Psalm 69:1-18
A Cry of Distress
691 To the chief Musician. Upon Shoshannim. [A Psalm] of David. Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto [my] soul. 2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing; I am come into the depths of waters, and the flood overfloweth me. 3 I am weary with my crying, my throat is parched; mine eyes fail while I wait for my God. 4 They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head; they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away. 5 Thou, O God, knowest my foolishness, and my trespasses are not hidden from thee. 6 Let not them that wait on thee, Lord, Jehovah of hosts, be ashamed through me; let not those that seek thee be confounded through me, O God of Israel. 7 Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; confusion hath covered my face. 8 I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's sons; 9 For the zeal of thy house hath devoured me, and the reproaches of them that reproach thee have fallen upon me. 10 And I wept, my soul was fasting: that also was to my reproach;— 11 And I made sackcloth my garment: then I became a proverb to them. 12 They that sit in the gate talk of me, and [I am] the song of the drunkards.
13 But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, Jehovah, in an acceptable time: O God, in the abundance of thy loving-kindness answer me, according to the truth of thy salvation: 14 Deliver me out of the mire, let me not sink; let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the depths of waters. 15 Let not the flood of waters overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up; and let not the pit shut its mouth upon me. 16 Answer me, O Jehovah; for thy loving-kindness is good: according to the abundance of thy tender mercies, turn toward me; 17 And hide not thy face from thy servant, for I am in trouble: answer me speedily. 18 Draw nigh unto my soul, be its redeemer; ransom me because of mine enemies.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Psalm 69:1-18
Commentary on Psalm 69:1-12
(Read Psalm 69:1-12)
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.
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.