Psalm 69 – Drowning
Have you ever felt like you were drowning or mired in mud and unable to move forward. That is the situation of David in Psalm 69 – drowning. He is in desperate straits. Let’s see why.
Psalm 69
Psalm 69 – Drowning, is a psalm of disorientation. The writer, David, is in deep despair. As one commentator states: “Perhaps in no psalm in the whole psalter is the sense of sorrow profounder or more intense than in this. The soul of the singer pours itself out in unrestrained abandonment to the overwhelming and terrible grief which consumes it.” (G. Campbell Morgan) (Enduring Word Bible Commentary Psalm 69)
He cries out, he is drowning in the miry depths, unable to find a foothold:
“Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck.
I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold.
I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me.
His throat is sore from crying out:
I am worn out calling for help, my throat is parched.
My eyes fail, looking for my God.” (1-3)
David goes on to talk about people who hate him without cause. His enemies force him to restore items he did not steal. It’s like paying for other people’s mistakes.
“Those who hate me without reason outnumber the hairs of my head;
many are my enemies without cause, those who seek to destroy me.
I am forced to restore what I did not steal.” (4)
Commentaries on verse 4 mention:
“It’s hard for us to believe that such a wonderful, godly man as David would be so hated. This is human nature, and was even more evident in the hatred without cause directed to Jesus Christ, David’s Greater Son.”
“Jesus specifically referred to Psalm 69:4 when He spoke to His disciples the night before His crucifixion. He said, But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, “They hated Me without a cause.” (John 15:25)”
Rescue Me from the Mire
David goes on to ask God to rescue him:
“Rescue me from the mire, do not let me sink;
deliver me from those who hate me, from the deep waters.
Do not let the floodwaters engulf me or the depths swallow me up or the pit close its mouth over me.” (14-15)
Besides rescuing him, he wants retribution, harsh words. But the retribution he wants is God’s retribution, not worldly retribution.
“May the table set before them become a snare; may it become retribution and a trap.
May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.
Pour out your wrath on them; let your fierce anger overtake them.
May their place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in their tents.
For they persecute those you wound and talk about the pain of those you hurt.
Charge them with crime upon crime; do not let them share in your salvation.
May they be blotted out of the book of life and not be listed with the righteous.” (22-28)
Then he asks God to protect him.
“But as for me, afflicted and in pain—may your salvation, God, protect me.” (29)
He ends in words of praise.
“I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.” (30)
“Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and all that move in them, for God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah.
Then people will settle there and possess it; the children of his servants will inherit it, and those who love his name will dwell there.” (34-36)
Mired in Mud
When I was a child, I remember watching Tarzan movies. I would huddle behind the couch and peek out while Tarzan wrestled alligators. And I would yell warnings when people stepped into quicksand. How terrible to be stuck in this quagmire and unable to get out. In fact, your every effort to struggle to get out only made you sink quicker. They had to wait for Tarzan to throw them a vine and pull them out.
How like our world today. Sometimes it feels like we as a nation and our world, are stuck in this quagmire, unable to escape. Everything we do makes it worse.
What I later learned was that if you didn’t resist, eventually you would stop sinking and be able to slowly move out. But where was the drama in this scenario?
One commentator sees this mire as spiritually based. “Spurgeon described several kinds of deep mire the believer may sink into: the deep mire of unbelief, of trial and difficulty, of inward corruption, and the devil’s temptation and oppression.” (Enduring Word Bible Commentary Psalm 69)
As I reflected on Psalm 69 – drowning, I realized my personal mire right now involved my writing. I was stuck. After a two-year hiatus from writing novels, I desperately wanted to write this one. I love my characters. I want to see where they will lead me. But I can’t seem to get going. Neck and shoulder pain from hours working on my website makes it increasingly hard to spend the time writing. This has happened before. Maybe it’s time to stop struggling and allow God to get me back onto solid ground.
Psalm 69 – Drowning
What do we do when up to our necks in water, when about to be engulfed by floods and unable to find a firm footing?
We may be drowning in paperwork, health problems, all of the little life crisis and chores that can pile up on top of us. In the world, we can drown in sorrow from all of the suffering we see around us: victims of war and natural disasters, abuse and slavery.
How do we escape? One way – to slow down rather than pick up the pace, and work our way out of the mess we are in. Another – to stop struggling and wait for rescue by God while continuing to do the task in front of us.
The choice is up to you.
Are you drowning? I’d love to pray for you. Add your prayer requests below.
(For another take on this psalm, see Psalm 69: Dealing with Dark Days – Patricia M Robertson)
This post is part of a series of blog posts on the Psalms. Sign up to follow this blog and receive a free copy of Still Dancing, the second book in my Dancing through Life Series. click here to sign up
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