Psalm 69

Read Psalm 69 ESV

Who - David is writing his song to the LORD to be sung by the choir.  

What - David is writing a lament to the LORD (this psalm has all seven of Longman's elements for a lament.)  David is asking for the LORD to intervene and take action against David's enemies, who have been very vocal and plotting against him.  David is very strong in his curse against his enemies.  The psalm does not give us any clues as to when or what events David is referring to, however, it must have been significant for David to ask for such a strong curse against his enemies.  

When - Unstated

Where - Unstated

Why - David is in despair and feels the weight of his situation.  He sees his plight as desperate and desperately needs the LORD to intervene.  David is asking the LORD to save him from these enemies as well as restore the joy of life to him.  David asks the LORD to enact severe punishment on his enemies for these attacks against him.  David does more than ask God to act.  He is asking the LORD to make their punishment public.  David is asking for vindication in the court of public opinion.  David's hope in the LORD gives him hope that the LORD will do this.  

How - David composes this psalm with 11 stanzas.  

David’s opening stanza bursts onto the scene with a cry for the LORD to save.  David gives the reason he needs saving:  he is fearful for his life and his situation is desperate.  Part of the reason he is desperate is because he has been calling out to the LORD and waiting for the LORD to act.  

In the second stanza David gives the cause of his trouble, people attacking him unjustly.  

The third stanza takes an interesting turn.  David talks to the LORD about how other innocent people are at risk because of David's enemies’ attacks against him.  However, the emphasis is on the faith and spiritual part of their lives.  David is asking the LORD not to let others lose faith in the LORD by what is happening to David.  David reminds the LORD that the reason this is happening is because of David's faith and obedience to the LORD.  

In the fourth stanza David follows up with how he has become a reproach and humiliated in public.  David links all of this shame to David's faithfulness to the LORD and living in covenant before the LORD.  

David uses the fifth stanza to turn to his request and petitions.  In this stanza he asked the LORD to save him from the threats which endanger him.  I take these as physical, emotional and spiritual threats.  

In the sixth stanza David tells the LORD the form of his salvation and deliverance David wants from the LORD.  He asks the LORD to shine his face upon David and ransom him from his enemies.  

David uses the seventh stanza to tell the LORD of his loneliness and how he has been mistreated by others in specific ways.  Most important in this stanza is vs 21 which is pointed to in the Gospels at Jesus' crucifixion.  

The eighth stanza turns to David's request for specific punishments against his enemies.  These are harsh and intense punishments David asks God to enact.  The most severe punishments God can give are requested by David:  God’s anger and blotting out their names from the book of life.  

The ninth stanza is a single sentence stanza (unusual).  David ends his petitions for justice with a cry of anguish and a plea for deliverance.  Now in the 10th stanza David turns to praise and adoration of the LORD and encouraging those who hear this psalm to hope in the LORD, “For the LORD hears the needy and does not despise his own people who are prisoners.”  

David ends the psalm with a blessing of hope.  He hopefully asks, expecting, that the LORD will restore righteousness and peace, not just to David but to all of Israel.  Good times will once again return to the LORD’S people.  

So What 

1. No matter how desperate our situation (our families, our community, our world’s) we can cry out to the LORD knowing He wants to hear our cries.  We can have hope He cares and will listen as we pour out our hearts.  
2. Our requests must not only be for ourselves.  We should attempt to be aware of how our trial is affecting others and pray for them as well as for ourselves.  
3. We can praise the LORD in our situations for three reasons: 1] We can praise him for hearing and caring.  2] We can praise him because He gives us hope He will act in His time for His purposes out of His steadfast love for us.  3] One day, even if it is at the end of days, the LORD will restore peace and harmony.