The Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 69:1-18

The Pulpit Commentary · Joseph S. Exell and contributors · Public domain

Suffering and prayer.

"The psalm is a prayer and complaint of one suffering severely from men for the sake of God."

I. GREAT SUFFERING. (Psalms 69:1-4.)

1. Exposing him to great danger. (Psalms 69:1, Psalms 69:2.) He is in peril of his life. "The floods overwhelm him."

2. Entailing great bodily exhaustion. (Psalms 69:3.) Weary of crying, parched throat, failing eyes.

3. Arising from the unjust hatred of his enemies, who are numerous and strong. (Psalms 69:4.) They that hate him without a just cause and wrongfully, are numberless and mighty.

II. GREAT SUFFERING FOR THE SAKE OF GOD AND THE RIGHTEOUS CAUSE, (Psalms 69:5-12.)

1. Awakens a sense of personal unworthiness. (Psalms 69:5.) All suffering tends to this.

2. The sin of his enemies was sin against God. (Psalms 69:7-9.)

3. Intimate relatives and friends as well as strangers join in the persecution of his enemies. (Psalms 69:8-12.)

III. THE GROUNDS OF HIS PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE. (Psalms 69:13-18.)

1. Others who trust in God will be put to shame if he is left to perish. Go back to Psalms 69:6 for this. Faith in God is at stake.

2. His great misery is his argument for salvation. (Psalms 69:14, Psalms 69:15-17.) We may well use this plea.

3. The greatness of the Divine loving kindness and mercy. (Psalms 69:13-16.) This is the argument which is fullest of hope to those who have known God in all ages, but especially to those who have known God in Christ.—S.

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