1. “An Urgent Plea for Help and Vindication”
Studies in the
Book of Psalms
Lesson 15: Psalm 69
“An Urgent Plea for Help and Vindication”

2. Introduction to Psalm 69 Psalm 69 is a Psalm of David.
It is a Messianic Psalm
Compare 69:9 with John 2:16-17 & Romans 15:3
Compare 69:19-21 with Matthew 27:34, 48
It introduces to our study a type of Psalm known as Imprecatory.
Imprecate means "to ask for a curse" or "to pray for evil."
There are 18 other Psalms that contain significant imprecations (Psalms 5, 6, 11, 12, 35, 37, 40, 52, 54, 56, 58, 69, 79, 83, 109, 137, 139,143).
Note the examples of Psalms 58:6-8 & 109:4-14

3. Questions about Imprecatory Psalms
Are these Psalms expressions of hatred for enemies, or pleas to God for justice?
Do they violate Jesus’ command to “love your enemies”? (Matthew 5:44)
Were imprecations lawful under the Old Testament but not under the New Testament?
Could we not understand the imprecatory Psalms to be pleas for God to exact His justice, even as other Psalms plead for Him to show mercy?
The cries of the souls under the altar in Revelation 6:10 may offer a NT parallel.

4. A pathetic and urgent cry Psalm 69:1-4
David is like a drowning man (1-2; Ps. 42:7)
He tearfully awaits God's help (3; Ps. 6:6-7)
Many are unjustly his enemies (4)
Even as many hated Jesus “without a cause.” (John 15:25; cf. Psalm 35:19)

5. David's Problem: His enemies have used his remorse for sin against him Psalm 69:5-12
God knows David's sins (5)
David prays that his sins will not be a reproach to God’s people or a stumbling block to those who seek Him (6)
The results of David's public penitence:
It has brought him shame (7)
It has separated him from family (8)
It has brought him reproach (9-12)

6. David begs for mercy and deliverance Psalm 69:13-21
He appeals to God's mercy to save him from being drowned in reproach. (13-15)
He has prayed to God in an acceptable time (cf. Psalm 32:6)
He appeals God for the mercy that none of his adversaries have offered (16-21)
Mock pity and further humiliation is all that his enemies offer.

7. David asks God to Curse his Enemies Psalm 69:22-28
He is asking for God's righteous indignation to be poured upon them (24)
He is asking that justice be done to men who have persecuted those whom God disciplined (26)
David desires them to be cursed in many ways!
Let their table become a snare (22)
Let their eyes be darkened (23)
Make their loins shake continually (23)
Let their dwelling place be desolate (25)
Add iniquity to their iniquity (27)
Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous (28)

8. David praises God for His Salvation and Justice Psalm 69:29-36
The humble will be exalted (29-31)
David relies on God’s salvation to exalt him
He pledges to praise God in thanksgiving.
This will give hope to the humble and the future inhabitants of Zion (32-36)
Much like the vindication of the saints under the altar in Revelation 6:10 would give hope to persecuted saints in the first century.