A text – Psalm 69:7-10, (11-15), 16-18
69:7 It is for your sake that I have borne reproach, that shame has covered my face.
69:8 I have become a stranger to my kindred, an alien to my mother’s children.
69:9 It is zeal for your house that has consumed me; the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.
69:10 When I humbled my soul with fasting, they insulted me for doing so.
69:11 When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them.
69:12 I am the subject of gossip for those who sit in the gate, and the drunkards make songs about me.
69:13 But as for me, my prayer is to you, O LORD. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love, answer me. With your faithful help
69:14 rescue me from sinking in the mire; let me be delivered from my enemies and from the deep waters.
69:15 Do not let the flood sweep over me, or the deep swallow me up, or the Pit close its mouth over me.
69:16 Answer me, O LORD, for your steadfast love is good; according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.
69:17 Do not hide your face from your servant, for I am in distress–make haste to answer me.
69:18 Draw near to me, redeem me, set me free because of my enemies.
A reflection:
The psalmist has borne a lot for following God. Family and friends have alienated themselves. People have thrown insults as the psalmist follows practices like fasting. These reproaches are taking their toll, and the writer is becoming depressed, sinking into the mire.
In verse 13 it is clear that the writer knows God will trustworthily save this faithful servant from further distress – in God’s own good time. The psalmist is trying to be patient and wait for deliverance.
This psalm makes me want to ask two questions.
- How long did the writer have to wait for God’s rescue and deliverance?
- In my own life, have I ever been such a strong follower of God, living out my faith so clearly that people would ridicule me or make songs about me or gossip about me, ruining my reputation?
I do wonder how it would feel to be persecuted or ridiculed for the Lord’s sake. In our day and age we don’t face much of that. We have the threat of ridicule sometimes from our own children, for whom we don’t set the best example sometimes of constant and faithful behavior, and many of us do not expect faithful behavior from them. How might we repent of that neglect of serving God and failure to set a faithful example, and how might we maybe do better for our grandchildren, I wonder.
A prayer:
Lord God, Thank you for loving us. Thank you for giving us examples of people who demonstrated faithfulness to you when it cost them plenty. Help us to do the same in whatever way you might show us. Amen.
Short Dwellings in the Word by Dr. Pat Taylor Ellison 