TRV
Translation
King James Version
Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.
Complete Jewish Bible
Answer me, ADONAI, for your grace is good; in your great mercy, turn to me.
Berean Standard Bible
Answer me, O LORD, for Your loving devotion is good; turn to me in keeping with Your great compassion.
American Standard Version
Answer me, O Jehovah; for thy lovingkindness is good: According to the multitude of thy tender mercies turn thou unto me.
World English Bible Messianic
Answer me, LORD, for your loving kindness is good. According to the multitude of your tender mercies, turn to me.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Heare me, O Lord, for thy louing kindnes is good: turne vnto me according to ye multitude of thy tender mercies.
Young's Literal Translation
Answer me, O Jehovah, for good is Thy kindness, According to the abundance Of Thy mercies turn Thou unto me,
In the KJVVerse 14,952 of 31,102
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Commentary on Psalms 69 verses 13–21
13 ¶ But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.
14 Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.
15 Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.
16 Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.
17 And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily.
18 Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: deliver me because of mine enemies.
19 Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour: mine adversaries are all before thee.
20 Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.
21 They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
David had been speaking before of the spiteful reproaches which his enemies cast upon him; here he adds, But, as for me, my prayer is unto thee. They spoke ill of him for his fasting and praying, and for that he was made the song of the drunkards; but, notwithstanding that, he resolves to continue praying. Note, Though we may be jeered for well-doing, we must never be jeered out of it. Those can bear but little for God, and their confessing his name before men, that cannot bear a scoff and a hard word rather than quit their duty. David's enemies were very abusive to him, but this was his comfort, that he had a God to go to, with whom he would lodge his cause. "They think to carry their cause by insolence and calumny; but I use other methods. Whatever they do, As for me, my prayer is unto thee, O Lord!" And it was in an acceptable time, not the less acceptable for being a time of affliction. God will not drive us from him, though it is need that drives us to him; nay, it is the more acceptable, because the misery and distress of God's people make them so much the more the objects of his pity: it is seasonable for him to help them when all other helps fail, and they are undone, and feel that they are undone, if he do not help them. We find this expression used concerning Christ. Isa 49:8, In an acceptable time have I heard thee. Now observe,
I. What his requests are. 1. That he might have a gracious audience given to his complaints, the cry of his affliction, and the desire of his heart. Hear me (Psa 69:13), and again, Hear me, O Lord! (Psa 69:16), Hear me speedily (Psa 69:17), not only hear what I say, but grant what I ask. Christ knew that the Father heard him always, Joh 11:42. 2. That he might be rescued out of his troubles, might be saved from sinking under the load of grief (Deliver me out of the mire; let me not stick in it, so some, but help me out, and set my feet on a rock, Psa 40:2), might be saved from his enemies, that they might not swallow him up, nor have their will against him: "Let me be delivered from those that hate me, as a lamb from the paw of a lion, Psa 69:14. Though I have come into keep waters (Psa 69:2), where I am ready to conclude that the floods will overflow me, yet let my fears be prevented and silenced; let not the waterflood, though it flow upon me, overflow me, Psa 69:15. Let me not fall into the gulf of despair; let not that deep swallow me up; let not that pit shut her mouth upon me, for then I am undone." He gave himself up for lost in the beginning of the psalm; yet now he has his head above water, and is not so weary of crying as he thought himself. 3. That God would turn to him (Psa 69:16), that he would smile upon him, and not hide his face from him, Psa 69:17. The tokens of God's favour to us, and the light of his countenance shining upon us, are enough to keep our spirits from sinking in the deepest mire of outward troubles, nor need we desire any more to make us safe and easy, Psa 69:18. "Draw nigh to my soul, to manifest thyself to it, and that shall redeem it."
II. What his pleas are to enforce these petitions. 1. He pleads God's mercy and truth (Psa 69:13): In the multitude of thy mercy hear me. There is mercy in God, a multitude of mercies, all kinds of mercy, inexhaustible mercy, mercy enough for all, enough for each; and hence we must take our encouragement in praying. The truth also of his salvation (the truth of all those promises of salvation which he has made to those that trust in him) is a further encouragement. He repeats his argument taken from the mercy of God: "Hear me, for thy lovingkindness of good. It is so in itself; it is rich and plentiful and abundant. It is so in the account of all the saints; it is very precious to them, it is their life, their joy, their all. O let me have the benefit of it! Turn to me, according to the multitude of thy tender mercies," Psa 69:16. See how highly he speaks of the goodness of God: in him there are mercies, tender mercies, and a multitude of them. If we think well of God, and continue to do so under the greatest hardships, we need not fear but God will do well for us; for he takes pleasure in those that hope in his mercy, Psa 147:11. 2. He pleads his own distress and affliction: "Hide not thy face from me, for I am in trouble (Psa 69:17), and therefore need thy favour; therefore it will come seasonably, and therefore I shall know how to value it." He pleads particularly the reproach he was under and the indignities that were done him (Psa 69:19): Thou hast known my reproach, my shame, and my dishonour. See what a stress is laid upon this; for, in the sufferings of Christ for us, perhaps nothing contributed more to the satisfaction he made for sin, which had been so injurious to God in his honour, than the reproach, and shame, and dishonour he underwent, which God took notice of, and accepted as more than an equivalent for the everlasting shame and contempt which our sins had deserved, and therefore we must by repentance take shame to ourselves and bear the reproach of our youth. And if at any time we be called out to suffer reproach, and shame, and dishonour, for his sake, this may be our comfort, that he knows it, and, as he is before-hand with us, so he will not be behind-hand with us. The Psalmist speaks the language of an ingenuous nature when he says (Psa 69:20): Reproach has broken my heart; I am full of heaviness; for it bears hard upon one that knows the worth of a good name to be put under a bad character; but when we consider what an honour it is to be dishonoured for God, and what a favour to be counted worthy to suffer shame for his name (as they deemed it, Act 5:41), we shall see there is no reason at all why it should sit so heavily or be any heart-breaking to us. 3. He pleads the insolence and cruelty of his enemies (Psa 69:18): Deliver me because of my enemies, because they were such as he had before described them, Psa 69:4. "My adversaries are all before thee (Psa 69:19); thou knowest what sort of men they are, what danger I am in from them, what enemies they are to thee, and how much thou art reflected upon in what they do and design against me." One instance of their barbarity is given (Psa 69:21): They gave me gall for my meat (the word signifies a bitter herb, and is often joined with wormwood) and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. This was literally fulfilled in Christ, and did so directly point to him that he would not say It is finished till this was fulfilled; and, in order that his enemies might have occasion to fulfil it, he said, I thirst, Joh 19:28, Joh 19:29. Some think that the hyssop which they put to his mouth with the vinegar was the bitter herb which they gave him with the vinegar for his meat. See how particularly the sufferings of Christ were foretold, which proves the scripture to be the word of God, and how exactly the predictions were fulfilled in Jesus Christ, which proves him to be the true Messiah. This is he that should come, and we are to look for no other. 4. He pleads the unkindness of his friends and his disappointment in them (Psa 69:20): I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; they all failed him like the brooks in summer. This was fulfilled in Christ, for in his sufferings all his disciples forsook him and fled. We cannot expect too little from men (miserable comforters are they all); nor can we expect too much from God, for he is the Father of mercy and the God of all comfort and consolation.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 13–21. Public domain.
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Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 69
"Hearken unto me, O Lord, for sweet is Your mercy" [Psalm 69:16]. He has given this as a reason why He ought to be hearkened unto, because sweet is the mercy of God....To a man set in trouble the mercy of God must needs be sweet. Concerning this sweetness of the mercy of God see ye what in another place the Scripture says: "Like rain in drought, so beautiful is the mercy of God in trouble." [Sirach 35:20] That which there he says to be "beautiful," the same he says here to be "sweet." Not even bread would be sweet, unless hunger had preceded. Therefore even when the Lord permits or causes us to be in any trouble, even then He is merciful: for He does not withdraw nourishment, but stirs up longing. Accordingly what says he now, "Hearken to me, O Lord, for sweet is Your mercy"? Now do not defer hearkening, in so great trouble I am, that sweet to me is Your mercy. For to this end You deferred to succour, in order that to me that wherewith You succoured might be sweet: but now no longer is there cause why You must defer; my trouble has arrived at the appointed measure of distress, let Your mercy come to do the work of goodness. "After the multitude of Your pities have regard unto me:" not after the multitude of my sins.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 69:16 presents a fervent and pivotal prayer from the psalmist, likely King David, who is engulfed by profound suffering and intense opposition. This verse marks a crucial transition within the psalm, moving from a detailed lament to an earnest and direct petition to God. The psalmist appeals not to his own merit, but to the very essence of God's character—His inherent goodness, steadfast love, and boundless compassion—seeking divine attention and intervention grounded solely in the Almighty's immeasurable nature.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 69:16 masterfully employs several potent literary devices to convey its urgent and profound message. The most immediate device is Direct Address, as the psalmist speaks personally and immediately to "O LORD," establishing an intimate, desperate, and urgent tone. This is powerfully followed by an Appeal to Character, where the psalmist bases his entire petition not on his own merit or suffering, but solely on God's inherent attributes ("thy lovingkindness is good," "multitude of thy tender mercies"). This is a common and profound feature in lament psalms, redirecting the focus from human inadequacy to divine sufficiency. The phrase "multitude of thy tender mercies" functions as a form of Hyperbole or Intensification, emphasizing the immeasurable, overflowing, and inexhaustible nature of God's compassion, thereby assuring the supplicant of an abundant and comprehensive divine response. Furthermore, there is an implicit Parallelism between "lovingkindness is good" and "multitude of thy tender mercies," as both phrases serve to describe and reinforce the benevolent, compassionate, and faithful nature of God, solidifying the theological foundation upon which the prayer is built.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse profoundly articulates the theological truth that God's character—specifically His steadfast love (ḥesed) and boundless compassion (raḥamîm)—is the ultimate and unshakeable ground for human hope and prayer. It teaches us that even in the deepest pits of suffering, believers can confidently and boldly appeal to God, not because of their own righteousness or worthiness, but solely because of who He is: a God whose lovingkindness is inherently good and whose mercies are multitudinous. This understanding fosters radical trust and complete dependence, shifting the focus from human performance and merit to divine grace and sovereign benevolence. It powerfully underscores the covenant faithfulness of God, assuring His people that His commitment to their well-being is unwavering, always leaning towards mercy, restoration, and active intervention.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 69:16 offers a timeless, profound, and powerful model for prayer, particularly in seasons of intense personal distress, overwhelming opposition, or societal brokenness. It encourages us to approach God with raw honesty about our pain and vulnerability, yet always anchoring our pleas in His unchanging, benevolent, and faithful character. In a world that often measures worth by performance, achievement, or circumstance, this verse serves as a crucial reminder that our access to God's grace and His ear is founded solely on His boundless ḥesed and raḥamîm. When we feel unheard, overlooked, or utterly overwhelmed by life's challenges, we are invited to "turn unto" the Lord, confident that His lovingkindness is not only good but also infinitely sufficient to meet our deepest needs, prompting Him to act with an abundance of His saving grace. It assures us that no matter how dire or desperate our situation, God's compassion is never exhausted, and His willingness to forgive, restore, and deliver is vast, unfailing, and ever-present.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of "lovingkindness" and "tender mercies" in this verse?
Answer: The terms "lovingkindness" (Hebrew: ḥesed) and "tender mercies" (Hebrew: raḥamîm) are central to understanding God's character and His covenant relationship with His people in the Old Testament. Ḥesed refers to God's steadfast, loyal, and covenantal love—an active commitment that goes beyond mere sentiment to beneficial and faithful engagement. It represents the dependable, unwavering goodness of God that forms the bedrock of His promises. Raḥamîm denotes a deep, visceral, womb-like compassion, akin to a parent's profound empathy and nurturing care for their child. The "multitude" of these mercies emphasizes their immeasurable abundance and inexhaustible nature. Together, these terms assure the psalmist, and us, that God's response to our pleas is rooted in His unchanging, abundant, and deeply compassionate nature, rather than our own merit or performance. They signify that God is inherently good and actively benevolent towards His creation, especially those who seek Him in their distress.
Why does the psalmist ask God to "turn unto me"?
Answer: The plea to "turn unto me" is a common and poignant expression found in biblical laments, signifying a desperate desire for God to actively engage and direct His favorable attention towards the supplicant. It implies a shift from a perceived state of divine distance, silence, or even judgment, to one of active presence, merciful intervention, and tangible deliverance. For the psalmist, overwhelmed by enemies and affliction, asking God to "turn" is a desperate cry for God to acknowledge his suffering, to show His face, and to manifest His saving power. It is a heartfelt request for God to act decisively and mercifully, bringing comfort, vindication, and restoration in the midst of distress, thereby demonstrating His active presence and power, as beautifully expressed in passages like Psalm 80:3.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 69:16, like the entire psalm, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. While the psalmist cried out in his own suffering, his words resonate deeply with the experience of the Messiah, who perfectly embodied the righteous one suffering reproach and crying out to the Father. Jesus, throughout His earthly ministry, particularly in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross, made His appeals always grounded in the Father's perfect will and boundless ḥesed and raḥamîm. The "lovingkindness" of God, which is "good," was supremely demonstrated when He, in His infinite love, sent His only Son to suffer and die for humanity's sin, proving His steadfast love for us even while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). The "multitude of thy tender mercies" finds its fullest and most glorious expression in the new covenant established through Christ's shed blood, where God, "being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ" (Ephesians 2:4-5). Through Christ, we now have confident and direct access to the "throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16). Jesus is the supreme and ultimate demonstration of God's good lovingkindness, and it is through Him that we receive the boundless, tender mercies that lead to salvation, eternal comfort, and reconciliation with God (2 Corinthians 1:3).