Psalms 69 - Printer Friendly

What does Psalms 69 mean?

Chapter Commentary:

The title of this psalm refers to some type of musical leader. It also notes the Hebrew word sō'sannim, or "lilies," which may refer to a tune to which the psalm could be sung. Another example of this same reference is in the title verse of psalm 45.

This is one of the "imprecatory" psalms which call on God to harm His enemies. Other examples are Psalms 5, 10, 17, 35, 58, 59, 70, 79, 83, 109, 129, 137, and 140. These songs express desire to see the Lord do justice—they are not promises that the psalmist will act in revenge. Believers should take such feelings to God and submit them to His will (Romans 12:19). He graciously allows us to vent our frustrations to Him (Habakkuk 1:2–4), guiding us to deeper trust. This is also one of the most cited psalms in the New Testament (John 2:17; 15:25; Romans 11:9–10; Acts 1:20).

The psalm begins with David's state of mind during a troubling time. In this segment, and the psalm in general, he often depicts a sense of being overwhelmed using references to drowning or being consumed by a flood. Of course, he did not wait until now to begin praying. Yet the first line indicates David's sense that his situation is at a critical point. He is "up to his neck" in persecution and danger as he cries out for God's salvation (Psalm 69:1–3).

David does not claim to be sinless; he confesses that he has done wrong and that those acts cannot be hidden from God. Yet now, his enemies are numerous. Their attacks have no reasonable basis. He is not being punished for his own sins (1 Peter 3:17). Instead, these opponents lie and conspire to destroy him. David credits their hatred to his own loyalty to God. Even close friends and family are betraying him. These people slander God, and David takes those as personal offenses. One statement in this section is cited in the gospel of John regarding Jesus' enthusiasm for His Father's reputation (John 2:17). Every aspect of David's faith is being mocked and ridiculed—even by community leaders who sit at the city gates (Psalm 69:4–12).

Because of these intense pressures, David calls on God for salvation. Even though he has been waiting and asking (Psalm 69:3), he has faith enough to wait longer if that is the Lord's will. David anchors his prayers for rescue in God's mercy, not his own perfection (Psalm 69:5). He again uses images of being overwhelmed. No one on earth is willing to help David; in fact, those who claim to comfort him instead bring poisoned food and vinegar (Psalm 69:13–21).

Midway through his psalm, David changes his focus. Here, he calls directly on the Lord to bring harsh punishment to his enemies. This section is why the song is considered one of the "imprecatory" psalms. David's requests cover virtually every part of his enemies' existence: their security, homes, knowledge, and bodies. He is not planning to take these actions himself; these are prayers that God would accomplish such things. Even further, David calls on God to end the lives of these persecutors and deny them eternal life. In the meantime, David is in agony and begs to be rescued (Psalm 69:22–29).

Despite his troubles, David is sure that the Lord will come through with salvation. He looks ahead, with full assurance, expecting to worship the Lord with both praise and sacrifices. Since the Lord cares for the persecuted, David calls on all creation to honor God. He also looks forward in hope to a time when God's people will live in their Promised Land in peace (Psalm 69:30–36).

Psalm 69:1–21 is a cry over David's troubles and a call for God's rescue from them. Enemies lie and conspire, including even family members. The sheer volume of opposition is overwhelming. These attacks come because David has enthusiastically defended the Lord; he takes attacks against God as harms to his own self. David calls on God to provide relief from such persecution.

Psalm 69:22–29 shifts from an emphasis on David's experiences to his hopes for the Lord's response. He calls on God to bring darkness, disaster, and punishment on those who have persecuted the psalmist. Even further, he calls on the Lord to end these enemies' lives and ensure they are not included in eternal life. This section makes Psalm 69 one of the "imprecatory" psalms which directly ask for God to bring harm to an enemy.

Psalm 69:30–36 presents another shift in tone and focus. Here, the emphasis is on David's plans to worship God; he anticipates being rescued from harm according to his prayers (Psalm 69:29). David is confident that the Lord cares for those who are persecuted. He calls for universal worship and praise of God and looks forward to a future when God's people are finally at peace.

Chapter Summary:

David opens with a passionate plea for God's rescue. He feels as if he is drowning among enemies and liars. These opponents hate David for his loyalty to the Lord. They even hate him for faithfully continuing to practice his faith. David wants more than to be rescued, however. He calls on God to bring brutal justice to these enemies, including seeing them die with no hope of eternity. David closes the psalm on a more positive note: planning to worship God. This means he fully expects God's long-awaited answer to come in the form of rescue.

Chapter Context:

David gives no explicit event as the inspiration for his writing. This psalm has messianic overtones, and it is frequently quoted in the New Testament (John 2:17; 15:25; Romans 11:9–10; Acts 1:20). It is also an imprecatory psalm: a call for God to severely punish His enemies. The words of this psalm may have been set to the same musical tune as psalm 45. Similar psalms include 35, 40, and 109.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

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