The Book of Psalms

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 69 -

The water is up to my neck

Save me, O God, for the waters are up to my neck.

I have sunk into the miry depths, where there is no footing; I have drifted into deep waters, where the flood engulfs me.

I am weary from my crying; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God.

Those who hate me without cause outnumber the hairs of my head; many are those who would destroy me— my enemies for no reason.(a) Though I did not steal, I must repay.

You know my folly, O God, and my guilt is not hidden from You.

May those who hope in You not be ashamed through me, O Lord GOD of Hosts; may those who seek You not be dishonored through me, O God of Israel.

For I have endured scorn for Your sake, and shame has covered my face.

I have become a stranger to my brothers and a foreigner to my mother’s sons,

because zeal for Your house has consumed me,(b) and the insults of those who insult You have fallen on me.(c)

I wept and fasted, but it brought me reproach.

I made sackcloth my clothing, and I was sport to them.

Those who sit at the gate mock me, and I am the song of drunkards.

But my prayer to You, O LORD, is for a time of favor. In Your abundant loving devotion, O God, answer me with Your sure salvation.

Rescue me from the mire and do not let me sink; deliver me from my foes and out of the deep waters.

Do not let the floods engulf me or the depths swallow me up; let not the Pit close its mouth over me.

Answer me, O LORD, for Your loving devotion is good; turn to me in keeping with Your great compassion.

Hide not Your face from Your servant, for I am in distress. Answer me quickly!

Draw near to my soul and redeem me; ransom me because of my foes.

You know my reproach, my shame and disgrace. All my adversaries are before You.

Insults have broken my heart, and I am in despair. I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found no one.

They poisoned my food with gall and gave me vinegar to quench my thirst.

May their table become a snare; may it be a retribution and a trap.(d)

May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.(e)

Pour out Your wrath upon them, and let Your burning anger overtake them.

May their place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in their tents.(f)

For they persecute the one You struck and recount the pain of those You wounded.

Add iniquity to their iniquity; let them not share in Your righteousness.

May they be blotted out of the Book of Life and not listed with the righteous.

But I am in pain and distress; let Your salvation protect me, O God.

I will praise God’s name in song and exalt Him with thanksgiving.

And this will please the LORD more than an ox, more than a bull with horns and hooves.

The humble will see and rejoice. You who seek God, let your hearts be revived!

For the LORD listens to the needy and does not despise His captive people.

Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and everything that moves in them.

For God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah, that they may dwell there and possess it.

The descendants of His servants will inherit it, and those who love His name will settle in it.

Footnotes

(a)69:4 See John 15:25

(b)69:9 Cited in John 2:17

(d)69:22 A slight revocalization of the Hebrew (see also LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate); literally may their prosperity be a trap; cited in Romans 11:9

(e)69:23 LXX; Hebrew and may their loins tremble continually; cited in Romans 11:10

(f)69:25 Cited in Acts 1:20

The water is up to my neck

Save me, God, for the waters have come up to my neck!

I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold. I have come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.

I am weary with my crying. My throat is dry. My eyes fail looking for my God.

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.

God, you know my foolishness. My sins aren’t hidden from you.

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.

Because for your sake, I have borne reproach. Shame has covered my face.

I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my mother’s children.

For the zeal of your house consumes me. The reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.

When I wept and I fasted, that was to my reproach.

When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them.

Those who sit in the gate talk about me. I am the song of the drunkards.

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.

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.

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.

Answer me, LORD, for your loving kindness is good. According to the multitude of your tender mercies, turn to me.

Don’t hide your face from your servant, for I am in distress. Answer me speedily!

Draw near to my soul and redeem it. Ransom me because of my enemies.

You know my reproach, my shame, and my dishonor. My adversaries are all before you.

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.

They also gave me poison for my food. In my thirst, they gave me vinegar to drink.

Let their table before them become a snare. May it become a retribution and a trap.

Let their eyes be darkened, so that they can’t see. Let their backs be continually bent.

Pour out your indignation on them. Let the fierceness of your anger overtake them.

Let their habitation be desolate. Let no one dwell in their tents.

For they persecute him whom you have wounded. They tell of the sorrow of those whom you have hurt.

Charge them with crime upon crime. Don’t let them come into your righteousness.

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

But I am in pain and distress. Let your salvation, God, protect me.

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

It will please the LORD better than an ox, or a bull that has horns and hoofs.

The humble have seen it, and are glad. You who seek after God, let your heart live.

For the LORD hears the needy, and doesn’t despise his captive people.

Let heaven and earth praise him; the seas, and everything that moves therein!

For God will save Zion, and build the cities of Judah. They shall settle there, and own it.

The children also of his servants shall inherit it. Those who love his name shall dwell therein.