The Book of Psalms
Psalm 69
Psalm LXIX · Vol. II, pp. 1029–1030
1 David complaineth of his affliction. 13 He prayeth for deliverance. 22 He devoteth his enemies to destruction. 30 He engageth to praise God with thanksgiving.
To the chief musician upon aShoshannim, A psalm of David.
2 Ic sink in deep mire,1 where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters,2 where the floods overflow me.
4 Theye that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.3
5 O God, gthou knowest my foolishness; and my 4sins5 are not hid from thee.
g 2 Sa.24.10. Ps.40.12. Is.53.6,11. 2 Co.5.21.
4 Heb. guiltiness.
5 Those who deny the real pardon of sin by Christ, and again the real impartation of his righteousness to believers, have adopted a theory that refuses to apply these words to him. But let men theorize as they will, our sins were truly called his, because 'the Lord laid upon him the iniquities of us all,' and because 'he bore our sins in his own body on the tree.' See Ps.25.11; 32.5; 40.12; 69.1.—C.
6 Leth not them that wait on thee, O Lord GOD of hosts, be ashamed for my sake: let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel.
8 Ij am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children.
j Job 19.13-19. Ps.31.11. Is.53.3. Jn.7.5; 6.60,66.
9 Fork the zeal of thine house hath eaten6 me up; land the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.
k 1 Ki.19.10,14. Ps.119.139. Jn.2.17.
6 'Zeal for thine house (as an inward fire) hath consumed me.'—C.
l Ro.15.3. Ps.89.50,51.
10 Whenn I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.
n Ps.35.13,14; 22.7,8. Lu.7.33,34. He.5.7.
13 But as for me, rmy prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in san acceptable time: O God, tin the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.
14 Deliveru me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.
u Ps.144.7; 143.7; 18.4,16,17; 109.4; 124.4,5; 42.7. ver.1,2,15. Mat.26.39,42. He.5.7.
15 Letv not the water-flood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not thex pit shut her mouth8 upon me.
16 Hear me, O LORD; yfor thy loving-kindness is good: turn unto me, zaccording to the multitude of thy tender mercies.
19 Thou hast known my dreproach, and my shame, and my dishonour: emine adversaries are all before thee.
20 Reproachg hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity,1 buth there was none;2 and for comforters, but I found none.
22 Letj their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.3
j Ro.11.8-10. Ps.28.4. Pr.1.32. De.32.13-15. Is.8.14,15; 66.3,4. 1 Pe.2.8. 1 Co.1.23.
25 Let their habitation4 be desolate; and let none dwell5 in their tents.
4 Heb. their palace.
5 Heb. let there not be a dweller.
26 Forn they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.6
27 Addo iniquity7 unto their iniquity;8 and let them not come into thy righteousness.
o Is.66.3,4. Ps.81.12. Mat.23.32. Le.26.39.
7 Or, punishment of iniquity, Ro.9.31; 10.3.
8 This is to be explained by the second commandment, where God is described as 'visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that (continue to) hate him'—an awful warning to the wicked, that in no wise contradicts the consoling assurance of mercy delivered to the penitent, Eze.18.3-32.—C.
29 Butq I am poor and sorrowful: rlet thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.
q Ps.40.17. Mat.8.20. Is.53.3,10.
30 Is will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.
s Ps.18.49; 22.22,25; 40.1-3,9,10.
31 Thist also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs.
t Ps.50.13,14. Ho.6.6; 14.2. Je.7.22,23.
33 Forv the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.1
* All Israel were literally prisoners in Egypt and in Babylon; and still, though at large, are they prisoners among the Gentiles. Yet when their heart shall turn to the Lord, 'he will not despise the prayer of the destitute' (Ps. 102. 17), who, being set free from sin and the world, shall become the 'prisoners of the Lord,' 'apprehended in Christ Jesus,' and shall 'flee to the stronghold (of covenant promise) as prisoners of hope.'—C.
v Ps.72.12-14; 102.17,19; 132.16; 146.7. Ac.iv. v. xii.
1 See note * in first column.
Notes
Ver. 1. It is impossible to question that this is a prayer of our Lord. See especially ver. 9, first clause, compare with Jn. 2. 17, also ver. 9, second clause, with Ro. 15. 3, and ver. 25, also with Jn. 19. 28; and surely it is impossible to doubt that Christ is the speaker of the whole psalm! See also farther references, Jn. 15.25; Lu. 23. 34-38; Ro. 11. 9, 10; Ac. 1. 16, 20. C.
Ver. 22. Nothing is more certain than that God judicially delivers wicked men over to the counsels of their own hearts, and surely what God will righteously do, Christ as Judge may righteously call upon him to do. In this case, he calls upon him to deliver over the epicurean idolater, 'whose god is his belly,' Phi. 3. 19, so that his love of gluttony and drunkenness may become his punishment. C.
Reflections.—While I read these things let me, with deep concern, by faith behold my Redeemer charged in law with my sins and bearing their punishment. Let me learn with patience to run the race of holy obedience, and of necessary trials set before me, looking to Jesus as my pattern, and as the author and finisher of my faith. While I behold the tremendous severity of God's judgments against his ancient people for rejecting and murdering his Son, let me not be high-minded, but fear.—Let me behold the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, though he was rich, yet for our sakes became poor, that we through his poverty might be made rich.—And let me be a living and lively member of that church which is founded in his blood, and blessed in him with all spiritual blessings.