Psalm 69:1-36 VOICE

[1] Reach down for me, True God; deliver me. The waters have risen to my neck; I am going down! [2] My feet are swallowed in this murky bog; I am sinking-there is no sturdy ground. I am in the deep; the floods are crashing in! [3] I am weary of howling; my throat is scratched dry. I still look for my God even though my eyes fail. [4] My enemies despise me without any cause; they outnumber the hairs on my head. They torment me with their power; they have absolutely no reason to hate me. Now I am set to pay for crimes I have never committed! [5] O True God, my foolish ways are plain before You; my mistakes-no, nothing can be hidden from You. [6] Don't let Your hopeful followers face disgrace because of me, O Lord, Eternal One, Commander of heaven's armies; Don't let Your seekers be shamed on account of me, O True God of Israel. [7] I have been mocked when I stood up for You; I cower, shamefaced. [8] You know my brothers and sisters? They now reject me -they act as if I never existed. I'm like a stranger to my own family. [9] And here's why: I am consumed with You, completely devoted to protecting Your house; when they insult You, they insult me. [10] When I mourn and discipline my soul by fasting, they deride me. [11] And when I put on sackcloth, they mock me. [12] Those who sit at the gate gossip about me; I am shamed by the slurred songs of drunkards. [13] But, Eternal One, I just pray the time is right that You would hear me. And, True God, because You are enduring love, that You would answer. In Your faithfulness, please, save me. [14] Pluck me from this murky bog; don't let it pull me down! Pull me from this rising water; take me away from my enemies to dry land. [15] Don't let the flood take me under or let me, Your servant, be swallowed into the deep or let the yawning pit seal me in! [16] O Eternal One, hear me. Answer me. For Your enduring love is good comfort; in Your great mercy, turn toward me. [17] Yes, shine Your face upon me, Your servant; put an end to my anguish-don't wait another minute. [18] Come near; rescue me! Set me free from my enemies. [19] You know all my opponents; You see them, see the way they treat me- humiliating me with insults, trying to disgrace me. [20] All this ridicule has broken my heart, killed my spirit. I searched for sympathy, and I came up empty. I looked for supporters, but there was no one. [21] Even more, they gave me poison for my food and offered me only sour vinegar to drink. [22] Let them be ambushed at the dinner table, caught in a trap when they least expect it. [23] Cloud their vision so they cannot see; make their bodies shake, their knees knock in terror. [24] Pour out Your fiery wrath upon them! Make a clean sweep; engulf them with Your flaming fury. [25] May their camps be bleak with not one left in any tent. [26] Because they have persecuted the one You have struck, add insult to those whom You have wounded. [27] Compound their sins; don't let them off the hook! Keep them from entering into Your mercy. [28] Blot out their names from Your book of life so they will not be recorded alongside those who are upright before You. [29] I am living in pain; I'm suffering, so save me, True God, and keep me safe in troubled times! [30] The name of the True God will be my song, an uplifting tune of praise and thanksgiving! [31] My praise will please the Eternal more than if I were to sacrifice an ox or the finest bull. (Horns, hooves, and all!) [32] Those who humbly serve will see and rejoice! All you seekers-after-God will revive your souls! [33] The Eternal listens to the prayers of the poor and has regard for His people held in bondage. [34] All God's creation: join together in His praise! All heaven, all earth, all seas, all creatures of the ocean deep! [35] The True God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah So that His servants may own it and live there once again. [36] Their children and children's children shall have it as their inheritance, and those who love His name will live in it.