Psalm 69

Petition for God to Draw Near

Save me, O God!
For the waters have come up to my neck.  ~ Ps. 69:1

Have you ever felt like this?  Like you are barely keeping your head above water?  Or maybe you feel like verse 4 - that the floods are overflowing over you.

David's Psalm 69 is an individual lament including a variety of themes connected with suffering. Only Psalm 22 is quoted more often in the New Testament - both Psalm 22 and Psalm 69 have a number of passages that are applicable to Christ.  In Psalm 69, David pours out his heart to God in his distress and earnestly begs God for deliverance and relief.  He concludes with the voice of joy and praise, in an assurance of God's help. 



Let Heaven and earth praise Him,
The seas and everything that moves in them.  ~ Ps. 69:34

The last 2 verses of this psalm indicate that David was suffering personally, but that he was also lamenting the suffering of God's people corporately.  This psalm was possibly written sometime after an attack upon Judah and thus the praise that God would build the cities that were damaged or destroyed by the enemies.  David is confident that God will save Zion so that His people may dwell there.  Zion represents God's purposes and blessings for all His people on earth.

Matthew Henry's commentary notes that verse 4, 9 & 21 are applied to Christ in the New Testament and are said to have their accomplishment in Him.

O God, You know my foolishness;
And my sins are not hidden from you.  ~ Ps. 69:5

Matthew Henry reminds us regarding this verse above:

This is the genuine confession of a penitent, who knows that he cannot prosper in covering his sin, and that therefore it is his wisdom to acknowledge it, because it is naked and open before God. 

God knows the corruption of our nature.  God knows the transgressions of our lives, even those that are committed most secretly.  They are all done in His sight, and never cast behind His back til they are repented of and pardoned. 

David knows full well that his sins cannot be hidden from God . . . how desperately he tried to cover up his transgression with Bathsheba, and didn't stop in his scheme until he had someone killed.  We all learned from David that God sees!

You who seek God,
your hearts shall live.  ~ Ps. 69:32

May we seek God in His word!

WHAT CAN I LEARN ABOUT GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

• God hears and delivers His people
• God shows lovingkindness to His people
• God is merciful
• God is my Redeemer

 HOW CAN I PRAISE GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

• I praise the Lord because - even in my despair - my comfort, strength, and redemption is from Him. 
• I praise God that my heart shall seek Him and live.
• I praise God that my name is written in the Book of the Living
• I praise God for my salvation

 PRAYER:

     Hear me, O Lord, for Your lovingkindness is good.  Turn to me according to the multitude of Your tender mercies and do not hide Your face from me.  Draw near to my soul and redeem it. 

     O God, You know my foolishness, and my sins are not hidden from You.  I am poor in spirit, and needy for a Savior.  Thank You that You provided such a beautiful Savior, a rescuer for me. 

    Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name!  ~ Amen