Psalms 69
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Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
Upon Shoshannim--(See on Psa 45:1, title). Mingling the language of prayer and complaint, the sufferer, whose condition is here set forth, pleads for God's help as one suffering in His cause, implores the divine retribution on his malicious enemies, and, viewing his deliverance as sure, promises praise by himself, and others, to whom God will extend like blessings. This Psalm is referred to seven times in the New Testament as prophetical of Christ and the gospel times. Although the character in which the Psalmist appears to some in Psa 69:5 is that of a sinner, yet his condition as a sufferer innocent of alleged crimes sustains the typical character of the composition, and it may be therefore regarded throughout, as the twenty-second, as typically expressive of the feelings of our Saviour in the flesh. (Psa. 69:1-36) (Compare Psa 40:2). come in unto my soul--literally, "come even to my soul," endanger my life by drowning (Jon 2:5).
Open source ↗Save me, O God,.... The petitioner is Christ; not as a divine Person, as such he is blessed for ever, and stands in no need of help and assistance; but as man, and in distressed and suffering circumstances. As a priest, it was part of his work to intercede, as well as to offer sacrifice; and though he did not offer a sin offering for himself, yet he offered up supplications, with strong cryings and tears; and, as the surety of his people, he prayed, in point of right and justice, both for himself and them; see Joh 17:4. The person petitioned is God the Father, who was able to save him, and always heard him; and did in this petition, Heb 5:7; which perfectly agrees with some petitions of Christ, recorded in the New Testament, Joh 12:27. These show the weakness of the human nature, the weight of sin upon him, and his sense of the wrath of God; and which, notwithstanding, were made with limitations and restrictions, and even with a correction. Moreover, this may also design help and assistance from his divine Father, which was promised him, and he expected and had, in the acceptable time, in the day of salvation: and he was so saved in death, as that he abolished that, and destroyed him that had the power of it; and was quickly raised from the grave, and thereby saved out of it. And this he could have done himself, but he would be saved in a legal way, in a way of justice; and as a point of honour, when he had done the work, he, as a surety, engaged to do. The reasons enforcing this petition follow: for the waters are come in unto my soul: the Messiah represents his case, in these words, and in Psa 69:2, as like to that of a man standing up to his chin in water, and the waters running into his mouth, just suffocating him; and that in a miry place, where he could not set hi…
Open source ↗Out of deep distress, the work of his foes, the complaining one cries for help; he thinks upon his sins, which is sufferings bring to his remembrance, but he is also distinctly conscious that he is an object of scorn and hostility for God's sake, and from His mercy he looks for help in accordance with His promises. The waters are said to rush in unto the soul (עד־נפשׁ), when they so press upon the imperilled one that the soul, i.e., the life of the body, more especially the breath, is threatened; cf. Jon 2:6; Jer 4:10. Waters are also a figure of calamities that come on like a flood and drag one into their vortex, Psa 18:17; Psa 32:6; Psa 124:5, cf. Psa 66:12; Psa 88:8, Psa 88:18; here, however, the figure is cut off in such a way that it conveys the impression of reality expressed in a poetical form, as in Ps 40, and much the same as in Jonah's psalm. The soft, yielding morass is called יון, and the eddying deep מצוּלה. The Nomen Hophal. מעמד signifies properly a being placed, then a standing-place, or firm standing (lxx ὑπόστασις), like מטּה, that which is stretched out, extension, Isa 8:8. שׁבּלת (Ephraimitish סבּלת) is a streaming, a flood, from שׁבל, Arab. sbl, to stream, flow (cf. note on Psa 58:9). בּוא בּ, to fall into, as in Psa 66:12, and שׁטף with an accusative, to overflow, as in Psa 124:4. The complaining one is nearly drowned in consequence of his sinking down, for he has long cried in vain for help: he is wearied by continual crying (יגע בּ, as in Psa 6:7, Jer 45:3), his throat is parched (נחר from חרר; lxx and Jerome: it is become hoarse), his eyes have failed (Jer 14:6) him, who waits upon his God. The participle מיחל, equal to a relative clause, is, as in 18:51, Kg1 14:6, attached to the suffix of the preceding noun (Hitzig). Distinct from this use o…
Open source ↗In these verses David complains of his troubles, intermixing with those complaints some requests for relief. I. His complaints are very sad, and he pours them out before the Lord, as one that hoped thus to ease himself of a burden that lay very heaven upon him. 1. He complains of the deep impressions that his troubles made upon his spirit (Psa 69:1, Psa 69:2): "The waters of affliction, those bitter waters, have come unto my soul, not only threaten my life, but disquiet my mind; they fill my head with perplexing cares and my heart with oppressive grief, so that I cannot enjoy God and myself as I used to do." We shall bear up under our troubles if we can but keep them from our hearts; but, when they put us out of the possession of our own souls, our case is bad. The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but what shall we do when the spirit is wounded? That was David's case here. His thoughts sought for something to confide in, and with which to support his hope, but he found nothing: He sunk in keep mire, where there was no standing, no firm footing; the considerations that used to support and encourage him now failed him, or were out of the way, and he was ready to give himself up for gone. He sought for something to comfort himself with, but found himself in deep waters that overflowed him, overwhelmed him; he was like a sinking drowning man, in such confusion and consternation. This points at Christ's sufferings in his soul, and the inward agony he was in when he said, Now is my soul troubled; and, My soul is exceedingly sorrowful; for it was his soul that he made an offering for sin. And it instructs us, when we are in affliction, to commit the keeping of our souls to God, that we may be neither soured with discontent nor sink into despair. 2. He complains of t…
Open source ↗Pss 69–72 These last four psalms of Book Two contrast with the psalms describing God’s mighty acts in creation and in redemption, capped by God’s march to Zion (Pss 65–68). Psalms 69–71 portray the king’s anguish, and Ps 72 responds with a prayer for God to bless the king. Ps 69 In this individual lament, the poet expresses his vulnerability, humiliation, and overwhelming pain, asking God to vindicate him for the sake of the righteous. 69:title to the tune “Lilies”: Psalm 45 also notes this tune, but Ps 45 celebrates the glory of kingship, whereas Ps 69 is the cry of a tired king who feels abandoned by the Lord. 69:1-2 The psalmist sees himself as almost drowning but still surviving chaotic forces and alienation from God (see 42:7; 69:14, 15; Isa 8:8).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
נָצַח (nâtsach, H5329) — properly, to glitter from afar, i.e. to be eminent (as a superintendent, especially of… שׁוּשַׁן (shûwshan, H7799) — a lily (from its whiteness), as aflower of architectural ornament; also a (straight)… דָּוִד (Dâvid, H1732) — David, the youngest son of Jesse יָשַׁע (yâshaʻ, H3467) — properly, to be open, wide or free, i.e. (by implication) to be safe; causatively, to… אֱלֹהִים (ʼĕlôhîym, H430) — gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with… מַיִם (mayim, H4325) — water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) נֶפֶשׁ (nephesh, H5315) — properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in…
Open source ↗טָבַע (ṭâbaʻ, H2883) — to sink מְצוֹלָה (mᵉtsôwlâh, H4688) — a deep place (of water or mud) יָוֵן (yâvên, H3121) — properly, dregs (as effervescing); hence, mud מׇעֳמָד (moʻŏmâd, H4613) — literally a foothold בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) מַעֲמָק (maʻămâq, H4615) — a deep מַיִם (mayim, H4325) — water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen שִׁבֹּל (shibbôl, H7641) — a stream (as flowing); also an ear of grain (as growing out); by analogy, a branch שָׁטַף (shâṭaph, H7857) — to gush; by implication, to inundate, cleanse; by analogy, to gallop, conquer
Open source ↗יָגַע (yâgaʻ, H3021) — properly, to gasp; hence, to be exhausted, to tire, to toil קָרָא (qârâʼ, H7121) — to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of… גָּרוֹן (gârôwn, H1627) — the throat (as roughened by swallowing) חָרַר (chârar, H2787) — to glow, i.e. literally (to melt, burn, dry up) or figuratively (to show or incite… עַיִן (ʻayin, H5869) — an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape) כָּלָה (kâlâh, H3615) — to end, whether intransitive (to cease, be finished, perish) or transitived (to complete,… יָחַל (yâchal, H3176) — to wait; by implication, to be patient, hope אֱלֹהִים (ʼĕlôhîym, H430) — gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with…
Open source ↗שָׂנֵא (sânêʼ, H8130) — to hate (personally) חִנָּם (chinnâm, H2600) — gratis, i.e. devoid of cost, reason or advantage רָבַב (râbab, H7231) — properly, to cast together , i.e. increase, especially in number; to multiply by the… שַׂעֲרָה (saʻărâh, H8185) — hairiness רֹאשׁ (rôʼsh, H7218) — the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of… צָמַת (tsâmath, H6789) — to extirpate (literally or figuratively) אֹיֵב (ʼôyêb, H341) — hating; an adversary שֶׁקֶר (sheqer, H8267) — an untruth; by implication, a sham (often adverbial) עָצַם (ʻâtsam, H6105) — to bind fast, i.e. close (the eyes); intransitively, to be (causatively, make) powerful… שׁוּב (shûwb, H7725) — to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not… גָּזַל (gâzal, H1497) — to pluck off; specifically to flay, strip or rob
Open source ↗אֱלֹהִים (ʼĕlôhîym, H430) — gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with… יָדַע (yâdaʻ, H3045) — to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses,… אִוֶּלֶת (ʼivveleth, H200) — silliness אַשְׁמָה (ʼashmâh, H819) — guiltiness, a fault, the presentation of asin-offering כָּחַד (kâchad, H3582) — to secrete, by act or word; hence (intensively) to destroy
Open source ↗קָוָה (qâvâh, H6960) — to bind together (perhaps by twisting), i.e. collect; (figuratively) to expect אֲדֹנָי (ʼĂdônây, H136) — the Lord (used as a proper name of God only) יְהֹוִה (Yᵉhôvih, H3069) — {YHWH} צָבָא (tsâbâʼ, H6635) — a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized forwar (an army);… בּוּשׁ (bûwsh, H954) — properly, to pale, i.e. by implication to be ashamed; also (by implication) to be… בָּקַשׁ (bâqash, H1245) — to search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer); by implication, to… כָּלַם (kâlam, H3637) — properly, to wound; but only figuratively, to taunt or insult אֱלֹהִים (ʼĕlôhîym, H430) — gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with… יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisrâʼêl, H3478) — Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
Open source ↗נָשָׂא (nâsâʼ, H5375) — to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative חֶרְפָּה (cherpâh, H2781) — contumely, disgrace, the pudenda כְּלִמָּה (kᵉlimmâh, H3639) — disgrace כָּסָה (kâçâh, H3680) — properly, to plump, i.e. fill up hollows; by implication, to cover (for clothing or… פָּנִים (pânîym, H6440) — the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and…
Open source ↗זוּר (zûwr, H2114) — to turn aside (especially for lodging); hence to be aforeigner, strange, profane;… אָח (ʼâch, H251) — a brother (used in the widest sense of literal relationship and metaphorical affinity or… נׇכְרִי (nokrîy, H5237) — strange, in a variety of degrees and applications (foreign, non-relative, adulterous,… אֵם (ʼêm, H517) — a mother (as the bond of the family); in a wide sense (both literally and figuratively… בֵּן (bên, H1121) — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative…
Open source ↗קִנְאָה (qinʼâh, H7068) — jealousy or envy בַּיִת (bayith, H1004) — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.) אָכַל (ʼâkal, H398) — to eat (literally or figuratively) חֶרְפָּה (cherpâh, H2781) — contumely, disgrace, the pudenda חָרַף (châraph, H2778) — to pull off, i.e. (by implication) to expose (as by stripping); specifically, to betroth… נָפַל (nâphal, H5307) — to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or…
Open source ↗בָּכָה (bâkâh, H1058) — to weep; generally to bemoan נֶפֶשׁ (nephesh, H5315) — properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in… צוֹם (tsôwm, H6685) — a fast חֶרְפָּה (cherpâh, H2781) — contumely, disgrace, the pudenda
Open source ↗נָתַן (nâthan, H5414) — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.) שַׂק (saq, H8242) — properly, a mesh (as allowing a liquid to run through), i.e. coarse loose cloth or… לְבוּשׁ (lᵉbûwsh, H3830) — a garment (literally or figuratively); by implication (euphemistically) a wife מָשָׁל (mâshâl, H4912) — properly, a pithy maxim, usually of metaphorical nature; hence, a simile (as an adage,…
Open source ↗יָשַׁב (yâshab, H3427) — properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to… שַׁעַר (shaʻar, H8179) — an opening, i.e. door or gate שִׂיחַ (sîyach, H7878) — to ponder, i.e. (by implication) converse (with oneself, and hence, aloud) or… נְגִינָה (nᵉgîynâh, H5058) — properly, instrumental music; by implication, a stringed instrument; by extension, a poem… שָׁתָה (shâthâh, H8354) — to imbibe (literally or figuratively) שֵׁכָר (shêkâr, H7941) — an intoxicant, i.e. intensely alcoholic liquor
Open source ↗תְּפִלָּה (tᵉphillâh, H8605) — intercession, supplication; by implication, a hymn יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God רָצוֹן (râtsôwn, H7522) — delight (especially as shown) עֵת (ʻêth, H6256) — time, especially (adverb with preposition) now, when, etc. אֱלֹהִים (ʼĕlôhîym, H430) — gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with… רֹב (rôb, H7230) — abundance (in any respect) חֵסֵד (chêçêd, H2617) — kindness; by implication (towards God) piety; rarely (by opposition) reproof, or… עָנָה (ʻânâh, H6030) — properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond;… אֶמֶת (ʼemeth, H571) — stability; (figuratively) certainty, truth, trustworthiness יֶשַׁע (yeshaʻ, H3468) — liberty, deliverance, prosperity
Open source ↗נָצַל (nâtsal, H5337) — to snatch away, whether in a good or a bad sense טִיט (ṭîyṭ, H2916) — mud or clay; figuratively, calamity טָבַע (ṭâbaʻ, H2883) — to sink שָׂנֵא (sânêʼ, H8130) — to hate (personally) מַעֲמָק (maʻămâq, H4615) — a deep מַיִם (mayim, H4325) — water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen
Open source ↗Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched; the flames will not set you ablaze.
The waters flowed over my head, and I thought I was going to die.
Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.
I have sunk into the miry depths, where there is no footing; I have drifted into deep waters, where the flood engulfs me.
Deep calls to deep in the roar of Your waterfalls; all Your breakers and waves have rolled over me.
The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of chaos overwhelmed me.
Therefore let all the godly pray to You while You may be found. Surely when great waters rise, they will not come near.
I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the level. Hail will sweep away your refuge of lies, and water will flood your hiding place.
You have rejected us, O God; You have broken us; You have been angry; restore us!
My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses to the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.