Psalm 69:19-21

Psalm 69:19-21ESV

19 You know my reproach,
    and my shame and my dishonor;
    my foes are all known to you.
20 Reproaches have broken my heart,
    so that I am in despair.
I looked for pity, but there was none,
    and for comforters, but I found none.
21 They gave me poison for food,
    and for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink.

GOD knows everything as David portrays in these few verses.  He knows everything we have done, all the wrongs (and all the rights).  He knows every reason people have to glare, snarl, laugh, or dismiss us.  He knows every enemy and the issues they may or may not have with us.

GOD knows how we feel.  He knows the desperation, the fears, the frustrations.  He knows that so often those who we go to for comfort fail us and let us down, whether intentionally or simply through human nature.

In verse 21 it's so very interesting that David's words could be Christ's words on the cross a thousand years later.  GOD not only knows everything in his all powerful, all knowing ways; Christ also knows through human experience what our trials, fears, and frustrations can be.

Our GOD is not an all knowing, aloof, disinterested deity.  He's been here, He knows through experience and wants to help us!

Psalm 69:16-18

16 Answer me, O Lord, for your steadfast love is good;
    according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.
17 Hide not your face from your servant;
    for I am in distress; make haste to answer me.
18 Draw near to my soul, redeem me;
    ransom me because of my enemies!

David is so confident in GOD through these verses.  We know he has been dealing with difficult people and problems as we read this chapter.  In the previous verses David prays very specifically to GOD, asking for help with the exact feelings and issues that he is dealing with.  I really appreciate how both before and after giving his list of "woes", David affirms what he knows about GOD.

Steadfast love is good

Saving faithfulness

Abundant mercies

How often do we get wrapped up in all our troubles and problems and forget to acknowledge who and what GOD is?  Our struggles and life are big to us, but GOD's steadfast love, saving faithfulness, and abundant mercies are bigger!  

Psalm 69:13-15

Psalm 69:13-15ESV

13 But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord.
    At an acceptable time, O God,
    in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness.
14 Deliver me
    from sinking in the mire;
let me be delivered from my enemies
    and from the deep waters.
15 Let not the flood sweep over me,
    or the deep swallow me up,
    or the pit close its mouth over me.

I absolutely love David's prayer here, and how it, almost word for word, gives his fears and feelings from the first four verses over to GOD.

GOD cares how we feel.  He wants to know how and why we're struggling with things.  Yes, GOD knows everything, but He wants to hear from us.  Young children don't need to tell us they need food and clothing, but hearing them speak and communicate with us creates a relationship.  GOD wants a relationship with us too!

Whenever I think of praying and asking GOD my Father for help, Matthew 7:9-11 crosses my mind, "...which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?  If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in Heaven give good things to those who ask him?"

GOD loves us and wants to hear from us!

Psalm 69:9-12

Psalm 69:9-12ESV

9 For zeal for your house has consumed me,
    and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.
10 When I wept and humbled my soul with fasting,
    it became my reproach.
11 When I made sackcloth my clothing,
    I became a byword to them.
12 I am the talk of those who sit in the gate,
    and the drunkards make songs about me.

These verses remind of today's culture and it's opinions of Christians.  The world calls us names, makes jokes at our expense, and more recently has become more and more vulgar with their mockery.

It's so easy to think that today is the worse it's ever been, but King David, a King of GOD's people, had to deal with these exact same trials and persecutions.  GOD was with David then and He is with us now.

It's so very important to remember that criticism of our faith and belief in GOD are actually an attack on GOD, not us.  Stay focused on GOD, commit to a life that mirrors Christ and let GOD take care of the mockers.

Psalm 69:5-8

Psalm 69:5-8ESV

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.

Such an interesting combination of verses these four are.  David's admittance to stupid choices, sins, and horrible wrongs; his hope that his actions didn't reflect poorly on others; and the fact that he is persecuted for his belief in GOD.

David was down and focusing on quite a bit of negatives...and where does he go?  Straight to GOD to tell Him how he feels.

Our Father GOD is not aloof, is not distant, is not too busy for us.  In Isaiah 54:10, Isaiah shares GOD's words with the Israelites,

"For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion on you."

GOD was speaking to His chosen people who had sinned innumerable times-just like us.  I absolutely love the end of this verse in Isaiah, "has compassion on you."!  GOD's great grace, love, and mercy is amazing!

Psalm 69:1-4

It's always so comforting to read King David's Psalms.  "A Man After GOD's Own Heart" and he had struggles just like I do!  I'll admit to being a closet writer and find that I more easily work through problems, struggles, and questions by getting creative and letting words flow (sometimes to the chagrin of my husband ;) ).  This makes the Poetry books of the Bible a little closer to my heart.  Join me as we make our way through the 69th chapter of Psalms written by King David as he's hiding from his enemies.  I've broke it into 9 different sections that we'll visit daily...

Psalm 69ESV

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?

Such imagery that David uses in the first four verses of Psalm 69.  They remind me very clearly of the way I can often feel!

Those times when we feel like we're swimming against the current, trying to accomplish everything that is required of us.  When we are trying our hardest to regain our financial foothold, but every footstep seems to slip.  And in verse four, it almost seems a verse that was written about Christians in our current culture.

These first few verses seem so sad, scary, depressing, and overwhelming; yet they are not the end.  They actually send us straight from the Old Testament to the New Testament in John 15:25 "...They hated me without cause."  Christ experienced persecution and hatred just the same, but with no wrong doing on His part.  It's only natural that Christians will experience the same - only we are imperfect and that will be pointed out to us again and again.

But let's follow Christ's examples.  Let's not lash out at our persecutors.  Continue to speak truth in love, live as Christ-like as possible, and be an amazing example in spite of all the troubles and trials that come our way and threaten to drown us.  And don't forget to share your struggles with the Christian friends GOD has placed in your life-it's amazing how much a kind word, a hug, and listening ear can make the struggles seem easier.