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Commentary on Psalms 69 verses 1–12
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.
“Not every one who says to me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven,” says the Scripture. Faith, therefore, august sovereign, must not be a mere matter of performance, for it is written, “The zeal of your house has devoured me.” Let us then with faithful spirit and devout mind call on Jesus our Lord, let us believe that he is God, to the end that whatever we ask of the Father, we may obtain in his name. For the Father’s will is that he be entreated through the Son, the Son’s that the Father be entreated.
"Against Me were reviling they that were sitting in the gate" [Psalm 69:12]. "In the gate" is nothing else but in public. "And against Me they were chanting, they that were drinking wine." Do ye think, brethren, that this has befallen Christ alone? Daily to Him in His members it happens: whenever perchance it is necessary for the servant of God to forbid excess of wine and luxuries in any village or town, where there has not been heard the Word of God, it is not enough that they sing, nay more even against him they begin to sing, by whom they are forbidden to sing. Compare ye now His fasting and their wine.
For this reason, the unquenchable fire there will have to burn whatever healing penance and a salutary conversion of life here has failed to cure. The burning pit of hell will be open, and to it there will be a descent but no means of return. Souls that have been stripped of the garment of faith and are mortally dead will be buried there forever, destined to be cast into the darkness outside where they will not be visited for all eternity. They will be unhappily shut out in exterior darkness, I repeat, or rather they will still more unhappily be enclosed in it. Concerning this pit the prophet relates, “Let not the abyss swallow me up, nor the pit close its mouth over me.” He said, “Let not the pit close its mouth over me” for this reason, because when it admits the guilty, it will be closed above and opened below, extending to the depths. No breathing space will be left, no breath of air will be available when the doors press down from above. Those who say farewell to the things of nature will be cast down there; since they have refused to know God, they will no longer be recognized by him, and dying to life they will live for endless death. The happy souls who now use their wealth wisely, content with bodily necessities and generous with their possessions, pure in themselves and not cruel toward others, free themselves from the fiery night of this infernal region. This punishment will detain those who will perish for all eternity, since they have lost the grace of baptism and have not restored it through repentance. To them it is said, “The chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.”
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SUMMARY
Psalms 69:12 powerfully articulates the psalmist's profound and pervasive humiliation, depicting him as an object of scorn from both the highest echelons of society, represented by those who deliberate at the city gate, and the lowest, symbolized by the mocking songs of drunkards. This verse encapsulates a deep sense of public disgrace and widespread contempt, highlighting the psalmist's isolation and the intensity of his suffering at the hands of his adversaries.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Psalm 69 is a profound and significant lament, frequently quoted in the New Testament as a Messianic psalm. It is a fervent cry of deep distress from an individual overwhelmed by enemies and suffering unjustly, yet maintaining a steadfast devotion to God. The psalmist expresses feeling like he is sinking in deep waters, as described in Psalm 69:1-2, alienated from his own family as seen in Psalm 69:8, and consumed by a fervent zeal for God's house, a theme powerfully articulated in Psalm 69:9. Verse 12 specifically details the social dimensions of his suffering, illustrating how his pain is not merely internal but publicly inflicted and widely known, thus setting the stage for his subsequent pleas for divine intervention and justice against his persecutors. This public humiliation intensifies the psalmist's sense of abandonment and isolation, making his lament all the more poignant.
Historical & Cultural Context: In the ancient Near East, the "gate" of a city was far more than a mere entrance; it functioned as the vibrant hub of public life. It served as a marketplace, a court of law, and a crucial gathering place for elders, judges, and respected citizens. Legal proceedings, business transactions, and public announcements all took place within its precincts. To be "spoken against in the gate" therefore signified facing public accusation, slander, or even official condemnation, resulting in a severe loss of reputation and social standing within the community. Conversely, "drunkards" represented the lowest, most disreputable elements of society, often associated with revelry, crude behavior, and public mockery. To be the "song of the drunkards" implied being reduced to an object of crude entertainment and pervasive ridicule, indicating a complete and utter degradation that spanned the entire social spectrum, from the powerful and respectable to the marginalized and contemptible. This dual source of contempt underscores the psalmist's utter social ostracization.
Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to several key themes within Psalm 69 and the broader Psalter. It underscores the theme of unjust suffering, as the psalmist consistently portrays himself as innocent of the accusations leveled against him, enduring pain despite his righteousness. It highlights the pervasive theme of widespread contempt and humiliation, demonstrating how the psalmist's adversaries have succeeded in making him an object of public scorn across all societal strata, from the civic leaders to the revelers. Furthermore, it deeply enriches the Messianic theme of the psalm, as the intense suffering and public rejection described here are profoundly echoed in the passion of Jesus Christ. The psalmist's experience of being hated without cause, as stated in Psalm 69:4, and enduring reproach, as lamented in Psalm 69:7, powerfully foreshadows the ultimate suffering and public disgrace of the Messiah.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 69:12 employs several potent literary devices to convey the psalmist's profound humiliation and widespread contempt. Parallelism is evident in the juxtaposition of "those who sit in the gate" and "the drunkards," creating a stark contrast that emphasizes the universality of the psalmist's scorn, spanning the entire social spectrum from the respected to the reviled. This specific form is antithetical parallelism, highlighting the two extremes of society that unite in their contempt. The phrase "the song of the drunkards" functions as a powerful metaphor, vividly illustrating that the psalmist has become an object of crude entertainment and pervasive ridicule, his misery transformed into a source of amusement for others. Furthermore, the description of such widespread scorn can be seen as hyperbole, intensifying the emotional impact and conveying the overwhelming nature of the psalmist's suffering and isolation. The "gate" itself serves as a potent symbol of public authority, justice, and social standing, making the slander received there particularly devastating.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse deeply resonates with the broader biblical theme of the suffering of the righteous, particularly when that suffering is unjust and pervasive. It highlights the profound isolation and pain experienced when one becomes an object of scorn from all corners of society, a theme echoed in the lives of many biblical figures, including Job and Jeremiah. The psalmist's experience underscores the reality that faithfulness to God can sometimes lead to public opprobrium rather than praise, challenging the simplistic notion that righteousness always brings immediate earthly reward. Theologically, it prompts reflection on the nature of human depravity that can lead to such widespread contempt for the innocent, and it anticipates the ultimate suffering of the Messiah, who would endure the deepest levels of human rejection and public disgrace for the sake of humanity's salvation.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 69:12 offers a profound mirror for believers who experience unjust criticism, public scorn, or mockery, whether for their faith, their values, or other reasons. It reminds us that such experiences, though deeply painful and isolating, are not unique and place us in solidarity with the suffering of the psalmist and, ultimately, with Christ Himself. In a world where public opinion can be fickle, often hostile to biblical truth, and quick to condemn, this verse encourages resilience and steadfastness. It calls us not to seek validation from human approval, whether from those in positions of influence or from the masses, but to anchor our identity and worth in God alone. When our reputation is slandered, or we become the subject of ridicule, this psalm invites us to bring our pain honestly before God, trusting in His ultimate vindication and knowing that our true standing is with Him, not with the shifting tides of human judgment. It challenges us to find our solace and strength in divine approval, even when facing universal human contempt.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of "they that sit in the gate" speaking against the psalmist?
Answer: In ancient Near Eastern cities, the "gate" was the central public space where legal proceedings, business transactions, and public discourse took place. Elders, judges, and respected citizens gathered there to conduct official and civic affairs. Therefore, to be spoken against "in the gate" meant facing public accusation, slander, or even official condemnation from those in positions of authority or influence. It signified a profound loss of reputation and public standing, indicating that the psalmist's humiliation was not private but widely known and endorsed by society's respected members, thus carrying significant social and legal weight.
What does it mean to be "the song of the drunkards"?
Answer: This phrase highlights the psalmist's degradation by the lowest and most disreputable elements of society. Drunkards were often associated with revelry, crude behavior, and mockery, lacking the decorum of respectable society. To be their "song" meant that the psalmist had become the subject of their derisive tunes, crude jokes, and public entertainment. It signifies a complete and pervasive scorn, demonstrating that the psalmist's humiliation spanned the entire social spectrum, from the powerful and respectable to the marginalized and contemptible, leaving him no segment of society from which to escape ridicule.
Is Psalm 69 considered a Messianic Psalm, and how does this verse relate to Christ?
Answer: Yes, Psalm 69 is indeed one of the most significant Messianic psalms, frequently quoted in the New Testament in relation to Jesus Christ's suffering and passion. Verse 12, depicting the psalmist's widespread humiliation from both the powerful and the lowly, profoundly foreshadows Christ's experience. Jesus was mocked by the religious leaders (those "in the gate") who held authority, as seen in Matthew 27:41, and by the common people, including soldiers and criminals, during His crucifixion, as described in Matthew 27:27-31 and Luke 23:35. His experience of bearing reproach, as noted in Romans 15:3, and becoming an object of ridicule perfectly aligns with the psalmist's lament, demonstrating the depth of humiliation Christ endured for humanity's salvation.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 69:12 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The psalmist's cry of being slandered by those in authority ("they that sit in the gate") and mocked by the lowest elements of society ("the song of the drunkards") precisely prefigures the universal contempt and humiliation endured by Jesus during His earthly ministry and, supremely, at His crucifixion. The religious leaders, the Sanhedrin, and Roman authorities, representing "those who sit in the gate," condemned Him and spoke against Him, ultimately delivering Him to be crucified, as documented in Matthew 26:59-66 and John 19:12-16. Simultaneously, the soldiers, the crowd, and even the criminals crucified alongside Him mocked and derided Him, making Him an object of scorn and crude entertainment, thereby fulfilling the "song of the drunkards" imagery, as detailed in Matthew 27:27-31 and Luke 23:35-39. Jesus, who knew no sin, became sin for us, as declared in 2 Corinthians 5:21, bearing the ultimate reproach and shame that was due to humanity. His perfect life and innocent suffering, culminating in this profound public humiliation, demonstrate the depth of His solidarity with suffering humanity and the immeasurable extent of His sacrificial love, making Him the true Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, as proclaimed in John 1:29.