1 For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Lilies.” By David. Save me, God, for the waters have come up to my neck! 2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold. I have come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me. 3 I am weary with my crying. My throat is dry. My eyes fail looking for my God. 4 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. 5 God, you know my foolishness. My sins aren’t hidden from you. 6 Don’t let those who wait for you be shamed through me, Lord Yahweh of Armies. Don’t let those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me, God of Israel. 7 Because for your sake, I have borne reproach. Shame has covered my face. 8 I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my mother’s children. 9 For the zeal of your house consumes me. The reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me. 10 When I wept and I fasted, that was to my reproach. 11 When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them. 12 Those who sit in the gate talk about me. I am the song of the drunkards. 13 But as for me, my prayer is to you, Yahweh, in an acceptable time. God, in the abundance of your loving kindness, answer me in the truth of your salvation. 14 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. 15 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. 16 Answer me, Yahweh, for your loving kindness is good. According to the multitude of your tender mercies, turn to me. 17 Don’t hide your face from your servant, for I am in distress. Answer me speedily! 18 Draw near to my soul and redeem it. Ransom me because of my enemies. 19 You know my reproach, my shame, and my dishonor. My adversaries are all before you. 20 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. 21 They also gave me poison for my food. In my thirst, they gave me vinegar to drink. 22 Let their table before them become a snare. May it become a retribution and a trap. 23 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they can’t see. Let their backs be continually bent. 24 Pour out your indignation on them. Let the fierceness of your anger overtake them. 25 Let their habitation be desolate. Let no one dwell in their tents. 26 For they persecute him whom you have wounded. They tell of the sorrow of those whom you have hurt. 27 Charge them with crime upon crime. Don’t let them come into your righteousness. 28 Let them be blotted out of the book of life, and not be written with the righteous. 29 But I am in pain and distress. Let your salvation, God, protect me. 30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. 31 It will please Yahweh better than an ox, or a bull that has horns and hoofs. 32 The humble have seen it, and are glad. You who seek after God, let your heart live. 33 For Yahweh hears the needy, and doesn’t despise his captive people. 34 Let heaven and earth praise him; the seas, and everything that moves therein! 35 For God will save Zion, and build the cities of Judah. They shall settle there, and own it. 36 The children also of his servants shall inherit it. Those who love his name shall dwell therein.
Psalms · World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
Psalm 69 World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (2)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
- "World English Bible" is a trademark of eBible.org; the text is shown unaltered.
Cross references (36)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Psalm 69:14–15; Isaiah 43:2; Lamentations 3:54; Revelation 12:15–16; Revelation 17:15
- 2 Psalm 40:2; Matthew 7:25; Jeremiah 38:6; Psalm 32:6; Psalm 88:6–7
- 3 Psalm 6:6; Psalm 119:82; Psalm 119:123; Isaiah 38:14; Deuteronomy 28:32
- 4 Psalm 35:19; John 15:25; Psalm 109:3–5; Psalm 35:11–12; Isaiah 53:4–7
- 5 Psalm 38:9; Jeremiah 16:17; Psalm 19:12; Psalm 17:3; Psalm 44:20–21
- 6 Psalm 25:3; Psalm 35:26; Luke 24:19–21; Isaiah 49:23; Psalm 72:18
- 7 Isaiah 50:6; Psalm 44:22; Jeremiah 15:15; Hebrews 12:2; Isaiah 53:3
- 8 Psalm 31:11; John 7:5; John 1:11; Matthew 10:35–36; Psalm 38:11
- 9 Romans 15:3; John 2:14–17; Psalm 119:139; Mark 11:15–17; Psalm 89:41
- 10 Luke 7:33–34; Psalm 109:24–25; Psalm 102:8–9; Psalm 35:13
- 11 Job 17:6; 1 Kings 9:7; Jeremiah 24:9; Deuteronomy 28:37; Joel 1:8
- 12 Acts 4:26–27; Psalm 35:15–16; Matthew 27:41–42; Luke 23:2; Matthew 27:62–63
- 13 2 Corinthians 6:2; Isaiah 49:8; Psalm 55:16–17; Psalm 91:15; Isaiah 55:6
- 14 Psalm 144:7; Psalm 109:21; Jeremiah 38:6–13; Psalm 69:1–2; Lamentations 3:55
- 15 Revelation 12:15–16; Acts 2:24; Isaiah 43:1–2; Jonah 2:2–7; Psalm 16:10
- 16 Psalm 109:21; Psalm 25:16; Psalm 63:3; Micah 7:19; Psalm 106:45
- 17 Psalm 27:9; Psalm 102:2; Matthew 27:46; Psalm 143:9; Psalm 70:1
- 18 Psalm 111:9; Psalm 22:19; Psalm 22:1; Psalm 49:15; Psalm 10:1
- 19 Hebrews 12:2; Isaiah 53:3; 1 Peter 2:23; Psalm 38:9; Psalm 2:2–4
- 20 Isaiah 63:5; Job 16:2; Psalm 142:4; Mark 14:50; Matthew 26:56
- 21 Matthew 27:34; Luke 23:36; Mark 15:23; Matthew 27:48; Mark 15:36
- 22 1 Thessalonians 5:3; Romans 11:8–10; 1 Peter 2:8; Isaiah 8:14–15; Proverbs 1:32
- 23 Daniel 5:6; Romans 11:10; Isaiah 6:9–10; 2 Corinthians 3:14; Jeremiah 30:6
- 24 Psalm 79:6; Hosea 5:10; Revelation 16:1; Luke 21:22; Deuteronomy 28:15–68
- 25 Acts 1:20; Matthew 23:38; Jeremiah 7:12–14; Isaiah 6:11; Luke 13:35
- 26 Isaiah 53:4; Zechariah 1:15; Mark 15:27–32; Isaiah 53:10; Zechariah 13:7
- 27 Isaiah 26:10; Nehemiah 4:5; Romans 1:28; Revelation 22:10–11; 2 Thessalonians 2:11–12
- 28 Exodus 32:32–33; Philippians 4:3; Luke 10:20; Ezekiel 13:9; Revelation 13:8
- 29 Psalm 91:14–16; Psalm 40:17; Psalm 70:5; Psalm 109:22; Philippians 2:9–11
- 30 Psalm 28:7; Psalm 34:3; Psalm 118:28–29; Psalm 40:1–3; Psalm 50:14
- 31 Hebrews 13:15; Psalm 50:13–14; 1 Peter 2:5; Ephesians 5:19–20; Psalm 50:23
- 32 John 16:22; Psalm 22:26; Isaiah 55:6–7; Psalm 34:2; Isaiah 61:1–3
- 33 Acts 5:18–19; Psalm 68:6; Zechariah 9:11–12; Revelation 2:10; Psalm 146:7
- 34 Isaiah 49:13; Psalm 150:6; Psalm 96:11; Isaiah 55:12; Psalm 148:1–14
- 35 Isaiah 44:26; Isaiah 46:13; Psalm 51:18; Obadiah 17; Psalm 48:11–13
- 36 Psalm 102:28; James 1:12; Acts 2:39; Psalm 37:29; John 14:23
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Of this Psalm, the title seemeth not to need operose discussion: for simple and easy it appeareth. For thus it standeth: "For the end, for David himself a Psalm of a Song." But in many Psalms already we have reminded you what is "at the end: for the end of the Law is Christ for righteousness to every man believing:" …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
For, says the elect David, "I will confess unto the Lord; and that will please Him more than a young bullock that hath horns and hoofs. Let the poor see it, and be glad." And again he saith, "Offer unto God the sacrifice of praise, and pay thy vows unto the Most High.
Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein; and, His bishoprick let another take;" --thus leading to the completion of the apostles, according to the words spoken by David.
For thus do men hear not with an intent to hear merely, but to act also. Seek the Lord, and your soul shall live, that the earth may bring forth the living soul.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
… parted my garments," saith he, "among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots." And elsewhere again he saith, that they also offered Him vinegar; "For they gave me," saith He, "gall for my meat, and for my thirst they made me drink vinegar." So then the prophets, so many years before, speak of the hall of judgment, and …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)