Keraia
Wisdom and Poetry

Psalm 69

The Waters Are up to My Neck

1For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of David.

Save me, O God,

for the waters are up to my neck.

1For the one directing. According to “The Lilies.” Of David. Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to the soul.

2I have sunk into the miry depths,

where there is no footing;

I have drifted into deep waters,

where the flood engulfs me.

2I sink in the mire of the deep, and there is no place to stand; I have come into the depths of the waters, and a flood washes over me.

3I am weary from my crying;

my throat is parched.

My eyes fail,

looking for my God.

3I have grown weary with my calling out; my throat is dry; my eyes fail, waiting for my God.

4Those who hate me without cause

outnumber the hairs of my head;

many are those who would destroy me—

my enemies for no reason.

Though I did not steal,

I must repay.

4Those hating me without cause outnumber the hairs of my head; many are those seeking my destruction, my enemies with deception! That which I did not steal, I must then return.

5You know my folly, O God,

and my guilt is not hidden from You.

5O God, You know of my foolishness, and my guilt is not hidden from You.

6May those who hope in You not be ashamed through me,

O Lord GOD of Hosts;

may those who seek You not be dishonored through me,

O God of Israel.

6Do not let those waiting on You come to shame because of me, O Lord YHWH of hosts; do not let those seeking You be disgraced because of me, O God of Israel!

7For I have endured scorn for Your sake,

and shame has covered my face.

7It is for Your sake that I have carried scorn, and shame has covered my face.

8I have become a stranger to my brothers

and a foreigner to my mother’s sons,

8I have become a stranger to my brothers, and a foreigner to the sons of my mother.

9because zeal for Your house has consumed me,

and the insults of those who insult You have fallen on me.

9For zeal for Your house has consumed me, and the insults of those insulting You have fallen on me.

10I wept and fasted,

but it brought me reproach.

10I even wept in the fasting of my soul, and it was for a reproach to me.

11I made sackcloth my clothing,

and I was sport to them.

11I made my clothing sackcloth, and I became to them as a byword.

12Those who sit at the gate mock me,

and I am the song of drunkards.

12Those sitting at the gate meditate against me, and I am the song of those drinking wine.

13But my prayer to You, O LORD,

is for a time of favor.

In Your abundant loving devotion, O God,

answer me with Your sure salvation.

13And I—my prayer is to You, O YHWH; in the time of favor, O God, in the abundance of Your loving devotion, may You answer me in the truth of Your salvation!

14Rescue me from the mire

and do not let me sink;

deliver me from my foes

and out of the deep waters.

14Deliver me from the mire, that I should not sink! May I be delivered from those hating me, and out of the depths of the waters.

15Do not let the floods engulf me

or the depths swallow me up;

let not the Pit close its mouth over me.

15Do not let the flood of waters engulf me, and do not let the deep swallow me up, and do not let the pit shut its mouth over me!

16Answer me, O LORD,

for Your loving devotion is good;

turn to me in keeping with Your great compassion.

16Answer me, O YHWH, for good is Your loving devotion; according to the abundance of Your tender mercies, turn to me.

17Hide not Your face from Your servant,

for I am in distress.

Answer me quickly!

17And do not hide Your face from Your servant, for distress is unto me; hurry to answer me!

18Draw near to my soul and redeem me;

ransom me because of my foes.

18Draw near to my soul and redeem it; on account of my enemies, may You ransom me.

19You know my reproach, my shame and disgrace.

All my adversaries are before You.

19You know my scorn, and my shame, and my disgrace; all my adversaries are before You.

20Insults have broken my heart,

and I am in despair.

I looked for sympathy, but there was none,

for comforters, but I found no one.

20Reproach has broken my heart, and I am sick. And I looked for a bemoaner, and there was none, and for comforters, and I found none.

21They poisoned my food with gall

and gave me vinegar to quench my thirst.

21And they gave gall for my food, and for my thirst they made me drink vinegar.

22May their table become a snare;

may it be a retribution and a trap.

22May their table before them become a snare, and for a recompense—for a trap!

23May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,

and their backs be bent forever.

23May their eyes grow dark from seeing, and their backs be bent forever!

24Pour out Your wrath upon them,

and let Your burning anger overtake them.

24Pour out upon them Your indignation, and may the burning of Your anger overtake them!

25May their place be deserted;

let there be no one to dwell in their tents.

25May their encampment become desolate; may there be no one dwelling in their tents.

26For they persecute the one You struck

and recount the pain of those You wounded.

26For You—the one whom You struck—they pursue, and the pain of those You pierced they recount.

27Add iniquity to their iniquity;

let them not share in Your righteousness.

27May You add iniquity to their iniquity, and do not let them come into Your righteousness!

28May they be blotted out of the Book of Life

and not listed with the righteous.

28May they be blotted out from the book of the living, and do not let them be written with the righteous!

29But I am in pain and distress;

let Your salvation protect me, O God.

29And I am afflicted and pained; may Your salvation, O God, set me on high.

30I will praise God’s name in song

and exalt Him with thanksgiving.

30I will praise the name of God with a song, and will I magnify Him with thanksgiving.

31And this will please the LORD more than an ox,

more than a bull with horns and hooves.

31And it is better to YHWH than an ox, a bull horned and hoofed.

32The humble will see and rejoice.

You who seek God, let your hearts be revived!

32The humble have seen—they rejoice—you seeking God, your heart shall live!

33For the LORD listens to the needy

and does not despise His captive people.

33For YHWH listens to the needy, and he has not despised His captives.

34Let heaven and earth praise Him,

the seas and everything that moves in them.

34Let the heavens and earth shout praise to Him, the seas, and every moving thing in them.

35For God will save Zion

and rebuild the cities of Judah,

that they may dwell there and possess it.

35For God will save Zion, and He will rebuild the cities of Judah, that they may dwell there and possess it.

36The descendants of His servants will inherit it,

and those who love His name will settle in it.

36And the seed of His servants will inherit it, and those loving His name will settle in it.