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Psalm 69: I'm Drowning!

Ryan Boyer
06/01/25 - Sun PM

Ps. 69: I’m drowning

Psalm 69 is laid out in alternating sections of pleas (requests to God) and problems (reasons for the requests).

v. 1a - Plea: “Save me, O God!”

This one is pretty straightforward. It’s the main request of the psalm.

vv. 1b-4 - Problem: I’m drowning!

This section can be broken down into three subsections. The first is the metaphor of drowning (v. 1b-2). You can also see this picture in versus 14, 15, and 20. Verse 20 is especially helpful because it describes the situation as despair.

The next section is asking where God is in all of this despite the authors desperate cries (v. 3).

The third section in v. 4 List the author’s reason for feeling like he is drowning, which is his enemies. You can also read about the enemies in verses 14 and 18. I don’t wish to take away from this Psalm in anyway, but I can relate deeply with the first part about drowning. that is a picture of hard times and suffering that we will all experience. It’s a little harder for me to relate to the idea of suffering so deeply because of enemies who are attacking me.

vv. 5-6 - Plea: Don’t let others suffer because of me

The ESV attaches v. 5 to v. 4, but the NASU, NKJV and NIV rightly, I think, attach it to v. 6. The main though of vv. 5 and 6 together is, “God, you know I’m not a perfect person and that I have all kinds of flaws, but please don’t make other people suffer because of me.” This is especially important if David is the author because, as king, his problems are Isreal’s problems. Remember this point because it’s important as we move into the next verses.

vv. 7-12 - Problem: Shame and reproach because of God

David asked that others not suffer shame because of him, but now he states that his current dilemma is because of God. He says, “it is for your sake that I have borne reproach” (v. 7), and “zeal for your house has consumed me” (v. 9), which is apparently one reason why his enemies are after him. He says, “the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me” (v. 9). In other words, those who hold God in contempt are transferring that scorn to the psalmist. He mentions that his weeping and humbling his soul with fasting and clothing himself in sackcloth (note: all FOR God) are all reasons for his current suffering. So, in vv. 5-6 David asked God to not bring others to shame because of him, but now in vv. 7-12 we see that he was leading up to making the point that he himself was suffering because of God.

vv. 13-18 - Plea: Asking for help based upon God’s nature

I don’t always feel comfortable with some of the prayers in the Psalms, but I could pray this one. In fact, I marked this one in my Bible to remember it for when I find myself in times of need. One thing I like the most about it is that the requests are based upon God’s nature. He asks based upon “the abundance of your steadfast love” and “your saving faithfulness” (v. 13), and “your steadfast love” and abundant mercy” (v. 16). I especially love the words, “At an acceptable time, O God” in v. 13. In other words, “When you are ready, then I am ready.”

vv. 19-21 - Problem: More shame from enemies

I use yellow to highlight the main point, and in this psalm, I highlighted v. 20a, “Reproaches have broken my heart, so that I am in despair.” The second part of v. 20 is something I feel. Suffering stinks, but it especially stinks when you have to do it alone. And then v. 21 takes that thought even farther. Not only is he suffering alone, but others are intentionally making his suffering worse.

vv. 22-28 - Plea: Imprecation

An imprecation is a curse or expression of ill will, often invoking harm or misfortune on someone. I mentioned that I feel very comfortable with the prayer in vv. 13-18. That is not true about this prayer. Imprecations are common in the psalms, but I don’t always feel good about praying them. Just as the enemies gave our author poison food and sour wine (v. 21), he prayers that their table will become a snare to them (v. 22). Just as our author’s eyes are dim with waiting for God (v. 3), he prays, “Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see” (v. 23). Worse, v. 25 sounds like a prayer for their death, and vv. 27-28 sounds like a request that they not be right with God eternally.

Remember that one of the critical reasons for the psalms is to teach us how to talk to God - both in what to say and how to say it. I feel uncomfortable with this, but maybe that means there’s something I need to change. And just because I don’t feel good about it doesn’t mean that it’s not right. In fact, Ps. 69 is quoted a lot by New Testament authors, and this section is quoted more than any other. The inspired authors of the NT apparently did not feel the same unease that I do.

One quick note before I move on. There are some words in v. 26 that are a bit alarming, “For they [David’s enemies] persecute him whom you [God] have struck down, and they [enemies] recount the pain of those you [God] have wounded.” This part of the prayer reminds me of Job, and reminds me to align my view of all things with a Biblical view of the world. Even though bad things are happening to me, and even though they may be the direct results of bad actors, God is still ultimately in control of all things and our psalmist lays the responsibility [for good or ill] directly at God’s feet.

v. 29 - Final plea

William Tyndale called this “a final gasp of prayer.”

vv. 30-36 - Confidence and praise

Must like Ps. 22, these last verses feel a bit out of place. After 29 verses of pleading for salvation and citing problem after problem, the author transitions into praise and thanksgiving. I’ll use this opportunity to list my main take-aways from this psalm.

First, it’s possible that this psalm was written after the fact. As we read it, we get wrapped up in the moment and feel like our author is suffering right now as he writes. However, it is possible (maybe even likely) that he was not writing it in the moment but was reflecting upon what it was like when he was suffering in the past. Thus, these verses of confidence and praise are about God’s salvation from those horrible circumstances. If this is correct, then one take-away for us might be to remember a time in our past when we were drowning and remember that God brought us through it and offer him praise and thanksgiving for it.

Second, if, however, our author is writing while he is currently in the storms, then these verses remind us to remember that there is always light at the end of the tunnel. For God’s people, the end of the tunnel may not always be in this lifetime (which stinks), but there is hope. God is our confidence and for that we will praise him and give thanks even while our head dips below the waters of hardship.

Psalm 69 in the New Testament

As mentioned above, Ps. 69 is referred to a lot int he New Testament. Here is a quick list of some of the direct quotes and one allusion.

Ps. 69:4 / Jn. 15:18, 24-25 - “They hated me without a cause”

Just as the psalmist’s enemies were unjustly making his life miserable, so the Jews hated Jesus without a just cause.

Ps. 69:9 / Jn. 2:17 - “Zeal for your house has consumed me”

Just as the psalmist suffered for God’s sake (because of God), so Jesus suffered because of his devotion to God. This passage reminded the disciples about the time Jesus made enemies by cleansing the temple.

Ps. 69:9 / Rom. 15:3 - “The reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me”

The psalmist says he is suffering for something he doesn’t deserve. That’s exactly what Jesus did. He suffered because of sins that were committed against God…but not by him.

Ps. 69:21 / Matt. 27:34, 48; Mk. 15:23, 36; Lk. 23:36; Jn. 19:28-29 - sour wine

This reference is not directly quoted in the Gospels, but it sounds an awful lot like when Jesus was given sour wine while hanging on the cross. Just like the psalmist’s situation, it was an act of sheer meanness to make an already bad situation worse.

Ps. 69:22-23 / Rom. 11:9-10 - “Let their table become a snare and a trap”

The psalmist prayed that his enemies get what they deserve. In Rom. 9-11, Paul explains why the Jews, who were supposed to be God’s chosen people, have rejected Jesus and have been rejected by God. This quote reminds us that they get what they deserve.

Ps. 69:25 / Acts 1:16-20 - “May their camp be a desolation; let no one dwell in their tents”

This part of the psalm is an imprecation specifically asking for the death of the author’s enemies. In the NT, it is applied to Judas and what happened to him after he betrayed Jesus.

Ps. 69:28 / Phil. 4:3; Rev. 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; *20:15; *21:27 - “Let their name be blotted out…”

While not a direct quote this passage reminds us of the Lamb’s book of life. God’s faithful people will have their name written in that book and it will never be blotted out.