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A Cry for Help

69 Save me, O God, for the waters have almost taken my life. I have gone down into deep mud and there is no place to put my feet. I have come into deep waters and a flood comes over me. I have cried until I am tired. My mouth is dry. My eyes become weak while I wait for my God. Those who hate me, without a reason, are more than the hairs on my head. Those who want to destroy me are powerful. I am made to return things that I did not steal.

O God, You know how foolish I am. My sins are not hidden from You. May those who wait for You not be put to shame because of me, O Lord God of All. May those who look for You not lose respect because of me, O God of Israel. I have been put to shame because of You. Shame has covered my face. I have become a stranger to my brothers, a stranger to my mother’s sons. For the strong desire for Your house has burned me up. And the bad things said about You have fallen on me. 10 When I cried and went without food, I was put to shame. 11 When I put on clothes made from hair, they made fun of me. 12 Those who sit by the gate talk about me. And I am the song of those who drink too much.

13 But as for me, my prayer is to You at the right time, O Lord. Answer me with Your saving truth in Your great loving-kindness, O God. 14 Take me out of the mud and do not let me go down in it. Take me away from those who hate me and from the deep waters. 15 Keep the flood water from covering me. Do not let the sea swallow me up. Do not let the deep hole close its mouth over me.

16 Answer me, O Lord, for Your loving-kindness is good. Turn to me because of Your great loving-pity. 17 Do not hide Your face from Your servant, for I am in trouble. Hurry to answer me. 18 Come near to me and save me. Pay the price to set me free from those who hate me. 19 You know how I have been put to shame by the bad things said about me. All those who hate me are before You.

20 Being put to shame has broken my heart, and I feel very sick. I looked for pity but there was none. I looked for someone to comfort me but there was no one. 21 They gave me bitter drink in my food. And because I was thirsty they gave me sour wine.

22 May their table in front of them become a net. May it become a trap when they are in peace. 23 May their eyes grow dark so they cannot see. And may their backs always shake. 24 Pour out Your anger on them. May Your burning anger catch up with them. 25 May their place of living be empty and may no one live in their tents. 26 For they have made it hard for the one You have punished. And they talk about the pain of those You have hurt. 27 Let their sins add up, and may they not become right with You. 28 May they be taken out of the book of life, and not be written down with those who are right with You.

29 But I am suffering and in pain. O God, may You save me and set me up on high. 30 I will praise the name of God with song. And I will give Him great honor with much thanks. 31 This will please the Lord more than any ox or young bull with horns and hoofs. 32 Those without pride will see it and be glad. You who look for God, let your heart receive new strength. 33 For the Lord hears those who are in need, and does not hate His people in prison.

34 Let heaven and earth and the seas and all the things that move in them give thanks to Him. 35 For God will save Zion and build the cities of Judah. Then His people may live there and have it for their own. 36 And the children of those who obey Him will have it given to them. Those who love His name will live there.

Psalm 69[a]

For the director of music. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of David.

Save me, O God,
    for the waters(A) have come up to my neck.(B)
I sink in the miry depths,(C)
    where there is no foothold.
I have come into the deep waters;
    the floods engulf me.
I am worn out calling for help;(D)
    my throat is parched.
My eyes fail,(E)
    looking for my God.
Those who hate me(F) without reason(G)
    outnumber the hairs of my head;
many are my enemies without cause,(H)
    those who seek to destroy me.(I)
I am forced to restore
    what I did not steal.

You, God, know my folly;(J)
    my guilt is not hidden from you.(K)

Lord, the Lord Almighty,
    may those who hope in you
    not be disgraced because of me;
God of Israel,
    may those who seek you
    not be put to shame because of me.
For I endure scorn(L) for your sake,(M)
    and shame covers my face.(N)
I am a foreigner to my own family,
    a stranger to my own mother’s children;(O)
for zeal for your house consumes me,(P)
    and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.(Q)
10 When I weep and fast,(R)
    I must endure scorn;
11 when I put on sackcloth,(S)
    people make sport of me.
12 Those who sit at the gate(T) mock me,
    and I am the song of the drunkards.(U)

13 But I pray to you, Lord,
    in the time of your favor;(V)
in your great love,(W) O God,
    answer me with your sure salvation.
14 Rescue me from the mire,
    do not let me sink;
deliver me from those who hate me,
    from the deep waters.(X)
15 Do not let the floodwaters(Y) engulf me
    or the depths swallow me up(Z)
    or the pit close its mouth over me.(AA)

16 Answer me, Lord, out of the goodness of your love;(AB)
    in your great mercy turn to me.
17 Do not hide your face(AC) from your servant;
    answer me quickly,(AD) for I am in trouble.(AE)
18 Come near and rescue me;
    deliver(AF) me because of my foes.

19 You know how I am scorned,(AG) disgraced and shamed;
    all my enemies are before you.
20 Scorn has broken my heart
    and has left me helpless;
I looked for sympathy, but there was none,
    for comforters,(AH) but I found none.(AI)
21 They put gall in my food
    and gave me vinegar(AJ) for my thirst.(AK)

22 May the table set before them become a snare;
    may it become retribution and[b] a trap.(AL)
23 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,
    and their backs be bent forever.(AM)
24 Pour out your wrath(AN) on them;
    let your fierce anger overtake them.
25 May their place be deserted;(AO)
    let there be no one to dwell in their tents.(AP)
26 For they persecute those you wound
    and talk about the pain of those you hurt.(AQ)
27 Charge them with crime upon crime;(AR)
    do not let them share in your salvation.(AS)
28 May they be blotted out of the book of life(AT)
    and not be listed with the righteous.(AU)

29 But as for me, afflicted and in pain—
    may your salvation, God, protect me.(AV)

30 I will praise God’s name in song(AW)
    and glorify him(AX) with thanksgiving.
31 This will please the Lord more than an ox,
    more than a bull with its horns and hooves.(AY)
32 The poor will see and be glad(AZ)
    you who seek God, may your hearts live!(BA)
33 The Lord hears the needy(BB)
    and does not despise his captive people.

34 Let heaven and earth praise him,
    the seas and all that move in them,(BC)
35 for God will save Zion(BD)
    and rebuild the cities of Judah.(BE)
Then people will settle there and possess it;
36     the children of his servants will inherit it,(BF)
    and those who love his name will dwell there.(BG)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 69:1 In Hebrew texts 69:1-36 is numbered 69:2-37.
  2. Psalm 69:22 Or snare / and their fellowship become