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Commentary on Psalms 69 verses 22–29
These imprecations are not David's prayers against his enemies, but prophecies of the destruction of Christ's persecutors, especially the Jewish nation, which our Lord himself foretold with tears, and which was accomplished about forty years after the death of Christ. The first two verses of this paragraph are expressly applied to the judgments of God upon the unbelieving Jews by the apostle (Rom 11:9, Rom 11:10), and therefore the whole must look that way. The rejection of the Jews for rejecting Christ, as it was a signal instance of God's justice and an earnest of the vengeance which God will at last take on all that are obstinate in their infidelity, so it was, and continues to be, a convincing proof of the truth of the Christian religion. One great objection against it, at first, was, that it set aside the ceremonial law; but its doing so was effectually justified, and that objection removed, when God so remarkably set it aside by the utter destruction of the temple, and the sinking of those, with the Mosaic economy, that obstinately adhered to it in opposition to the gospel of Christ. Let us observe here,
I. What the judgments are which should come upon the crucifiers of Christ; not upon all of them, for there were those who had a hand in his death and yet repented and found mercy (Act 2:23; Act 3:14, Act 3:15), but upon those of them and their successors who justified it by an obstinate infidelity and rejection of his gospel, and by an inveterate enmity to his disciples and followers. See Th1 2:15, Th1 2:16. It is here foretold,
1.That their sacrifices and offerings should be a mischief and prejudice to them (Psa 69:22): Let their table become a snare. This may be understood of the altar of the Lord, which is called his table and theirs because in feasting upon the sacrifices they were partakers of the altar. This should have been for their welfare or peace (for they were peace-offerings), but it became a snare and a trap to them; for by their affection and adherence to the altar they were held fast in their infidelity and hardened in their prejudices against Christ, that altar which those had no right to eat of who continued to serve the tabernacle, Heb 13:10. Or it may be understood of their common creature-comforts, even their necessary food; they had given Christ gall and vinegar, and therefore justly shall their meat and drink be made gall and vinegar to them. When the supports of life and delights of sense, through the corruption of our nature, become an occasion of sin to us, and are made the food and fuel of our sensuality, then our table is a snare, which is a good reason why we should never feed ourselves without fear, Jde 1:12.
2.That they should never have the comfort either of that knowledge or of that peace which believers are blessed with in the gospel of Christ (Psa 69:23), that they should be given up, (1.) To a judicial blindness: Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not the glory of God in the face of Christ. Their sin was that they would not see, but shut their eyes against the light, loving darkness rather; their punishment was that they should not see, but be given up to their own hearts' lusts, which were hardening, and the god of this world should be permitted to blind their minds, Co2 4:4. This was foretold concerning them (Isa 6:10), and Christ ratified it, Mat 13:14, Mat 13:15; Joh 12:40. (2.) To a judicial terror. There is a gracious terror, which opens the way to comfort, such as that of Paul (Act 9:6); he trembled and was astonished. But this is a terror that shall never end in peace, but shall make their loins continually to shake, through horror of conscience, as Belshazzar, when the joints of his loins were loosed. "Let them be driven to despair, and filled with constant confusion." This was fulfilled in the desperate counsels of the Jews when the Romans came upon them.
3.That they should fall and lie under God's anger and fiery indignation (Psa 69:24): Pour out thy indignation upon them. Note, Those who reject God's great salvation proffered to them may justly fear that his indignation will be poured out upon them; for those that submit not to the Son of his love will certainly be made the generation of his wrath. It is the doom passed on those who believe not in Christ that the wrath of God abideth on them (Joh 3:36); it takes hold of them, and will never let them go. Salvation itself will not save those that are not willing to be ruled by it. Behold the goodness and severity of God!
4.That their place and nation should be utterly taken away, the very thing they were afraid of, and to prevent which, as they pretended, they persecuted Christ (Joh 11:48): Let their habitation be desolate (Psa 69:25), which was fulfilled when their country was laid waste by the Romans, and Zion, for their sakes, was ploughed as a field, Mic 3:12. The temple was the house which they were in a particular manner proud of, but this was left unto them desolate, Mat 23:38. Yet that is not all; it ought to be some satisfaction to us, if we be cut off from the enjoyment of our possessions, that others will have the benefit of them when we are dislodged: but it is here added, Let none dwell in their tents, which was remarkably fulfilled in Judah and Jerusalem, for after the destruction of the Jews it was long ere the country was inhabited to any purpose. But this is applied particularly to Judas, by St. Peter, Act 1:20. For, he being felo de se - a suicide, we may suppose his estate was confiscated, so that his habitation was desolate and no man of his own kindred dwelt therein.
5.That their way to ruin should be downhill, and nothing should stop them, nor interpose to prevent it (Psa 69:27): "Lord, leave them to themselves, to add iniquity to iniquity." Those that are bad, if they be given up to their own hearts' lusts, will certainly be worse; they will add sin to sin, nay, they will add rebellion to their sin, Job 34:37. It is said of the Jews that they filled up their sin always, Th1 2:16. Add the punishment of iniquity to their iniquity (so some read it), for the same word signifies both sin and punishment, so close is their connexion. If men will sin, God will reckon for it. But those that have multiplied to sin may yet find mercy, for God multiplies to pardon, through the righteousness of the Mediator; and therefore, that they might be precluded from all hopes of mercy, he adds, Let them not come into thy righteousness, to receive the benefit of the righteousness of God, which is by faith in a Mediator, Phi 3:9. Not that God shuts out any from that righteousness, for the gospel excludes none that do not by their unbelief exclude themselves; but let them be left to take their own course and they will never come into this government; for being ignorant of the demands of God's righteousness, and going about to establish the merit of their own, they have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God, Rom 10:3. And those that are so proud and self-willed that they will not come into God's righteousness shall have their doom accordingly; they themselves have decided it: they shall not come into his righteousness. Let not those expect any benefit by it that are not willing and glad to be beholden to it.
6.That they should be cut off from all hopes of happiness (Psa 69:28): Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; let them not be suffered to live any longer, since, the longer they live, the more mischief they do. Multitudes of the unbelieving Jews fell by sword and famine, and none of those who had embraced the Christian faith perished among them; the nation, as a nation, was blotted out, and became not a people. Many understand it of their rejection from God's covenant and all the privileges of it; that is the book of the living: "Let the commonwealth of Israel itself, Israel according to the flesh, now become alienated from that covenant of promise which hitherto it has had the monopoly of. Let it appear that they were never written in the Lamb's book of life, but reprobate silver let men call them, because the Lord has rejected them. Let them not be written with the righteous; that is, let them not have a place in the congregation of the saints when they shall all be gathered in the general assembly of those whose names are written in heaven," Psa 1:5.
II. What the sin is for which these dreadful judgments should be brought upon them (Psa 69:26): They persecute him whom thou hast smitten, and talk to the grief of thy wounded. 1. Christ was he whom God had smitten, for it pleased the Lord to bruise him, and he was esteemed stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted, and therefore men hid their faces from him, Isa 53:3, Isa 53:4, Isa 53:10. They persecuted him with a rage reaching up to heaven; they cried, Crucify him, crucify him. Compare that of St. Peter with this, Act 2:23. Though he was delivered by the counsel and foreknowledge of God, it was with wicked hands that they crucified and slew him. They talked to the grief of the Lord Jesus when he was upon the cross, saying, He trusted in God, let him deliver him, than which nothing could be said more grieving. 2. The suffering saints were God's wounded, wounded in his cause and for his sake, and them they persecuted, and talked to their grief. For these things wrath came upon them to the uttermost, Th1 2:16; and see Mat 23:34, etc. This may be understood more generally, and it teaches us that nothing is more provoking to God than to insult over those whom he has smitten, and to add affliction to the afflicted, upon which it justly follows here, Add iniquity to iniquity; see Zac 1:15. Those that are of a wounded spirit, under trouble and fear about their spiritual state, ought to be very tenderly dealt with, and care must be taken not to talk to their grief and not to make the heart of the righteous sad.
III. What the psalmist thinks of himself in the midst of all (Psa 69:29): "But I am poor and sorrowful; that is the worst of my case, under outward afflictions, yet written among the righteous, and not under God's indignation as they are." It is better to be poor and sorrowful, with the blessing of God, than rich and jovial and under his curse. For those who come into God's righteousness shall soon see an end of their poverty and sorrow, and his salvation shall set them up on high, which is the thing that David here prays for, Isa 61:10. This may be applied to Christ. He was, in his humiliation, poor and sorrowful, a man of sorrows, and that had not where to lay his head. But God highly exalted him; the salvation wrought for him, the salvation wrought by him, set him up on high, far above all principalities and powers.
A second time, in fact, let us show that Christ has already come, [as foretold] through the prophets, and has suffered, and has already been received back in the heavens and will come from there according to the predictions prophesied. For, after his advent, we read, according to Daniel, that the city itself had to be destroyed; and we recognize that it has indeed happened. For the Scripture says that “the city and the holy place are simultaneously destroyed together with the leader”—undoubtedly [that Leader] who was to come “from Bethlehem” and from the tribe of “Judah.” Whence, again, it is manifest that “the city must simultaneously be destroyed” at the time when its “Leader” had to suffer in it, [as foretold] through the Scriptures of the prophets, who say, “I have outstretched my hands the whole day to a rebellious people who contradict me, who walk in a way that is not good, but after their own sins.” And in the Psalms, David says, “They pierced my hands and feet: they counted all my bones; they themselves, moreover, stare and gloat over me, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” David did not suffer these things so as to seem to have spoken properly of himself but of Christ who was crucified.
Now, to counter all opinions of this kind, let me dispel at once the preliminary idea on which they13 rest their assertion that the prophets make all their announcements in figures of speech. Now, if this were true, the figures [of speech] themselves could not possibly have been distinguished, inasmuch as the truths would not have been declared, from which the figurative language is derived. And, indeed, if all are figures, where will that be of which they are the figures? How can you hold up a mirror to your face, if your face did not exist? But, in truth, all are not figures, but there are also literal statements; nor are all shadows, but there are bodies too, so that we even have prophecies about the Lord himself, which are clearer than daylight. For it was not figuratively that the Virgin conceived in her womb; nor in a trope did she bear Emmanuel, that is, Jesus, God with us. Even granting that he was figuratively to take the power of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria, still it was literally that he was to “enter into judgment with the elders and princes of the people.” For in the person of Pilate “the heathen raged,” and in the person of Israel “the people imagined vain things”; “the kings of the earth” in Herod, and the rulers in Annas and Caiaphas, were gathered together against the Lord and “against his anointed.” He, again, was “led as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a sheep before the shearer,” that is, Herod, “is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.” “He gave his back to scourges, and his cheek to blows, not turning his face even from the shame of spitting.” “He was numbered with the transgressors.” “He was pierced in his hands and his feet.” “They cast lots for his raiment”; “they gave him gall and made him drink vinegar”; “they shook their heads and mocked him.” “He was appraised by the traitor for thirty pieces of silver.” What figures of speech does Isaiah here give us? What tropes does David? What allegories does Jeremiah? Not even of his mighty works have they used parabolic language. Or else, were not the eyes of the blind opened? Did not the tongue of the dumb recover speech? Did not the relaxed hands and palsied knees become strong, and the lame leap as a hart? No doubt we are accustomed also to give a spiritual significance to these statements of prophecy, according to the analogy of the physical diseases that were healed by the Lord; but still they were all fulfilled literally, thus showing that the prophets foretold both senses, except that very many of their words can only be taken in a pure and simple signification and free from all allegorical obscurity, as when we hear of the downfall of nations and cities of Tyre.… Who would prefer affixing a metaphorical interpretation to all these events, instead of accepting their literal truth? The realities are involved in the words, just as the words are read in the realities. Thus, we find that the allegorical style is not used in all parts of the prophetic record, although it occasionally occurs in certain portions of it.
And furthermore David said concerning his passion, “For my food they gave gall, and for my thirst they did give me vinegar to drink.” Again he said in that passage, “They have persecuted him whom you have struck and have added to the affliction of him that was slain.” For they added many [afflictions] to him, much that was not written concerning him, cursings and revilings, such as the Scripture could not reveal, for their revilings were hateful. But, however, “the Lord was pleased to humiliate him and afflict him.” And “he was slain for our iniquity,” and “was humiliated for our sins and was made sin in his own person.”
Since the holy God has promised those who hope in him a means of escape from every affliction, we, even if we have been cut off in the midst of a sea of evils and are racked by the mighty waves stirred up against us by the spirits of wickedness, nevertheless endure in Christ who strengthens us, and we have not slackened the intensity of our zeal for the churches, nor do we, as in a storm when the waves rise high, expect destruction. We still hold fast to our earnest endeavors as much as is possible, sensible of the fact that he who was swallowed by the whale was considered deserving of safety because he did not despair of his life but cried out to the Lord. So, then, when we have reached the uttermost limit of evils, we do not stop hoping in the Lord, but we watch and see his help on all sides. Therefore, we have now turned also to you, our most honored brothers, whom we frequently expected to come to our aid in the time of tribulations. When we were disappointed in our hope, we also said to ourselves, “I looked for one that would pity me, but there was none, and for those that would comfort me, but I found none.” Our sufferings are such as to have reached even to the limits of our inhabited world; if, when one member suffers, all the members suffer along with it, surely it was proper for you in your mercy also to be compassionate toward us who have been suffering for a long time. Not the nearness of the places, but the union of spirit, is apt to engender the friendship that we believe is entertained for us by your charity.
"Let the eyes of them be darkened, that they see not, and the back of them always bow down" [Psalm 69:24]. This is a consequence. For they, whose eyes have been darkened that they see not, it follows, must have their back bowed down. How so? Because when they have ceased to take knowledge of things above, they must needs think of things below. He that well hears, "lift up the heart," a bowed back has not. For with stature erect he looks for the hope laid up for him in Heaven; most especially if he send before him his treasure, whither his heart follows. [Matthew 6:21] But, on the other hand, they perceive not the hope of future life; already being blinded, they think of things below: and this is to have a bowed back: from which disorder the Lord delivered that woman. For Satan has bound her eighteen years, and her that was bowed down He raised up: [Luke 13:16] and because on the Sabbath He did it, the Jews were scandalized; suitably were they scandalized at her being raised up, themselves being bowed.
You have truly and in very many places read something that pertains to the detestable wickedness of your crime and to the voluntary suffering of the Lord. He himself speaks through Isaiah: “I gave my back to the scourges, my cheeks to striking hands; my face I did not shield from the insult of spittle.” He says through David, “They put gall in my food, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” On yet another occasion, he says through David, “Many dogs surround me, a pack of evildoers closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and my feet, they have numbered all my bones. They watched me carefully and examined me. They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothes.” Lest only the kind of your crime might seem to be predicted and the power of the crucified one not foretold, you certainly did not read that the Lord descended from the cross. You did, however, read, “The Lord has reigned from the cross.”
That cluster of grapes that was brought from the land of promise on a lever across the shoulders of two men further prefigured Christ. Just as it was hung on the wood and brought by the services of those two men, so Christ, who came from the flesh of a virgin as from the promised land, was between both Testaments, between the two peoples of the Jews and Gentiles, and was hung on the wood of the cross. Now of the two men who walked beneath the burden of that cluster of grapes, the first one signified the Jewish people of whom it is said, “Let their eyes grow dim so that they cannot see, and keep their backs always feeble.” However, the man who came after prefigured our people, that is, the Gentiles who believe and keep Christ before their eyes. They intend always to follow him as a servant does his master or a disciple his teacher, as the Lord says in the Gospel: “If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.” Moreover, this cluster of grapes poured forth the wine of his blood that was pressed out under the weight of the cross for our salvation and gave the church that chalice of his passion to drink. For this reason it was said to the apostles at the time of the birth of the church, “They are full of new wine.”
“May his habitation become desolate, and may there be none to dwell in it, and may another take his office.” Indeed these verses are clear and plainly set forth by the blessed Peter’s interpretation. On the one hand Judas received a deserved penalty for his double-dealing, and as he went to his own proper place (namely, infernal hell), by his untimely and impious death he forsook the common dwelling place of the human way of life. On the other hand, however, by Matthias’s acceptance of the place of his [Judas’s] ministry and apostolate, the most sacred fullness of apostolic perfection was restored.
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SUMMARY
Psalm 69:24 is a fervent and direct plea for divine judgment, characteristic of the imprecatory Psalms. In this verse, the psalmist, deeply distressed and persecuted, implores God to unleash His righteous indignation and wrathful anger upon those who have caused him immense suffering and humiliation. It expresses a profound trust in God's ultimate justice and His active role in vindicating the oppressed against their adversaries, seeking a decisive and inescapable divine response to their wickedness.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Psalm 69 is a profound and extended lament, one of the most intense in the Psalter, where the psalmist expresses overwhelming distress, feeling as if he is "sunk in deep mire, where there is no standing" and "come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me" Psalm 69:2. The psalm details his agony at the hands of numerous enemies, experiencing profound humiliation, rejection, and even betrayal by family and friends Psalm 69:8. Verses 1-21 describe his suffering and desperate plea for deliverance, while verses 22-28 pivot sharply to specific requests for God's judgment upon his persecutors. This shift sets the immediate literary stage for the intense imprecation found in Psalm 69:24, which is part of a larger section of curses. The psalm is also notably prophetic, with several verses quoted in the New Testament concerning Christ's suffering, such as the zeal for God's house John 2:17 referencing Psalm 69:9, and the offering of gall and vinegar Matthew 27:34 referencing Psalm 69:21.
Historical & Cultural Context: While traditionally attributed to David, the exact historical setting for Psalm 69 is not explicitly stated, allowing for its application to various periods of intense persecution. In the ancient Near East, justice was often seen as a direct intervention of the divine, especially when human legal systems failed or were corrupt. Imprecatory prayers were not merely expressions of personal vindictiveness but appeals to God's cosmic justice, reflecting a deep belief that God is the ultimate arbiter of right and wrong. The psalmist's suffering likely involved public shame, false accusations, and social ostracism, which were deeply humiliating in a culture where honor and communal standing were paramount. Such prayers were a means for the oppressed to cry out to their covenant God, trusting Him to uphold His righteousness and vindicate His faithful ones against the wicked, believing that divine judgment was a necessary component of a just world order.
Key Themes: Psalm 69 contributes to several major theological themes. Firstly, it highlights the reality of human suffering and lament, portraying the raw agony of one unjustly afflicted and the freedom to express such pain before God. The psalmist's deep distress and feeling of being overwhelmed are vividly expressed throughout the psalm, particularly in verses like Psalm 69:1-3. Secondly, it underscores the justice and sovereignty of God, affirming His active role in the affairs of humanity and His ultimate commitment to righteousness. The psalmist's plea for judgment is rooted in the conviction that God will not tolerate evil indefinitely but will eventually bring about a just reckoning, as seen in the broader biblical narrative of divine judgment. Thirdly, the psalm exemplifies the nature of imprecation, a challenging but integral aspect of biblical prayer where the psalmist calls upon God to execute judgment upon the wicked. These prayers, while often intense, are expressions of faith in God's holy character and His promise to repay evil, as seen in other imprecatory passages like Psalm 109:8. Finally, the psalm's prophetic nature points to the theme of Messianic suffering, foreshadowing the unjust persecution and ultimate vindication of Christ, a theme that resonates deeply with New Testament interpretations of the psalm.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalm 69:24 effectively utilizes several literary devices to convey its intense plea for divine judgment. Foremost is Parallelism, specifically synonymous parallelism, where the second line reiterates and intensifies the meaning of the first ("Pour out thine indignation upon them" is echoed and amplified by "and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them"). This doubling effect emphasizes the psalmist's fervent desire for a complete and overwhelming divine response. Anthropomorphism is also prominent, as human emotions and actions (indignation, wrathful anger, pouring out, taking hold) are attributed to God. This makes God's justice relatable and powerfully immediate, portraying Him as an active, engaged Judge. Furthermore, the verse employs vivid Imagery and Metaphor. "Pour out" evokes the powerful image of a vessel being emptied completely, signifying a full, unreserved release of divine judgment without restraint. "Take hold" suggests a physical, inescapable grasp, implying that God's judgment will seize the adversaries firmly and completely, allowing no escape. These devices combine to create a potent and memorable expression of the psalmist's cry for justice.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalm 69:24, while challenging for modern sensibilities, reveals profound theological truths about God's character and the nature of justice. It underscores God's absolute sovereignty and His commitment to righteousness. The psalmist's cry is not merely a personal vendetta but an appeal to the cosmic Judge to uphold His holy name and vindicate His suffering servant. It reflects a deep conviction that God is not indifferent to evil but will, in His perfect timing, pour out His righteous wrath against injustice and rebellion. This verse reminds us that while human justice often fails, divine justice is certain and complete. It also highlights the tension between the Old Testament's emphasis on immediate retribution and the New Testament's call to love enemies, a tension ultimately resolved by entrusting vengeance to God alone.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalm 69:24 provides a powerful outlet for the raw human experience of suffering and the natural, deeply ingrained desire for justice when wronged. It validates the anguish of the oppressed and their right to cry out to God for intervention. For believers today, this verse serves as a profound reminder that God is ultimately the one who will bring justice and judgment upon all evil. We are called to trust in His perfect timing and His sovereign methods, rather than taking vengeance into our own hands, as exhorted in the New Testament, "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord'" Romans 12:19. While we are commanded to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us Matthew 5:44, this does not negate the reality of God's righteous wrath against sin and injustice. Instead, it places the execution of that wrath entirely in His holy and capable hands. In a broader, prophetic sense, such imprecations find their ultimate fulfillment in the final judgment against unrighteousness and the enemies of God's kingdom, as depicted in apocalyptic literature. Ultimately, Psalm 69:24 is a testament to the psalmist's unyielding faith in God's righteous character, trusting Him to deal with injustice even when the human heart yearns for immediate vindication.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why do "imprecatory" Psalms like Psalm 69:24 exist in the Bible, and how should modern believers interpret them?
Answer: Imprecatory Psalms are prayers where the psalmist calls upon God to bring judgment or curses upon their enemies. They exist in the Bible for several reasons: they validate the raw human experience of pain, injustice, and the longing for ultimate righteousness; they are expressions of profound faith that God is a just God who will indeed judge evil; and they serve as a reminder that vengeance belongs to God alone, as stated in Deuteronomy 32:35. For modern believers, these Psalms should be interpreted through the lens of Christ's teaching to love enemies Matthew 5:44 and leave vengeance to God Romans 12:19. They are not a license for personal animosity or vindictiveness but a theological affirmation of God's coming judgment against all unrighteousness, finding their ultimate fulfillment in the final judgment of God's enemies at the end of time, as seen in books like Revelation 19. They teach us to commit our grievances to the perfectly just Judge.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While the psalmist of Psalm 69:24 cries out for God to pour out indignation and wrath upon his enemies, the ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment of such imprecations is found in a profound paradox. Jesus, the true Suffering Servant, embodies the very one upon whom the psalmist's words are prophetically fulfilled in His passion. He endured the ultimate injustice, humiliation, and rejection, yet He did not call down fire on His persecutors; instead, He prayed, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" Luke 23:34. However, the concept of divine wrath is not abolished in the New Testament; rather, its ultimate "pouring out" is seen at the cross, where Christ, the Lamb of God, bore the full indignation and wrath of God for humanity's sin, becoming a propitiation so that believers might be spared from that judgment Romans 3:25. Yet, Christ will also return as the righteous Judge, and the imprecations against the enemies of God's kingdom find their final, just fulfillment in His second coming, when He will indeed "tread the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God" Revelation 19:15. Thus, the psalmist's cry for vindication is ultimately answered in Christ's triumph over evil and the establishment of His eternal, righteous kingdom, where all injustice will be finally and perfectly rectified.