Catholic Commentary on Psalm 69

"For I endure scorn for your sake, and shame covers my face." (Psalm 69:7)

The Waters Are Up to My Neck

Psalm 69 is one of the most extensively quoted psalms in the New Testament, used repeatedly by the evangelists and by Paul to illuminate the Passion of Christ. It begins in extremis: Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me. The waters that overwhelm are the waters of chaos and death, and they are up to the neck. This is not metaphor for mild inconvenience. It is the description of drowning.

The psalmist has suffered for the sake of his zeal for God's house: Zeal for your house consumes me. John quotes this verse in the context of Jesus' cleansing of the Temple (John 2:17). The insults that fell on the psalmist fall on Christ. The estrangement from family, the scorn of those who drink wine, the taunts of enemies: all of these find their ultimate expression in the Passion narrative. Psalm 69 is the interior voice of Christ on the Cross as much as Psalm 22.

Prayer in the Time of Favour

But I pray to you, Lord, in the time of your favour; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation. Even drowning, the prayer is directed toward God with the confidence of covenant relationship. The Lord is called on because he is good and his love is great and his mercy is abundant. The imprecatory sections of this psalm, which are fierce, are balanced by the ultimate expression of trust: answer me with your sure salvation.

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, if you are in the deep waters today, pray Psalm 69. The prayer of the drowning is acceptable to God. Jesus prayed it. He was heard through the Resurrection. Your prayer from the deep waters will be heard through the same God who does not despise the afflicted. Cry out. He answers with sure salvation.

Prayer

Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I am weary of calling; my throat is parched. But I pray to you in the time of your favour; answer me with your sure salvation. For you, Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in love to all who call to you. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

69
The Waters Are up to My Neck
For the choirmaster. To the tune of “Lilies.” Of David.
 
1 Save me, O God,
for the waters are up to my neck.
2 I have sunk into the miry depths,
where there is no footing;
I have drifted into deep waters,
where the flood engulfs me.
3 I am weary from my crying;
my throat is parched.
My eyes fail,
looking for my God.
4 Those who hate me without cause
outnumber the hairs of my head;
many are those who would destroy me—
my enemies for no reason.* 69:4 See John 15:25
Though I did not steal,
I must repay.
 
5 You know my folly, O God,
and my guilt is not hidden from You.
6 May 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.
7 For I have endured scorn for Your sake,
and shame has covered my face.
8 I have become a stranger to my brothers
and a foreigner to my mother’s sons,
9 because zeal for Your house has consumed me,† 69:9 Cited in John 2:17
and the insults of those who insult You have fallen on me.‡ 69:9 Cited in Romans 15:3
10 I wept and fasted,
but it brought me reproach.
11 I made sackcloth my clothing,
and I was sport to them.
12 Those who sit at the gate mock me,
and I am the song of drunkards.
 
13 But 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.
14 Rescue me from the mire
and do not let me sink;
deliver me from my foes
and out of the deep waters.
15 Do not let the floods engulf me
or the depths swallow me up;
let not the Pit close its mouth over me.
16 Answer me, O LORD,
for Your loving devotion is good;
turn to me in keeping with Your great compassion.
17 Hide not Your face from Your servant,
for I am in distress.
Answer me quickly!
18 Draw near to my soul and redeem me;
ransom me because of my foes.
 
19 You know my reproach, my shame and disgrace.
All my adversaries are before You.
20 Insults have broken my heart,
and I am in despair.
I looked for sympathy, but there was none,
for comforters, but I found no one.
21 They poisoned my food with gall
and gave me vinegar to quench my thirst.
 
22 May their table become a snare;
may it be a retribution and a trap.§ 69:22 A slight revocalization of the Hebrew (see also LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate); literally may their prosperity be a trap; cited in Romans 11:9
23 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,
and their backs be bent forever.* 69:23 LXX; Hebrew and may their loins tremble continually; cited in Romans 11:10
24 Pour out Your wrath upon them,
and let Your burning anger overtake them.
25 May their place be deserted;
let there be no one to dwell in their tents.† 69:25 Cited in Acts 1:20
26 For they persecute the one You struck
and recount the pain of those You wounded.
27 Add iniquity to their iniquity;
let them not share in Your righteousness.
28 May they be blotted out of the Book of Life
and not listed with the righteous.
 
29 But I am in pain and distress;
let Your salvation protect me, O God.
30 I will praise God’s name in song
and exalt Him with thanksgiving.
31 And this will please the LORD more than an ox,
more than a bull with horns and hooves.
32 The humble will see and rejoice.
You who seek God, let your hearts be revived!
33 For the LORD listens to the needy
and does not despise His captive people.
 
34 Let heaven and earth praise Him,
the seas and everything that moves in them.
35 For God will save Zion
and rebuild the cities of Judah,
that they may dwell there and possess it.
36 The descendants of His servants will inherit it,
and those who love His name will settle in it.

*69:4 69:4 See John 15:25

†69:9 69:9 Cited in John 2:17

‡69:9 69:9 Cited in Romans 15:3

§69:22 69:22 A slight revocalization of the Hebrew (see also LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate); literally may their prosperity be a trap; cited in Romans 11:9

*69:23 69:23 LXX; Hebrew and may their loins tremble continually; cited in Romans 11:10

†69:25 69:25 Cited in Acts 1:20

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