servant;
    I am in great trouble—answer me now!
18 Come to me and save me;
    rescue me from my enemies.

19 You know how I am insulted,
    how I am disgraced and dishonored;
    you see all my enemies.
20 Insults have broken my heart,
    and I am in despair.
I had hoped for sympathy, but there was none;
    for comfort, but I found none.
21 (C)When I was hungry, they gave me poison;
    when I was thirsty, they offered me vinegar.

22 (D)May their banquets cause their ruin;
    may their sacred feasts cause their downfall.
23 Strike them with blindness!
    Make their backs always weak!
24 Pour out your anger on them;
    let your indignation overtake them.
25 (E)May their camps be left deserted;
    may no one be left alive in their tents.
26 They persecute those whom you have punished;
    they talk about the sufferings of those you have wounded.
27 Keep a record of all their sins;
    don't let them have any part in your salvation.
28 (F)May their names be erased from the book of the living;
    may they not be included in the list of your people.

29 But I am in pain and despair;
    lift me up, O God, and save me!

30 I will praise God with a song;
    I will proclaim his greatness by giving him thanks.
31 This will please the Lord more than offering him cattle,
    more than sacrificing a full-grown bull.
32 When the oppressed see this, they will be glad;
    those who worship God will be encouraged.
33 The Lord listens to those in need
    and does not forget his people in prison.

34 Praise God, O heaven and earth,
    seas and all creatures in them.
35 He will save Jerusalem
    and rebuild the towns of Judah.
His people will live there and possess the land;
36     the descendants of his servants will inherit it,
    and those who love him will live there.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 69:1 HEBREW TITLE: By David.
  2. Psalm 69:10 Some ancient translations humble myself; Hebrew cry.

Psalm 69[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of David.

Save me, O God,
    for the waters(A) have come up to my neck.(B)
I sink in the miry depths,(C)
    where there is no foothold.
I have come into the deep waters;
    the floods engulf me.
I am worn out calling for help;(D)
    my throat is parched.
My eyes fail,(E)
    looking for my God.
Those who hate me(F) without reason(G)
    outnumber the hairs of my head;
many are my enemies without cause,(H)
    those who seek to destroy me.(I)
I am forced to restore
    what I did not steal.

You, God, know my folly;(J)
    my guilt is not hidden from you.(K)

Lord, the Lord Almighty,
    may those who hope in you
    not be disgraced because of me;
God of Israel,
    may those who seek you
    not be put to shame because of me.
For I endure scorn(L) for your sake,(M)
    and shame covers my face.(N)
I am a foreigner to my own family,
    a stranger to my own mother’s children;(O)
for zeal for your house consumes me,(P)
    and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.(Q)
10 When I weep and fast,(R)
    I must endure scorn;
11 when I put on sackcloth,(S)
    people make sport of me.
12 Those who sit at the gate(T) mock me,
    and I am the song of the drunkards.(U)

13 But I pray to you, Lord,
    in the time of your favor;(V)
in your great love,(W) O God,
    answer me with your sure salvation.
14 Rescue me from the mire,
    do not let me sink;
deliver me from those who hate me,
    from the deep waters.(X)
15 Do not let the floodwaters(Y) engulf me
    or the depths swallow me up(Z)
    or the pit close its mouth over me.(AA)

16 Answer me, Lord, out of the goodness of your love;(AB)
    in your great mercy turn to me.
17 Do not hide your face(AC) from your servant;
    answer me quickly,(AD) for I am in trouble.(AE)
18 Come near and rescue me;
    deliver(AF) me because of my foes.

19 You know how I am scorned,(AG) disgraced and shamed;
    all my enemies are before you.
20 Scorn has broken my heart
    and has left me helpless;
I looked for sympathy, but there was none,
    for comforters,(AH) but I found none.(AI)
21 They put gall in my food
    and gave me vinegar(AJ) for my thirst.(AK)

22 May the table set before them become a snare;
    may it become retribution and[b] a trap.(AL)
23 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,
    and their backs be bent forever.(AM)
24 Pour out your wrath(AN) on them;
    let your fierce anger overtake them.
25 May their place be deserted;(AO)
    let there be no one to dwell in their tents.(AP)
26 For they persecute those you wound
    and talk about the pain of those you hurt.(AQ)
27 Charge them with crime upon crime;(AR)
    do not let them share in your salvation.(AS)
28 May they be blotted out of the book of life(AT)
    and not be listed with the righteous.(AU)

29 But as for me, afflicted and in pain—
    may your salvation, God, protect me.(AV)

30 I will praise God’s name in song(AW)
    and glorify him(AX) with thanksgiving.
31 This will please the Lord more than an ox,
    more than a bull with its horns and hooves.(AY)
32 The poor will see and be glad(AZ)
    you who seek God, may your hearts live!(BA)
33 The Lord hears the needy(BB)
    and does not despise his captive people.

34 Let heaven and earth praise him,
    the seas and all that move in them,(BC)
35 for God will save Zion(BD)
    and rebuild the cities of Judah.(BE)
Then people will settle there and possess it;
36     the children of his servants will inherit it,(BF)
    and those who love his name will dwell there.(BG)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 69:1 In Hebrew texts 69:1-36 is numbered 69:2-37.
  2. Psalm 69:22 Or snare / and their fellowship become