Psalms 69:1

Save me, O God,.... The petitioner is Christ; not as a divine Person, as such he is blessed for ever, and stands in no need of help and assistance; but as man, and in distressed and suffering circumstances.

Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul. Psalms 69:1-36.-The sufferer's misery and cry to God (Psalms 69:1-4); God knows that the reproach which he suffers, as if sinful and foolish,

Psalms 69 THE This Psalm of David consists of his complaints and fervent prayers, and comfortable predictions of his deliverance, and of the ruin of his enemies. But the condition of this Psalm is like that of divers others, wherein although the matter or substance of it agree in some sort to David, yet there are some singular passages, which he delivers with a particular respect unto Christ, of whom he was an eminent type, and upon whom his thoughts were much and often fixed, and of whom they are more fitly and fully understood; and therefore they are justly applied to him in the New Testament, as we shall see. David (as a type of Christ) complaineth of his heavy and manifold afflictions, ; fervently prayeth for help and deliverance, ; giveth over his enemies to, destruction, ; and praiseth God in confidence of being accepted, , and Zion saved, ,36. Waters, i.e. tribulations, which are oft expressed by waters; as hath been observed. Unto my soul, i.e. to my vital parts; so that I am ready to be choked with them. My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death.

Psalms 69:1 « To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, [A Psalm] of David. » Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto [my] soul.A Psalm of David] Quando rebellabat Sheba, saith the Syriac, made upon the occasion of Sheba’ s rebellion presently after Absalom’ s. Hence he cries out, as one almost overwhelmed, Ver. 1. Save me, O God] Thou, who delightest to save such as are forsaken of their hopes. The Fathers generally take this psalm to be prophetic touching the passion of Christ, and his praying then to the Father. David had his troubles which gave occasion to the penning of this psalm, but those were all but as a picture and prelude of Christ’ s far greater sorrows, Spiritus autem sanctus manifeste se prodit in hoc psalmo. For the waters are come in unto my soul] Ever after Noah’ s flood, that dismal destruction, great and grievous afflictions were set forth by the rushing in of waters, and overwhelming therewith. God’ swrath was poured upon Christ as a mighty torrent of waters, and, therefore, this expression applied to him hath a special emphasis; his soul was heavy even to the death. Fluctus fluctum trudebat, One deep called upon another, &c. Oh the soul of sufferings which his soul then suffered!

(1) The waters . . .—For this common and obvious figure of a “sea of troubles” comp. Psalms 18:4; Psalms 18:16; Psalms 32:6; Psalms 42:7.

PSALM LXIX The psalmist describes his afflicted state, and the wickedness of his adversaries, 1-21; he declares the miseries that should come upon his enemies, 22-28; enlarges on his afflicted state, and expresses his confidence in God, 29-34; prophesies the restoration of the Jews to their own land and temple, 35, 36. NOTES ON PSALM LXIX The title is: "To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, A Psalm of David." See this title explained on Psalms 45:1. The Psalm is supposed to have been written during the captivity, and to have been the work of some Levite Divinely inspired. It is a very fine composition, equal to most in the Psalter. Several portions of it seem to have a reference to our Lord; to his advent passion, resurrection, the vocation of the Gentiles, the establishment of the Christian Church, and the reprobation of the Jews. The ninth verse is quoted by St. John, John 2:17. The twenty-first verse is quoted by St. Matthew, Matthew 27:34; Matthew 27:48; by St. Mark, Mr 15:23; by St. John, John 19:29; and applied to the sufferings of our Lord, in the treatment he received from the Jews. St. Paul quotes the twenty-second as a prophecy of the wickedness of the Jews, and the punishment they were to receive. He quotes the twenty-third verse in the same way. See the marginal references [Isaiah 6:9-10 (note); John 12:39-40 (note); Romans 11:10 (note); 2 Corinthians 3:14 (note)]. Those portions which the writers of the New Testament apply to our Lord, we may apply also; of others we should be careful. Verse 1. The waters are come in unto my soul.] I am in the deepest distress. The waters have broken their dikes, and are just ready to sweep me away! Save me, Lord! In such circumstances I can have no other help. In the first, second, third, fourteenth, and fifteenth verses, the psalmist, speaking in the person of the captives in Babylon, compares their captivity to an abyss of waters, breaking all bounds, and ready to swallow them up; to a deep mire, in which there was no solid bottom, and no standing; and to a pit, in which they were about to be inclosed for ever. This is strongly figurative, and very expressive.

1–6. The Psalmist appeals to God for help, pleading the extremity of his plight.

Save me, O God - That is, Interpose and deliver me from the dangers which have come upon me. For the waters are come in unto my soul - So as to endanger my life.

1. Waters—Great “waters” are a common emblem of extreme distress and danger. Psalms 18:4; Psalms 32:6. Unto my soul—I am as one upon the point of strangulation by drowning. The waters are rushing into me, even to my heart.