Psalm 69

Authorship

This Psalm was authored by David.

Outline

(This began as Wendland's Expository Outline, but may be adapted.)

I. The psalmist’s predicament. (1-12)

A. Waters are come in unto my soul.

1. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing.

2. I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.

B. I am weary of my crying:

1. My throat is dried.

2. My eyes fail while I wait for my God.

C. They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head (John 15:25).

1. Those who would destroy me wrongfully, are mighty.

2. I restored that which I took not away.

D. O God, You know my foolishness and my sins are not hid from Thee.

E. Let not them that wait on Thee be ashamed for my sake: Let not those that seek Thee be confounded for my sake.

F. For Thy sake I have borne reproach:

1. Shame has covered my face.

2. I am a stranger to my brethren and an alien unto my mother's children.

G. The zeal of Your house has eaten me up:

1. Reproaches of them that reproached You are fallen upon me.

2. When I wept and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.

3. I made sackcloth of my garment and I became a proverb to them.

4. They that sit in the gate speak against me.

5. I was the song of the drunkards.

II. The psalmist’s prayer. (13-28)

A. The psalmist’s prayer regarding himself:

1. Deliver me out of the mire and let me not sink.

2. Let me be delivered from them that hate me and out of the deep waters.

3. Let not the water flood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.

4. Hear me, for Thy loving kindness is good.

5. Turn unto me according to the multitude of Thy tender mercies.

6. Hide not Your face from Thy servant; for I am in trouble.

7. Hear me speedily.

8. Draw nigh unto my soul and redeem it.

9. Deliver me because of my enemies:

a. You have known my reproach, my shame, and my dishonor: mine adversaries are all before thee.

b. Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness.

c. I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.

d. They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

B. The psalmist’s prayer regarding his enemies:

1. _______:Take their security:

a. Let their table become a snare before them.

b. That which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.

2. Health: Blind them and make them weak:

a. Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not.

b. Make their loins continually to shake.

3. Happiness: Pour out Your fury on them:

a. Pour out Your indignation upon them.

b. Let Your wrathful anger take hold of them.

4. Homes: Make their homes desolate: Let none dwell in their tents.

a. For they persecute him whom You have smitten.

b. They talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.

5. _____: Compound their iniquities:

a. Add iniquity to their iniquity.

b. Let them not come into Your righteousness.

6. Hope: Erase their names from the Book of Life: Let them be blotted out of the book of the living and not be written with the righteous. (The book of the living contains the names of all who are born. The book of the righteous is the book containing the names of all who are born again.)

III. The psalmist’s plea. (29)

A. I am poor and sorrowful.

B. Let Thy salvation set me up on high.

IV. The psalmist’s praise. (30-36)

A. I will praise the name of God:

1. With a song.

2. I will magnify Him with thanksgiving.

B. This shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs.

C. The humble shall see this, and be glad.

D. Your heart shall live that seek God.

E. For the Lord hears the poor, and despises not His prisoners.

F. Let the heaven and earth praise Him, the seas, and everything that moves therein:

1. For God will save Zion.

2. He will build the cities of Judah:

a. That they may dwell there.

b. That they may have it in possession.

3. The seed of His servants shall inherit it.

4. They that love His name shall dwell therein.

Textual Criticism

The following is from Barthélemy's Critique textuelle de l’Ancien Testament volume on the Psalms. For a key to the various symbols and abbreviations, click here.

Ps 69,5(4) מַצְמִיתַי {A} MT, G, Hebr, T // assim-ctext: S clav מעצמותי

Ps 69,11(10) וָאֶבְכֶּה {B} MT, α', σ', Hebr // assim 35,13: G, S / err-voc: T

Ps 69,13(12) וּנְגִינוֹת {A} MT, α', T // facil-styl: G, σ', Hebr, S / facil-synt: Qa

Ps 69,14(13) עֵת רָצוֹן {A}

Ps 69,15(14) מִשֹּׂנְאַי {A}

Ps 69,23(22) וְלִשְׁלוֹמִים {C) MT // err-voc: G, α', θ', σ', Hebr, S clav וּלְשִׁלּוּמִים, T clav וְלִשְׁלָמִים

Ps 69,27(26)A חֲלָלֶיךָ {A} MT, α', σ', Hebr, T // assim-ctext: G, S

Ps 69,27(26)B יְסַפֵּרוּ {C} MT, α', σ', Hebr, T // err-graph: G, S clav יספו

Ps 69,33(32) רָאוּ...יִשְׂמָחוּ {B} MT, Hebr // facil-synt m, G, S, T clav י)ראו...וישמחו)

Ps 69,36(35) שָׁם {A} MT, G, Hebr, T // abr-styl: S