TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Psalms 69:1–12. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
In these verses David complains of his troubles, intermixing with those complaints some requests for relief.
I.His complaints are very sad, and he pours them out before the Lord, as one that hoped thus to ease himself of a burden that lay very heaven upon him.
1.He complains of the deep impressions that his troubles made upon his spirit (Psa 69:1, Psa 69:2): "The waters of affliction, those bitter waters, have come unto my soul, not only threaten my life, but disquiet my mind; they fill my head with perplexing cares and my heart with oppressive grief, so that I cannot enjoy God and myself as I used to do." We shall bear up under our troubles if we can but keep them from our hearts; but, when they put us out of the possession of our own souls, our case is bad. The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but what shall we do when the spirit is wounded? That was David's case here. His thoughts sought for something to confide in, and with which to support his hope, but he found nothing: He sunk in keep mire, where there was no standing, no firm footing; the considerations that used to support and encourage him now failed him, or were out of the way, and he was ready to give himself up for gone. He sought for something to comfort himself with, but found himself in deep waters that overflowed him, overwhelmed him; he was like a sinking drowning man, in such confusion and consternation. This points at Christ's sufferings in his soul, and the inward agony he was in when he said, Now is my soul troubled; and, My soul is exceedingly sorrowful; for it was his soul that he made an offering for sin. And it instructs us, when we are in affliction, to commit the keeping of our souls to God, that we may be neither soured with discontent nor sink into despair.
2.He complains of the long continuance of his troubles (Psa 69:3): I am weary of my crying. Though he could not keep his head above water, yet he cried to his God, and the more death was in his view the more life was in his prayers; yet he had not immediately an answer of peace given in, no, nor so much of that support and comfort in praying which God's people used to have; so that he was almost weary of crying, grew hoarse, and his throat so dried that he could cry no more. Nor had he his wonted satisfaction in believing, hoping, and expecting relief: My eyes fail while I wait for my God; he had almost looked his eyes out, in expectation of deliverance. Yet his pleading this with God is an indication that he is resolved not to give up believing and praying. His throat is dried, but his heart is not; his eyes fail, but his faith does not. Thus our Lord Jesus, on the cross, cried out, Why hast thou forsaken me? yet, at the same time, he kept hold of his relation to him: My God, my God.
3.He complains of the malice and multitude of his enemies, their injustice and cruelty, and the hardships they put upon him, Psa 69:4. They hated him, they would destroy him, for hatred aims at the destruction of the person hated; but what was his iniquity, what was his sin, what provocation had he given them, that they were so spiteful towards him? None at all: "They hate me without a cause; I never did them the least injury, that they should bear me such ill-will." Our Saviour applies this to himself (Joh 15:25): They hated me without a cause. We are apt to use this in justification of our passion against those that hate us, that we never gave them cause to hate us. But it is rather an argument why we should bear it patiently, because then we suffer as Christ did, and may then expect that God will give us redress. "They are my enemies wrongfully, for I have been no enemy to them." In a world where unrighteousness reigns so much we must not wonder if we meet with those that are our enemies wrongfully. Let us take care that we never do wrong and then we may the better bear it if we receive wrong. These enemies were not to be despised, but were very formidable both for their number - They are more than the hairs of my head (Christ's enemies were numerous; those that came to seize him were a great multitude; how were those increased that troubled him!) and for their strength - They are mighty in authority and power. We are weak, but our enemies are strong; for we wrestle against principalities and powers. Then I restored that which I took not away. Applying this to David, it was what his enemies compelled him to (they made him suffer for that offence which he had never been guilty of); and it was what he consented to, that, if possible, he might pacify them and make them to be at peace with him. He might have insisted upon the laws of justice and honour, the former not requiring and the latter commonly thought to forbid the restoring of that which we took not away, for that is to wrong ourselves both in our wealth and in our reputation. Yet the case may be such sometimes that it may become our duty. Blessed Paul, though free from all men, yet, for the honour of Christ and the edification of the church, made himself a servant to all. But, applying it to Christ, it is an observable description of the satisfaction which he made to God for our sin by his blood: Then he restored that which he took not away; he underwent the punishment that was due to us, paid our debt, suffered for our offence. God's glory, in some instances of it, was taken away by the sin of man; man's honour, and peace, and happiness, were taken away; it was not he that took them away, and yet by the merit of his death he restored them.
4.He complains of the unkindness of his friends and relations, and this is a grievance which with an ingenuous mind cuts as deeply as any (Psa 69:8): "I have become a stranger to my brethren; they make themselves strange to me and use me as a stranger, are shy of conversing with me and ashamed to own me." This was fulfilled in Christ, whose brethren did not believe on him (Joh 7:5), who came to his own and his own received him not (Joh 1:11), and who was forsaken by his disciples, whom he had been free with as his brethren.
5.He complains of the contempt that was put upon him and the reproach with which he was continually loaded. And in this especially his complaint points at Christ, who for our sakes submitted to the greatest disgrace and made himself of no reputation. We having by sin injured God in his honour, Christ made him satisfaction, not only by divesting himself of the honours due to an incarnate deity, but by submitting to the greatest dishonours that could be done to any man. Two things David here takes notice of as aggravations of the indignities done him: - (1.) The ground and matter of the reproach, Psa 69:10, Psa 69:11. They ridiculed him for that by which he both humbled himself and honoured God. When men lift up themselves in pride and vain glory they are justly laughed at for their folly; but David chastened his soul, and clothed himself with sackcloth, and from his abasing himself they took occasion to trample upon him. When men dishonour God it is just that their so doing should turn to their dishonour; but when David, purely in devotion to God and to testify his respect to him, wept, and chastened his soul with fasting, and made sackcloth his garment, as humble penitents used to do, instead of commending his devotion and recommending it as a great example of piety, they did all they could both to discourage him in it and to prevent others from following his good example; for that was to his reproach. They laughed at him as a fool for mortifying himself thus; and even for this he became a proverb to them; they made him the common subject of their banter. We must not think it strange if we be ill spoken of for that which is well done, and in which we have reason to hope that we are accepted of God. Our Lord Jesus was stoned for his good works (Joh 10:32), and when he cried, Eli, Eli - My God, my God, was bantered, as if he called for Elias. (2.) The persons that reproached him, Psa 69:12. [1.] Even the gravest and the most honourable, from whom better was expected: Those that sit in the gate speak against me, and their reproaches pass for the dictates of senators and the decrees of judges, and are credited accordingly. [2.] The meanest, and the most despicable, the abjects (Psa 35:15), and scum of the country, the children of fools, yea, the children of base men, Job 30:8. Such drunkards as these make themselves vile, and he was the song of the drunkards; they made themselves and their companions merry with him. See the bad consequences of the sin of drunkenness; it makes men despisers of those that are good, Ti2 3:3. When the king was made sick with bottles of wine he stretched out his hand with scorners, Hos 7:5. The bench of the drunkards is the seat of the scornful. See what is commonly the lot of the best of men: those that are the praise of the wise are the song of fools. But it is easy to those that rightly judge of things to despise being thus despised.
II.His confessions of sin are very serious (Psa 69:5):
"O God! thou knowest my foolishness, what is and what is not; my sins that I am guilty of are not hidden from thee, and therefore thou knowest how innocent I am of those crimes which they charge upon me." Note, Even when, as to men's unjust accusations, we plead Not guilty, yet, before God, we must acknowledge ourselves to have deserved all that is brought upon us, and much worse. 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.
1.He knows the corruption of our nature: Thou knowest the foolishness that is bound up in my heart. All our sins take rise from our foolishness.
2.He knows the transgressions of our lives; they are not hidden from him, no, not our heart-sins, no, not those that are committed most secretly. They are all done in his sight, and are never cast behind his back till they are repented of and pardoned. This may aptly be applied to Christ, for he knew no sin, yet he was made sin for us; and God knew it, nor was it hidden from him, when it pleased the Lord to bruise him and put him to grief.
III.His supplications are very earnest.
1.For himself (Psa 69:1): "Save me, O God! save me from sinking, from despairing." Thus Christ was heard in that he feared, for he was saved from letting fall his undertaking, Heb 5:7.
2.For his friends (Psa 69:6): Let not those that wait on thee, O Lord God of hosts! and that seek thee, O God of Israel! (under these two characters we ought to seek God, and in seeking him to wait on him, as the God of hosts, who has all power to help, and as the God of Israel in covenant with his people, whom therefore he is engaged in honour and truth to help) be ashamed and confounded for my sake. This intimates his fear that if God did not appear for him it would be a discouragement to all other good people and would give their enemies occasion to triumph over them, and his earnest desire that whatever became of him all that seek God, and wait upon him, might be kept in heart and kept in countenance, and might neither be discouraged in themselves nor exposed to contempt from others. If Jesus Christ had not been owned and accepted of his Father in his sufferings, all that seek God, and wait for him, would have been ashamed and confounded; but they have confidence towards God, and in his name come boldly to the throne of grace.
IV.His plea is very powerful, Psa 69:7, Psa 69:9.
Reproach was one of the greatest of his burdens: "Lord, roll away the reproach, and plead my cause, for, 1. It is for thee that I am reproached, for serving thee and trusting in thee: For thy sake I have borne reproach." Those that are evil spoken of for well-doing may with a humble confidence leave it to God to bring forth their righteousness as the light. 2. "It is with thee that I am reproached: The zeal of thy house has eaten me up, that is, has made me forget myself, and do that which they wickedly turn to my reproach. Those that hate thee and thy house for that reason hate me, because they know how zealously affected I am to it. It is this that has made them ready to eat me up and has eaten up all the love and respect I had among them." Those that blasphemed God, and spoke ill of his word and ways, did therefore reproach David for believing in his word and walking in his ways. Or it may be construed as an instance of David's zeal for God's house, that he resented all the indignities done to God's name as if they had been done to his own name. He laid to heart all the dishonour done to God and the contempt cast upon religion; these he laid nearer to his heart than any outward troubles of his own. And therefore he had reason to hope God would interest himself in the reproaches cast upon him, because he had always interested himself in the reproaches cast upon God. Both the parts of this verse are applied to Christ. (1.) It was an instance of his love to his Father that the zeal of his house did even eat him up when he whipped the buyers and sellers out of the temple, which reminded his disciples of this text, Joh 2:17. (2.) It was an instance of his self-denial, and that he pleased not himself, that the reproaches of those that reproached God fell upon him (Rom 15:3), and therein he set us an example.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
On the first occasion we nearly perished of hunger and thirst while we were wandering about in the desert [without food] for five days and five nights. On the second occasion we traveled over savage, rugged mountains until our feet were pierced by the stones, and we suffered very great pain and very nearly had to yield up our souls. On the third occasion we sank in the mud several times more than waist deep, and there was none to help [us], and we cried out the words of the blessed David, “Save me, O God, for the waters have come even to my soul. I have sunk into a dark abyss, wherein is no place on which to stand. Save me from the mire so that I do not sink.” On the fourth occasion a great flood burst on us at the time when the Nile floods, and we walked about in the water, and we sank down very nearly to the nostrils [of the animal that we rode], and we cried out and said, “Drown us not, O Lord, in a whirlpool of waters, and let not the abyss swallow us up, and let not the pit close its mouth over us.”
"Save me, O God, for the waters have entered in even unto my soul" [Psalm 69:1]. That grain is despised now, that seems to give forth humble words. In the garden it is buried, though the world will admire the greatness of the herb, of which herb the seed was despised by the Jews. For in very deed observe ye the seed of the mustard, minute, dull coloured, altogether despicable, in order that therein may be fulfilled that which has been said, We have seen Him, and He had neither form nor comeliness. [Isaiah 53:2] But He says, that waters have come in even unto His soul; because those multitudes, which under the name of waters He has pointed out, were able so far to prevail as to kill Christ....Whence then does He so cry out, as though He were suffering something against His will, except because the Head does prefigure the Members? For He suffered because He willed: but the Martyrs even though they willed not; for to Peter thus He foretold his passion: "When you shall be old," He says, "another shall gird you, and lead you whither you will not." [John 21:18] For though we desire to cleave to Christ, yet we are unwilling to die: and therefore willingly or rather patiently we suffer, because no other passage is given us, through which we may cleave to Christ. For if we could in any other way arrive at Christ, that is, at life everlasting, who would be willing to die? For while explaining our nature, that is, a sort of association of soul and body, and in these two parts a kind of intimacy of gluing and fastening together, the Apostle says, that "we have a House not made with hands, everlasting in the Heavens:" [2 Corinthians 5:1] that is, immortality prepared for us, wherewith we are to be clothed at the end, when we shall have risen from the dead; and he says, "Wherein we are not willing to be stripped, but to be clothed upon, that the mortal may be swallowed up of life." [2 Corinthians 5:4] If it might so be, we should so will, he says, to become immortal, as that now that same immortality might come, and now as we are it should change us, in order that this our mortal body by life should be swallowed up, and the body should not be laid aside through death, so as at the end again to have to be recovered. Although then from evil to good things we pass, nevertheless the very passage is somewhat bitter, and has the gall which the Jews gave to the Lord in the Passion, has something sharp to be endured, whereby they are shown that gave Him vinegar to drink. [Matthew 27:34] ...For here both sweet are temporal pleasures, and bitter are temporal tribulations: but who would not drink the cup of tribulation temporal, fearing the fire of hell; and who would not contemn the sweetness of the world, longing for the sweetness of life eternal? From hence that we may be delivered let us cry: lest perchance amidst oppressions we consent to iniquity, and truly irreparably we be swallowed up.
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Summary
Psalm 69:1, a profoundly moving lament attributed to King David, commences with an urgent and desperate plea for divine intervention, portraying the psalmist as being overwhelmed by a deluge of personal distress. This opening verse masterfully employs vivid aquatic imagery to establish the core themes of the psalm: intense suffering, unjust persecution, and the consuming sensation of being utterly engulfed by life's most formidable troubles, thereby underscoring the psalmist's absolute and unwavering reliance on God as his singular hope for deliverance.
Context
Literary Context
Psalm 69 is a deeply personal and poignant lament, widely recognized as one of the most significant and frequently cited Messianic psalms within the New Testament. The superscription, "To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, [A Psalm] of David," provides crucial insights into its original context, indicating its intended musical setting ("Shoshannim" likely refers to "lilies," suggesting a specific melody or instrument often associated with themes of both joy and sorrow) and its traditional authorship by David. Verse 1 immediately immerses the reader into the psalmist's acute distress, introducing a powerful and recurring aquatic metaphor that graphically depicts the overwhelming nature of his affliction. This initial cry establishes the central conflict of the psalm: the psalmist's profound suffering at the hands of his adversaries and his desperate appeal to God for salvation. It sets the emotional and theological tone for the subsequent unfolding of pleas for deliverance, vivid descriptions of persecution, imprecations against enemies, and eventual expressions of hope and praise, making this opening foundational to understanding the psalmist's journey from despair to trust.
Historical & Cultural Context
While traditionally ascribed to David, the precise historical circumstances that occasioned Psalm 69 are not explicitly detailed, allowing its universal themes of unjust suffering and divine deliverance to resonate across various historical periods. It could reflect David's own experiences of profound betrayal (e.g., by Absalom or Saul), false accusations, or deep personal anguish. The powerful imagery of "waters" as a symbol of overwhelming trouble, chaos, and danger is deeply embedded in ancient Near Eastern cosmology and pervasive throughout biblical tradition. In these contexts, floods, raging seas, and deep waters frequently represented forces of destruction, divine judgment, or the primordial chaos that God actively subdued. This metaphor would have been immediately comprehensible to an ancient Israelite audience as conveying a life-threatening situation, suggesting not merely physical peril but also spiritual, emotional, and existential inundation. The psalmist's urgent cry for "salvation" (Hebrew: yasha') reflects a common and profound plea for deliverance from imminent danger, whether from human enemies, natural disaster, or spiritual despair, underscoring a deep cultural understanding of God as the ultimate rescuer.
Key Themes
Psalm 69:1 introduces several foundational themes that not only permeate the entire psalm but also echo throughout the broader tapestry of biblical theology. Firstly, it powerfully articulates a Desperate Plea for Divine Rescue, highlighting the psalmist's absolute and unreserved dependence on God as his sole refuge when all human avenues of escape are closed. His direct address, "Save me, O God," is a raw, unvarnished cry from the depths of despair, mirroring the urgent prayers found in other laments, such as David's cry for help when surrounded by enemies in Psalm 18:4-6 or the psalmist's appeal from deep distress in Psalm 120:1. Secondly, the verse vividly portrays Overwhelming Affliction through the potent metaphor of "waters are come in unto my soul." This imagery conveys an acute sense of being submerged, drowned, or utterly consumed by troubles that threaten one's very existence, a feeling of existential peril that transcends mere physical discomfort, as also powerfully depicted in Psalm 42:7. Finally, it underscores Human Vulnerability in the face of insurmountable challenges, emphasizing the universal human experience of helplessness when confronted with circumstances beyond one's control, compelling the individual to turn to God as the ultimate and only source of salvation and hope, a theme that resonates deeply with humanity's overarching need for a divine deliverer from sin and death, ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This primitive root fundamentally means "to be open, wide or free," implying deliverance from a narrow, constricted, or distressed situation. It denotes rescue, liberation, or bringing to safety. In a theological context, yashaʻ often refers to God's comprehensive act of bringing salvation, not merely from physical danger but also from spiritual peril, sin, and death. David's cry is for a complete and decisive act of divine intervention that restores him to a state of well-being and security.
This word literally refers to water, but in biblical poetry, mayim frequently serves as a powerful and evocative metaphor for overwhelming trouble, affliction, danger, or chaos. It conjures images of destructive floods, deep and menacing seas, or a torrent that threatens to engulf and drown. The use of "waters" here signifies a multitude of troubles that are not just external but are actively invading and threatening the psalmist's very being, signifying an existential threat.
This term refers to the entire person, the living being, encompassing one's life, mind, emotions, and will. It is not merely a spiritual component but the very seat of one's vitality, consciousness, and desires. When the "waters" come "unto my soul," it signifies that the distress has penetrated the deepest core of the psalmist's existence, affecting his entire being—his spirit, emotions, and even his physical life—threatening to extinguish him. This is an existential crisis, not merely a superficial problem.
Verse Breakdown
"Save me, O God;"
This opening imperative is a direct, urgent, and intensely personal appeal to God. It is a raw, unmediated expression of desperation, acknowledging God as the sole entity capable of providing the necessary rescue. The psalmist's situation is so dire that he bypasses any intermediaries, crying out directly to the divine source of power and salvation, thereby demonstrating absolute reliance and a profound recognition of God's sovereignty and omnipotence.
"for the waters are come in unto my soul."
This clause provides the compelling reason for the desperate plea, employing a vivid and potent metaphor. The "waters" symbolize overwhelming troubles, dangers, and afflictions that have not merely surrounded the psalmist but have "come in unto" or "entered" his very being, his nephesh. This suggests an internal, existential crisis where he feels submerged, drowned, and utterly consumed by his distress, indicating a profound sense of peril that threatens his life, sanity, and spiritual well-being. The phrase emphasizes the invasive and overwhelming nature of his suffering.
Literary Devices
Psalm 69:1 is replete with literary devices that amplify its emotional and theological impact, drawing the reader into the psalmist's profound distress. The most prominent device is Metaphor, where "waters" are masterfully employed to represent overwhelming troubles, afflictions, and dangers. This vivid aquatic imagery transforms abstract distress into a tangible, life-threatening flood, allowing the reader to viscerally comprehend the psalmist's predicament. This metaphor is further intensified by Hyperbole, as the idea of "waters" coming "unto my soul" suggests an extreme, almost impossible level of inundation, emphasizing the psalmist's feeling of being utterly consumed and on the brink of destruction. The verse also functions as an Invocation, a direct and urgent address to God, which is a defining characteristic of the Lament Form prevalent in the Psalms, immediately establishing the psalmist's posture of desperate prayer and absolute dependence on divine intervention. The entire verse powerfully exemplifies Pathos, evoking deep sympathy for the psalmist's suffering and highlighting the universal human experience of profound distress and helplessness.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Psalm 69:1 stands as a timeless testament to the inherent vulnerability of the human condition and the steadfast character of God as the ultimate Deliverer. It profoundly underscores the theological truth that in moments of overwhelming crisis, when all earthly resources and human avenues of escape fail, humanity's ultimate and only recourse is a direct, honest, and desperate cry to the sovereign God. This verse powerfully affirms God's attentiveness to the cries of the afflicted and His sovereign power to rescue from even the most profound depths of despair. It teaches that authentic faith does not shy away from expressing raw pain and fear but rather brings it boldly and unreservedly before the Lord, trusting implicitly in His boundless capacity to save and sustain, even when circumstances feel utterly consuming. The psalmist's experience of being submerged in affliction prefigures the ultimate deliverance God provides through His Messiah, who would also experience the depths of human suffering and divine wrath.
Reflection and Application
Psalm 69:1 offers a profound and enduring model for contemporary believers navigating their own seasons of overwhelming distress. It grants divine permission for raw, unvarnished honesty in prayer, encouraging us to lay bare our deepest fears, most urgent needs, and profound vulnerabilities before God without pretense, spiritualized language, or a façade of composure. When life's challenges feel like an insurmountable flood, threatening to engulf our very soul, this verse reminds us that our first, most natural, and most effective response is a direct, desperate appeal to our sovereign God. It teaches us that vulnerability before God is not a sign of weakness but rather an act of profound faith, acknowledging His supremacy, His infinite power, and our absolute dependence on His saving grace. In a world that often pressures us to maintain an outward appearance of strength and control, David's lament invites us to embrace the reality of our human fragility and find true strength in crying out to the One who promises to be our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of the "waters" metaphor in this verse?
The "waters" metaphor in Psalm 69:1 is profoundly significant, serving as a powerful symbol for overwhelming trouble, imminent danger, and profound affliction. In ancient Near Eastern thought and throughout biblical poetry, deep waters, raging floods, or tumultuous seas frequently represented chaos, destruction, and the formidable forces that threaten to engulf life itself. When the psalmist declares that the "waters are come in unto my soul," it signifies that his distress is not merely external or superficial; rather, it has penetrated the very core of his being—his life, his emotions, his spirit, and his very consciousness. This imagery conveys an acute sense of being drowned, suffocated, or utterly consumed by his troubles, indicating an existential crisis that threatens his life and well-being, rather than just a superficial problem. This metaphor powerfully communicates the depth, intensity, and life-threatening nature of his suffering, compelling his urgent and desperate cry for divine rescue.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Psalm 69:1, while originating as a deeply personal lament of King David, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. David's experience of being overwhelmed by "waters" of affliction, betrayal, and unjust suffering serves as a powerful prophetic foreshadowing of the unparalleled suffering endured by the Messiah. Jesus, in His earthly ministry, faced relentless opposition, profound rejection, and ultimately, bore the full, crushing weight of humanity's sin, which truly came "unto His soul" in the agonizing depths of the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross. His heart-wrenching cry of dereliction, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46), echoes the desperate plea for salvation found in David's lament. The New Testament explicitly applies other verses from Psalm 69 to Christ, such as His consuming zeal for God's house (John 2:17), the reproach of those who reproached God falling directly on Him (Romans 15:3), and even the bitter gall and vinegar offered to Him in His final moments (Matthew 27:34). Thus, David's personal cry for deliverance becomes a prophetic voice, anticipating the perfect Lamb of God who would willingly be submerged in the "waters" of divine wrath and human sin, ultimately to emerge victorious from death, thereby securing eternal salvation for all who believe. His suffering was not merely physical but a profound spiritual and emotional inundation that secured our eternal rescue and liberation.