Psalms 69:9-34

⁹My devotion for your house is burning me up inside; the insults of those who insulted you have fallen on me.

¹⁰I wept and I fasted, but they mocked me;

¹¹I mourned in sackcloth, but they laughed at me.

¹²People sitting by the town gate gossip about me. I'm the subject of rude songs sung by drunks.

¹³But my prayer is to you, Lord, believing this is a good time to respond to me. God, in your wonderful trustworthy love, answer me with your sure salvation.

¹⁴Please rescue me from the mud—don't let me sink! Save me from those who hate me and from drowning in the deep waters!

¹⁵Don't let the flood waters wash over me. Don't let the deep waters pull me down. Don't let the grave close over me.

¹⁶Please answer my prayers, Lord, for you are good and love me with your trustworthy love; because of your kindness, please help me.

¹⁷Don't turn away from me, your servant. Please answer me quickly because I'm in trouble.

¹⁸Come here and rescue me; set me free from my enemies.

¹⁹You—you know my shame, my disgrace, my humiliation. You see everything my enemies are doing.

²⁰Insults have broken my heart—I am so sick there is no cure. I looked for some sympathy, but there was no one! Nobody showed me any compassion.

²¹Instead they gave me bitter herbs to eat and vinegar to drink.

²²May the table set before them become a trap for them, a net that catches them, bringing punishment.

²³May their eyes become blind so they cannot see, and may their backs always be bent low in dejection.

²⁴Pour out your judgment on them; chase them down in your fierce anger.

²⁵Let the places where they live be deserted. Let their homes be abandoned.

²⁶For they persecute those you have punished, and make it even more painful for those you have disciplined.

²⁷Punish them for the evil they have done. Don't acquit them.

²⁸Blot out their names from the Book of Life. Don't let them be listed with those who do right.

²⁹But I am suffering and in physical pain. God, please save me and keep me safe.

³⁰I will praise God's character in song; I will say how incredible he is and how thankful I am.

³¹The Lord is happier with this than with offering animals as sacrifices: cattle, or bulls with horns and hooves.

³²The humble will see this and be happy. May God encourage everyone who comes to him.

³³God hears the poor, and he does not ignore his people who are in prison.

³⁴Praise him heaven and earth, the seas and everything that lives in them!