Ps. 69 THE ARGUMENT This Psalm of David consists of his complaints and fervent prayers, and comfortable predictions of his deliverance, and of the ruin of his enemies.

Waters, i.e. tribulations, which are oft expressed by waters; as hath been observed. Unto my soul, i.e. to my vital parts; so that I am ready to be choked with them. My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death.

In deep mire, Heb. in the mire of the deep waters. I am not in the shallows, or nigh the bank, but in the middle and deepest parts, and in the very mire, which is at the bottom of the waters.

I am weary of my crying; I have prayed and cried to God long and fervently, and yet God seems to neglect and forsake me. My throat is dried with loud and frequent cries. Mine eyes fail with looking to God for that assistance which he hath promised, and I confidently expected, but in vain.

Without a cause; without any injury or occasion given them by me. Restored that which I took not away; either because they unjustly and violently forced me to it, or because I was willing to do it to my own wrong for peace sake.

This is added, either, 1. As a proof of his innocency, which he had now asserted by way of appeal to God. Do thou, O Lord, judge between me and them, whether I be guilty of those rallies and sins which they lay to my charge. And such appeals indeed David useth, Ps.

Them that wait on thee, i.e. thy godly people, who rely upon thy promises which thou hast made to all thine in general, and to me in a special manner, wherein they also are concerned. Ashamed, i.e.

For thy sake; for my trust in thy promise, and obedience to thy commands, and zeal for thy glory, and against all wickedness; all which they turn into matter of derision and reproach. My face; in which man’s majesty and glory is most evident, which I am in a manner ashamed to show amongst men.

My nearest kinsmen estranged themselves from me; partly out of fear, test they should be involved in my sufferings; and chiefly out of dislike of his piety and excessive zeal in religion, as it here follows.

For: this is the reason of that alienation of my brethren and others from me, because there is a vast difference and contrariety in our tempers. They mind not the concerns of God and of religion, but are wholly intent upon wealth, and honour, and worldly greatness.

Wept for their impiety and reproaches which they cast upon God and godliness. Chastened; which word is here understood out of Ps. 35:13; as it is also in 2 Chron. 10:11, 2 Chron. 10:14, out of 1 Kings 12:11, where it is expressed.

My garment; wearing it next to my skin, in token of my humiliation and hearty sorrow, as the manner then was in days of fasting. A proverb to them; they used my name proverbially of any person whom they thought vainly and foolishly religious.

They that sit in the gate; either, 1. Vain and idle persons, that spend their time in the gates and markets, in which there used to be a confluence of people. Or rather, 2. The judges and magistrates, who used to sit (which was their posture, Ex. 18:14, Prov.

But my prayer is unto thee; but whilst they scoff I will pray, and not be driven from God, and from my prayers and other duties, by all their reproaches or other discouragements. In an acceptable time, Heb. in a time of acceptation, or grace, or thy good will, or good pleasure.

Them that hate me; whereby he explains his meaning in these metaphors of mire, and waters, and deep, and pit.

Is good, i.e. is eminently and unspeakably good; the positive degree being put for the superlative, as it is Luke 1:28, 1 Cor. 12:23;c. It is most ready to communicate itself to indigent and miserable creatures.

Draw nigh unto my soul, to support and relieve it, O thou who seemest to be departed far away from me. Because of mine enemies; partly because they persecute it, and greedily seek to destroy it; and partly because they are thine as well as mine enemies, and if they succeed, will triumph not only…

Thou hast known my reproach, & c.; thou seest how much of it I suffer, and that for thy sake; as he said, Ps. 69:7. Are all before thee; thou knowest them thoroughly, and all their injurious and wicked devices and implacable malice against me, and all their impiety and contempt of thee; for which…

Hath broken my heart: for reproach is most grievous to the most generous and noble souls; and besides, this was the highest degree and the worst kind of reproach, being cast upon him for God’s sake, and upon God also for his sake. None, i.e.

Gall, or poison, or bitter herbs, Hos. 10:4, Deut. 29:18, Jer. 9:15, Lam. 3:19. Instead of giving me that pity and comfort which my condition required, they barbarously added to my afflictions.

These and the following words, which are expressed in the form of imprecations, are thought by divers to be and that the imperatives are put for the as sometimes they are.

Their eyes; not the eyes of their bodies, (for so this was not accomplished in David’s nor in Christ’s enemies,) but of their minds, that they may not discern God’s truth, nor their own duty, nor the way of peace and salvation.

In such other ways and judgments as thou shalt think fit.

Their habitation, Heb. their palace, as this word signifies, Gen. 25:16, Num. 31:10, Song 8:9. Either, 1. Their temple, in which they place their glory and safety. Or rather, 2.

Smitten; which is an act of barbarous cruelty and inhuman malice. They talk; reproaching them with and insulting and triumphing in their calamities.

Add iniquity to their iniquity; give them up to their own vain minds and vile lusts, and to a reprobate sense, and take off all the restraints of thy grace and providence, and expose them to the temptations of the world and of the devil, that so they may grow worse and worse, and at last may fill…

Of the living; or, of life: either, 1. Of this life. Out of the number of living men; which anciently used to be written in catalogues, out of which the names of those who died were blotted. Or rather, 2.

Out of the reach of mine enemies; or, lift me out of the deep waters, and the mire, in which I was sinking, Ps. 69:14.

This sincere and hearty sacrifice of praise is and shall be more grateful to God than the most glorious legal sacrifices, for so such moral services ever were, 1 Sam. 15:22, Hos. 6:6, and such sacrifices shall be accepted when those legal ones shall be abolished.

Be glad; those pious persons who are grieved for my calamities shall have occasion to rejoice, and they will heartily rejoice in my deliverance and exaltation. Shall live, or be revived, to wit, with joy, which were dejected, and in a manner dead with sorrow. Compare Gen. 45:27, Ps. 22:26, Ps.

Those who are in prison, or any straits and afflictions for his sake; which is my case, Ps. 69:7.

The heaven and earth; either, 1. Angels and men. Or rather, 2. The heaven and earth themselves, as in the next branch, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein: all which by a usual figure he invites to praise God, as he doth elsewhere, because they all give men occasion to praise God.

Zion; the city of Zion or Jerusalem; and his church and people, which are frequently expressed under that title. They; the humble and poor, Ps. 69:32–33, or his servants, as is explained in the following verse. Dwell there; in the literal Canaan for a long time, and in the heavenly Canaan for ever.

Their posterity shall flourish after them, and partake of the same happiness with them.