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.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Psalm 69:13-21
Commentary on Psalm 69:13-21
(Read Psalm 69:13-21)
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.