Psalm 69:1-9
1 Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck. 2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me. 3 I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God. 4 More in number than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause; mighty are those who would destroy me, those who attack me with lies. What I did not steal must I now restore? 5 O God, you know my folly; the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you. 6 Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me, O Lord God of hosts; let not those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me, O God of Israel. 7 For it is for your sake that I have borne reproach, that dishonor has covered my face. 8 I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my mother's sons. 9 For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.
I once came very close to drowning in the ocean, and I believe it was the Lord's merciful power that saved me that day. When I thought that I was doomed to drown, I gave a desperate prayer and God answered me. Likewise the Psalmist here is desperately crying out to God, for he realizes he has no hope apart from Him. When we reach that point of desperation, and we see God save us, it can provide an anchor for our faith. It is so easy to go through life and not realize our great need for God, so we don't depend on Him for our needs and desires. But if we see God truly as our Savior, who saves us spiritually and physically, then our focus is turned to all that He has done for us. In David's words, "zeal for your house has consumed me" (verse 9). I.e. he now cares passionately about God and His kingdom because he is grateful for what God has done.
Save me, O God!
1 Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck. 2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me. 3 I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God. 4 More in number than the hairs of my head are those who hate me without cause; mighty are those who would destroy me, those who attack me with lies. What I did not steal must I now restore? 5 O God, you know my folly; the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you. 6 Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me, O Lord God of hosts; let not those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me, O God of Israel. 7 For it is for your sake that I have borne reproach, that dishonor has covered my face. 8 I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my mother's sons. 9 For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.
I once came very close to drowning in the ocean, and I believe it was the Lord's merciful power that saved me that day. When I thought that I was doomed to drown, I gave a desperate prayer and God answered me. Likewise the Psalmist here is desperately crying out to God, for he realizes he has no hope apart from Him. When we reach that point of desperation, and we see God save us, it can provide an anchor for our faith. It is so easy to go through life and not realize our great need for God, so we don't depend on Him for our needs and desires. But if we see God truly as our Savior, who saves us spiritually and physically, then our focus is turned to all that He has done for us. In David's words, "zeal for your house has consumed me" (verse 9). I.e. he now cares passionately about God and His kingdom because he is grateful for what God has done.
Save me, O God!