For the director of music. A psalm of David to the tune of ‘Lilies’.
1God, save me. My troubles are like a flood. I’m up to my neck in them.2I’m sinking in deep mud. I have no firm place to stand. I am out in deep water. The waves roll over me.3I’m worn out from calling for help. My throat is very dry. My eyes grow tired looking for my God.4Those who hate me without any reason are more than the hairs on my head. Many people who don’t have any reason to be my enemies are trying to destroy me. They force me to give back what I didn’t steal.5God, you know how foolish I’ve been. My guilt is not hidden from you.6Lord, you are the LORD who rules over all. May those who put their hope in you not be dishonoured because of me. You are the God of Israel. May those who worship you not be put to shame because of me.7Because of you, people laugh at me. My face is covered with shame.8I’m an outsider to my own family. I’m a stranger to my own mother’s children.9My great love for your house destroys me. Those who make fun of you make fun of me also.10When I weep and go without eating, they laugh at me.11When I put on rough clothing to show how sad I am, people make jokes about me.12Those who gather in public places make fun of me. Those who get drunk make up songs about me.13But LORD, I pray to you. May this be the time you help me. God, answer me because you love me so much. Save me, as you always do.14Save me from the trouble I’m in. It’s like slippery mud, so don’t let me sink in it. Save me from those who hate me. Save me from the deep water I’m in.15Don’t let the floods cover me. Don’t let the deep water swallow me up. Don’t let the grave close its mouth over me.16LORD, answer me because your love is so good. Turn to me because you are so kind.17Don’t turn your face away from me. Answer me quickly. I’m in trouble.18Come near and save me. Set me free from my enemies.19You know how they make fun of me. They dishonour me and put me to shame. You know all about my enemies.20They have broken my heart by saying evil things about me. It has left me helpless. I looked for pity, but I didn’t find any. I looked for someone to comfort me, but I didn’t find anyone.21They put bitter spices in my food. They gave me vinegar when I was thirsty.22Let their feast be a trap and a snare. Let my enemies get what’s coming to them.23Let their eyes grow weak so they can’t see. Let their backs be bent for ever.24Pour out your anger on them. Let them feel what it is like.25May their homes be deserted. May no one live in their tents.26They attack those you have wounded. They talk about the pain of those you have hurt.27Charge them with one crime after another. Don’t save them.28May their names be erased from the book of life. Don’t include them in the list of those who do right.29I’m in pain. I’m in deep trouble. God, save me and keep me safe.30I will praise God’s name by singing to him. I will bring him glory by giving him thanks.31That will please the LORD more than offering him an ox. It will please him more than offering him a bull with its horns and hooves.32Poor people will see it and be glad. The hearts of those who worship God will be strengthened.33The LORD hears those who are in need. He doesn’t forget his people in prison.34Let heaven and earth praise him. Let the oceans and everything that moves in them praise him.35God will save Zion. He will build the cities of Judah again. Then people will live in them and own the land.36The children of those who serve God will receive it. Those who love him will live there.
Psalm 69
English Standard Version
Save Me, O God
1To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. Of David. Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck.[1] (Job 22:11; Ps 32:6; Ps 45:1; Ps 69:14; Ps 130:1)2I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me. (Ps 40:2; Ps 69:14; Ps 124:4)3I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God. (De 28:32; Ps 6:6; Ps 22:15; Ps 31:24; Ps 119:82; Ps 119:123; Isa 38:14)4More in number than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause; mighty are those who would destroy me, those who attack me with lies. What I did not steal must I now restore? (Ps 35:7; Ps 35:19; Ps 38:19; Ps 40:12; Ps 59:3; Ps 109:3; Ps 119:161; Joh 15:25)5O God, you know my folly; the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you.6Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me, O Lord God of hosts; let not those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me, O God of Israel. (Ps 25:2)7For it is for your sake that I have borne reproach, that dishonor has covered my face. (Ps 44:22; Jer 15:15)8I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my mother’s sons. (Job 19:13; Ps 31:11; Ps 38:11; Joh 1:11)9For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me. (Ps 89:41; Ps 89:50; Ps 119:139; Ps 132:1; Joh 2:17; Ro 15:3)10When I wept and humbled[2] my soul with fasting, it became my reproach.11When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them. (Job 17:6; Ps 35:13)12I am the talk of those who sit in the gate, and the drunkards make songs about me. (Ge 19:1; Es 2:19; Job 30:9)13But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness. (Ps 32:6; Ps 109:4; Isa 49:8; 2Co 6:2)14Deliver me from sinking in the mire; let me be delivered from my enemies and from the deep waters. (Ps 69:1; Ps 69:2; Ps 144:7)15Let not the flood sweep over me, or the deep swallow me up, or the pit close its mouth over me. (Nu 16:33; Ps 55:23)16Answer me, O Lord, for your steadfast love is good; according to your abundant mercy, turn to me. (Ps 25:16; Ps 63:3; Ps 106:45; Ps 109:21)17Hide not your face from your servant, for I am in distress; make haste to answer me. (Ps 18:6; Ps 27:9; Ps 102:2; Ps 143:7)18Draw near to my soul, redeem me; ransom me because of my enemies!19You know my reproach, and my shame and my dishonor; my foes are all known to you. (Ps 22:6; Ps 69:10; Heb 12:2)20Reproaches have broken my heart, so that I am in despair. I looked for pity, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none. (Job 16:2; Ps 69:19; Ps 142:4; Isa 63:5; Jer 15:5; Mt 26:37)21They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink. (De 29:18; Mt 27:34; Mt 27:48; Mr 15:23; Lu 23:36; Joh 19:29)22Let their own table before them become a snare; and when they are at peace, let it become a trap.[3] (Ps 23:5; Ps 35:4; Ps 109:6; Ro 11:9; 1Th 5:3)23Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see, and make their loins tremble continually. (Isa 6:10; Da 5:6; Na 2:10; Mt 13:14)24Pour out your indignation upon them, and let your burning anger overtake them.25May their camp be a desolation; let no one dwell in their tents. (Mt 23:38; Lu 13:35; Ac 1:20)26For they persecute him whom you have struck down, and they recount the pain of those you have wounded. (Job 19:21; Isa 53:4; Zec 1:15)27Add to them punishment upon punishment; may they have no acquittal from you.[4] (Ne 4:5)28Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; let them not be enrolled among the righteous. (Ex 32:32; Eze 13:9; Lu 10:20; Php 4:3; Heb 12:23; Re 3:5)29But I am afflicted and in pain; let your salvation, O God, set me on high! (Ps 20:1)30I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving. (Ps 28:7; Ps 34:3; Ps 50:14; Ps 50:23)31This will please the Lord more than an ox or a bull with horns and hoofs. (Le 11:3; Ps 50:13)32When the humble see it they will be glad; you who seek God, let your hearts revive. (Ps 22:26; Ps 34:2)33For the Lord hears the needy and does not despise his own people who are prisoners. (Ps 68:6)34Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and everything that moves in them. (Ps 96:11; Ps 98:7; Ps 148:1; Isa 44:23; Isa 49:13)35For God will save Zion and build up the cities of Judah, and people shall dwell there and possess it; (Ps 51:18; Isa 44:26)36the offspring of his servants shall inherit it, and those who love his name shall dwell in it. (Ps 37:29; Ps 102:28; Isa 65:9)