Psalms 69:12

_O GOD, THOU KNOWEST MY FOOLISHNESS; AND MY SINS ARE NOT HID FROM THEE._ -He appeals in support of his prayer to God's knowledge that he suffers reproach and estrangement, as if he were foolish and sinful, for the sake of God, and through zeal for His glory. Verse 5. O GOD, THOU KNOWEST MY FOOLISHNESS - i:e., in the Scripture sense, sin: thou knowest the sin imputed to me falsely by my adversaries-namely, that I am a 'wine-bibber, mad, and have a devil' (Matthew 11:19; John 10:20). The subordinate sense may also be implied, Thou knowest how I bear, as the sinner's substitute, the sin of the world laid on me: as Psalms 69:6;...

12._They who sit in the gate defame me _Had David been molested only by vulgar buffoons and the refuse of the people, it would have been more easily endured; for it is not surprising that mean persons, who have no regard to what is becoming and honorable, degrade themselves by indulging in defamation without shame. But when the very judges, forgetful of what is demanded by the dignity of their office, abandon themselves to the same audacious conduct, the iniquity and baseness of it is greatly aggravated. Accordingly, David expressly complains that he was made a by-word and a proverb by those in the highest ranks of life. The opinion of some who, by the expression, _they who sit in the gate, _understand the whole people, (78) is both frigid and inconsistent with the words of the text; for although men of every rank and condition assembled at the gates, yet none but the judges and counsell...

1-12 We should frequently consider the person of the Sufferer here spoken of, and ask why, as well as what he suffered, that, meditating thereon, we may be more humbled for sin, and more convinced of our danger, so that we may feel more gratitude and love, constraining us to live to His glory who died for our salvation. Hence we learn, when in affliction, to commit the keeping of our souls to God, that we may not be soured with discontent, or sink into despair. David was hated wrongfully, but the words far more fully apply to Christ. In a world where unrighteousness reigns so much, we must not wonder if we meet with those that are our enemies wrongfully. Let us take care that we never do wrong; then if we receive wrong, we may the better bear it. By the satisfaction Christ made to God for our sin by his blood, he restored that which he took not away, he paid our debt, suffered for our o...

Verse Psalms 69:12. _THEY THAT SIT IN THE GATE_] At the gates were the courts for public justice; _there_ were complaints lodged, and causes heard. No doubt many vexatious complaints were made against the poor captives; and false accusations, through which they grievously suffered; so that, literally, they were often "obliged to restore that which they had not taken away." See Psalms 69:4. _THE SONG OF THE DRUNKARDS._] These poor miserable people were exposed to all sorts of indignities. Though the conduct is base, the exultation over a fallen enemy is frequent. How miserable was this lot! Forsaken by friends, scorned by enemies, insulted by inferiors; the scoff of libertines, and the song of drunkards; besides hard travail of body, miserably lodged and fed; with the bur

THEY THAT SIT IN THE GATE SPEAK AGAINST ME - The gates of cities were places of concourse; places where business was transacted; places where courts were frequently held. See the notes at Job 29:7. Compare Isaiah 14:31; Isaiah 28:6; Psalms 9:14. Calvin supposes that as the gates were the places where the judges sat to administer justice, the meaning here is that magistrates, or those who were high in rank and power, joined in the cry of reproach against him. The more probable interpretation, however, is, that he was subject to the reproach of those who were gathered around these places - the people of business, and the idle

EXPOSITION THIS is the cry of one suffering severely from men, partly on account of his own sins (Psalms 69:5), but mainly for the sake of God (Psalms 69:7). It is said to be "written in the style of Jeremiah" (Cheyne); but the resemblance to several Davidical psalms, especially Psalms 22:1, Psalms 25:1, and Psalms 40:1, is admitted; and the expression, "Al Shoshannim," in the "title," connects it also with Psalms 45:1 :Moreover, the "title

THEY THAT SIT IN THE GATE SPEAK AGAINST ME,.... The princes, magistrates, and judges, who sat in the gates of cities, heard and tried causes, and executed judgment there; the elders of the city; see Ruth 4:1; the civil rulers among the Jews are meant; and also their ecclesiastical ones, the Scribes and Pharisees that sat in Moses's seat; though some think men of lower characters are designed, idle persons that saunter about, and sit in gateways, and corners of streets, and in marketplaces; spending their time, like the Athenians, in hearing and telling of news, and prating about this and the other person, and their affairs; but the former sense seems best, since these are rather intended in the next clause: now such men of rank and figure spoke against Christ; against his person as the Son of God, against his office as the Messiah, against his doctrines and ordinances, and against his pe...

We shall read together at this time a part of the 69 th Psalm, and afterwards two passages in the New Testament. Although there is no doubt that this Psalm is intended to describe a very large class of sufferers, but we think it never had its full meaning perfectly carried out, until our blessed Lord and Master suffered at the hands of men. We shall read the Psalm believing that it is full of Christ. It is absolutely certain that we have references here to his advent, his passion, and his resurrection. To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, a Psalm of David. Psalms 69:1. _Save me, O God; for the waters are come into my soul._ The waves have not only teased the bank, but they have dashed over the bulwarks, and there is a flood within, as well as a flood without....

PSALM 69-72 Psalms 69 The Suffering and Rejected Christ _ 1. Hated without a cause (Psalms 69:1)_ 2. Bearing reproach (Psalms 69:7) 3. His own prayer (Psalms 69:13) 4. The retribution (Psalms 69:22) 5. His exaltation and the glory (Psalms 69:29) PSALM 69-72 go together and lead us prophetically from the suffering and rejected Christ to the glory of His kingdom in the Seventy-second Psalm. The Sixty-n

LXIX. A PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE AND REVENGE. The author was a pious Jew, burning with zeal for the purity of the Temple worship (Psalms 69:9). He was a representative man, so that the reproaches of those that reproached Yahweh fell upon him. If he was defeated, the pious throughout Israel would lose hope. He was in great danger of his life, and that from his fellow-Jews (Psalms 69:8). Maccabean times suit the situation best, though Maccabean origin is incapable of proof. _Cf., e.g.,_ the career of Alcimus (pp. 382, 607) the Hellenised High Priest as related in 1 Maccabees 9, where ho is said to have pulled down the wall of the inner court of the sanctuary. The Psalmist, when he wrote, was apparently excluded from Temple service, for he is content to offer the sacrifice of praise, confident that such a spiritu