In this psalm, David pours his heart out to God because of the suffering he was enduring due to his enemies. He asks God to curse his enemies and puts his hope in God to save him.
Although the headings aren’t inspired by God, they are important because they give us some understanding of the Psalm and they help us to see why it was written. The headings usually tell us four things.
1. Who wrote them, probably wrote them, or possibly wrote them.
2. Information about the historical background to the Psalm. Why it was written.
3. They tell us of the tune the Psalm was written to.
4. How it was used.
The heading tells us that this is a psalm for the director of music. Some commentators believe that the ‘director of music’ is God Himself and others believe that it is a song leader who led choirs or musicians, 1 Chronicles 6:33 / 1 Chronicles 16:17 / 1 Chronicles 25:6.
It was a song to be sung to the ‘tune of Lilies’, 1 Kings 7:22 / 1 Kings 7:26 / 2 Chronicles 4:5 / Hosea 14:5. A lily was probably some kind of musical instrument which looked like or was shaped like a lily. Or it may refer to the general beauty of the composition.
David begins by asking God to save him, Psalm 69:1 / Psalm 32:6 / Psalm 42:7. He feels he’s about to drown in the waters of suffering, Psalm 69:1-2 / Psalm 40:2 / Jeremiah 38:6. Years later, Peter in a similar fashion cried out to Jesus to save him, Matthew 14:30.
He feels that he is sinking in the miry depths, where there is nowhere solid to place his feet, Psalm 69:2. Jesus must have felt that way just before went to the cross of Calvary, Matthew 26:37.
David is at the end of his tether calling out to God for help because he’s spent so much time crying, Psalm 69:3 / Psalm 6:6. The feeling of being drained was all too familiar to Jesus too, Matthew 26:41.
His throat is parched, Psalm 69:3, probably because of the amount of pleading he’s been doing for God to save him. His eyes are failing, Psalm 69:3. probably because of all the tears he’s shed looking for God, Psalm 6:7 / Psalm 31:9 / Psalm 38:10 / Psalm 62:5 / Job 17:7.
It’s clear that David is feeling overwhelmed because of the circumstances he finds himself in. Even his enemies hate him for no reason and his enemies have no reason to go against him, Psalm 69:4.
His enemies had only one thing on their minds and that was to destroy David, Psalm 69:4. Jesus experienced these same circumstances, John 15:25. He even had to restore something which he didn’t steal, Psalm 69:4. This gives us a feel of the kind of injustice David faced, it gives us the idea that David has been set up.
David acknowledges that God knows him well enough to know what David was like, Psalm 69:5. His enemies may be accusing him of all kinds of things, and although he didn’t do the things they were accusing him of, he asks God to examine his ways, Psalm 38:2-4 / Psalm 40:12.
In all this despair, he confessed his sins, thinking that such might have brought on the opposition he was facing, Psalm 69:6. Some may have taken advantage of his confession, assuming that such was a sign of weakness. However, he knew that God knew he was not guilty of those things of which he was accused.
David asks God that those who put their hope in Him not be disgraced because of him, Psalm 69:6. He’s clearly concerned for those who might suffer because of the situation he is in. David didn’t want those who seek God to feel embarrassed because of him, Psalm 69:6 / Psalm 25:3 / Psalm 25:5 / Psalm 37:9 / Isaiah 40:31.
He didn’t want his relationship with those close to him to be broken or dammed in any way, he didn’t want to feel ashamed, Psalm 69:7-8 / Psalm 44:15-16. When his enemies had persecuted him, even those who were closest to him shunned him.
His nearest relatives treated him as if he were a stranger and a foreigner, Psalm 69:8 / Psalm 50:20 / Job 19:13-19. David feels that when God is insulted, he is insulted, Psalm 69:9. The apostle Paul writes that Jesus felt the same, Romans 15:3.
Because of his zeal for God and His house, others turned away from him, Psalm 69:9. It appears that his commitment intimidated others, and as a result, brought persecution upon him. We see the same thing happening to Jesus when he drove out the moneychangers from God’s house, John 2:17.
David’s Zeal was seen in that he was the one who suggested building the temple, 2 Samuel 7:1-3, but despite his zeal, his son Solomon was the one who actually built it, 1 Chronicles 22:1-5. Notice David wept, fasted, endured scorn and put on sackcloth, Psalm 69:10-11. These were all signs of repentance from his sins, Psalm 30:11 / Psalm 35:13 / Isaiah 22:12 / Daniel 9:3.
However, even after repenting, people still made sport of him, Psalm 69:11, that is, they didn’t approve of what he was doing. The KJV uses the words, ‘I have become a proverb to them’, which means his life of commitment to the Lord became contemptible to those who were religious, but they behaved contrary to the will of God, 1 Kings 9:7.
David’s problems didn’t end there, those who sit at the gate, Ruth 4:1 / Job 29:7-8, that is, the elders mocked him, Psalm 69:12. Even the drunkards mock him with songs about him, Psalm 69:12. He was treated with contempt by the lowest of society, Psalm 9:14 / Job 29:7 / Isaiah 14:31 / Isaiah 28:6.
Because of everything that David is experiencing, it’s understandable that he now turns his attention to God. He prays to God and asks Him to show him favour and love in, God’s time, not his own, Psalm 69:13 / Isaiah 61:2 / 2 Corinthians 6:2.
He still feels like he’s sinking, and so, he asks God to answer his prayer and save him from the mire, and to save him from the deep waters of those who hate him, Psalm 69:14 / Psalm 69:2-3.
David felt he was drowning in the floodwaters, he felt the depths would swallow him up, and he felt the pit would close its mouth over him and he would be left in darkness, Psalm 69:15. David is asking God to save him from all these overwhelming calamities.
He appeals to God’s goodness and mercy, Psalm 69:16 / Psalm 63:3 / Psalm 51:1. He pleads, as God’s servant, that God won’t hide His face from him, Psalm 69:17, that is, he doesn’t feel God’s presence and so, he’s pleading for God to be compassionate with him, Psalm 27:9.
David is in serious trouble and asks God to come near to him and rescue him, Psalm 69:18 / Isaiah 43:3 / Isaiah 44:22. He wants God to deliver him because of his foes, Psalm 69:18, that is, because he had so many foes, they were overwhelming him and wanted to destroy him, Psalm 13:4.
David knows that he only had one option and that was to turn to God in prayer. As he was sinking deeper into the social rejection of the people, he reached up to the only one who could help. It was a time when David had to depend on the mercy of God for deliverance. Since no one would take pity on him, he trusted that God would have mercy.
David continues to appeal to God because of those who scorned, disgraced, and shamed him because of his commitment to God, Psalm 69:19. The effects of his enemy’s attitude toward him have left him broken-hearted and helpless, Psalm 69:20. He looked for sympathy from them but received none, he looked for comfort and received none, Psalm 69:20 / Job 2:11 / Job 42:11 / Isaiah 51:19 / Jeremiah 16:5.
Instead of helping David, they gave him gall for food, Psalm 69:21, which is a bitter herb, Hosea 10:4. They also gave him vinegar to drink, Psalm 69:21, that is, sour vinegar, the same vinegar Jesus was offered, Matthew 27:34 / John 19:28-29. John tells us this was offered to Jesus in order to fulfil this Scripture, Matthew 27:34 / Matthew 27:48 / Mark 15:23 / John 19:29.
David goes on to ask God to bring judgment upon his enemies, they come in the form of seven curses.
1. Their food, Psalm 69:22.
While David was hurting, his enemies were relaxing eating their food and so, David prays that their relaxing time would become a trap for them, Psalm 33:5 / Job 36:16. These words are quoted by the apostle Paul, Romans 11:9-10.
2. Their eyes, Psalm 69:23.
While David’s eyes were failing from crying, he prays that God would make his enemies blind, Romans 11:10.
3. Their bodies, Psalm 69:23.
While David was feeling the physical effects of his enemy’s actions, he prays that God would bend their backs permanently.
4. The coming wrath of God, Psalm 69:24.
While David was feeling angry at what his enemies were doing to him, he prays that God would unleash His fierce anger upon them.
5. Their houses, Psalm 69:25.
While David lived alone because of what his enemies were doing and saying against him, he prays that God would permanently remove them from their homes.
Jesus quotes these words in sadness over Jerusalem, Matthew 23:38, and Peter quotes these words as descriptive of the desolation of Judas, Acts 1:20.
6. That their guilt increase, Psalm 69:26-27.
While David felt the guilt of his own sin and knew it was God who was hurting him, Psalm 41:5-8, he prays that God would charge them with sin to the point where they couldn’t receive salvation, Romans 1:28.
7. That their names be blotted out of the book of life Psalm 69:28.
Some commentators believe the blotting out of the book of life refers to their lives being seriously shortened, Job 5:26 / Psalm 55:23 / Proverbs 3:2 / Proverbs 9:11 / Proverbs 10:27.
While David’s enemies wanted him dead, he prays that God removes them from Israel and in doing so, they would lose all privileges which came from being a part of God’s people, Exodus 32:32 / Numbers 25:4 / Numbers 32:14 / 1 Samuel 28:18 / Philemon 4:3 / Revelation 3:5.
David began this psalm by speaking about how gloomy his life was and then he called upon God to judge his enemies, Psalm 69:1. In these final verses, David turns his attention to God once again, in hope that God would come to help him.
Despite being afflicted, despite being in pain, he turns to God for salvation and protection, Psalm 69:29. He intends to praise God’s Name in song and glorify God with thanksgiving, Psalm 69:30. The praise from David’s lips will certainly please God, more than any animal sacrifice, it will please God more than the sacrifice of an ox or a fully grown bull, Psalm 69:31 / Psalm 40:6-8 / Psalm 51:16-17 / 1 Samuel 15:22.
David knows that what he is going through wasn’t going to go to waste, he knows that he himself would become a living object lesson for others who seek God, in order that they may know how their hearts can live.
God hears the prayers of the poor, and He doesn’t despise those who are in prison for His sake, Psalm 69:32-33 / Psalm 34:6 / Job 5:15 / Psalm 10:14 / Psalm 12:5 / Psalm 35:10 / Psalm 68:10. David is saying that when God delivers him and those who remained committed to God, then this would be proof that God was working in their lives.
David knows that heaven and earth aren’t big enough for all the praise which God deserves, even the seas and everything which lives in them will praise God for what He has done, Psalm 69:34 / Psalm 8:8 / Psalm 148:1-14 / Isaiah 55:12.
David prays that God will save Zion, Psalm 69:35, that is, Jerusalem, Psalm 51:18, and Judah, in order that people can settle there and possess it, Psalm 69:35 / 2 Samuel 2:1-11. David is confident that he and all those who have committed themselves to God, all those who love God’s Name will inherit the land and dwell in it, Psalm 69:36.
In a time of great despair, David wisely turned to God, in a time when he was at his lowest, lonely and without any hope, he turned to God for hope. As Christians, we too turn to God for hope in times of despair, however, we turn to a living hope and just like David prayed for we will have an inheritance, 1 Peter 1:3-4.
Peter tells us that God has given us new birth through the resurrection of Christ, which means we are a new person. But God’s mercy we’ve been born into two things, a living hope, and an inheritance.
It’s important to note that hope isn’t a dead hope but a living one, our hope isn’t based upon riches, governments or science or other futile things, our hope is built upon the resurrection of Jesus.
Part of this living hope is the inheritance that’s promised for us, but what makes our inheritance special is that it won’t spoil or fade like all other material things do in this world. Our inheritance is eternal and is kept in heaven, which means it’s permanent.
The devil can’t steal our salvation, although we can give that up, but he can certainly steal our joy in Christ Jesus if we allow him to. The devil can try and steal our joy if we allow him to, but he can’t steal our hope in Christ Jesus. When we like David go through painful trials, we must always turn to our living hope to help us through those times of despair, 1 Peter 1:6-9.