Psalms 69:12
Psalms 69:12 in Multiple Translations
Those who sit at the gate mock me, and I am the song of drunkards.
They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards.
They that sit in the gate talk of me; And I am the song of the drunkards.
I am a cause of wonder to those in authority; a song to those who are given to strong drink.
People sitting by the town gate gossip about me. I'm the subject of rude songs sung by drunks.
They that sate in the gate, spake of mee, and the drunkards sang of me.
Those sitting at the gate meditate concerning me, And those drinking strong drink, Play on instruments.
Those who sit in the gate talk about me. I am the song of the drunkards.
They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards.
Even the elders of the city say bad things about me. The drunkards of the city sing disgusting songs about me.
Berean Amplified Bible — Psalms 69:12
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Psalms 69:12 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וָ/אֶתְּנָ֣/ה
לְבוּשִׁ֣/י
שָׂ֑ק
וָ/אֱהִ֖י
לָ/הֶ֣ם
לְ/מָשָֽׁל
וָ/אֶתְּנָ֣/ה
nâthan
H5414
to give
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-1cs | Suff
לְבוּשִׁ֣/י
lᵉbûwsh
H3830
clothing
N-ms | Suff
שָׂ֑ק
saq
H8242
sackcloth
N-ms
וָ/אֱהִ֖י
hâyâh
H1961
to be
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-1cs
לָ/הֶ֣ם
Prep | Suff
לְ/מָשָֽׁל
mâshâl
H4912
proverb
Prep | N-ms
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Psalms 69:12
וָ/אֶתְּנָ֣/ה
nâthan
H5414
"to give"
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-1cs | Suff
This word means to give, put, or set something, with a wide range of applications. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, describing God's actions and human interactions. The word is used to convey giving, selling, or exchanging something.
Definition: : give/deliver/send/produce 1) to give, put, set 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to give, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend 1a2) to put, set, put on, put upon, set, appoint, assign, designate 1a3) to make, constitute 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be given, be bestowed, be provided, be entrusted to, be granted to, be permitted, be issued, be published, be uttered, be assigned 1b2) to be set, be put, be made, be inflicted 1c) (Hophal) 1c1) to be given, be bestowed, be given up, be delivered up 1c2) to be put upon
Usage: Occurs in 1816 OT verses. KJV: add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] without fail, fasten, frame, [idiom] get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), [idiom] have, [idiom] indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), [phrase] lie, lift up, make, [phrase] O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, [idiom] pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), [phrase] sing, [phrase] slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, [idiom] surely, [idiom] take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, [phrase] weep, [phrase] willingly, [phrase] withdraw, [phrase] would (to) God, yield. See also: Genesis 1:17; Genesis 40:21; Exodus 30:12.
לְבוּשִׁ֣/י
lᵉbûwsh
H3830
"clothing"
N-ms | Suff
This word refers to clothing or garments, and sometimes even a wife. It is used in descriptions of how people dress, like in the book of Matthew. The KJV translates it as apparel or clothing.
Definition: clothing, garment, apparel, raiment Aramaic equivalent: le.vush (לְבוּשׁ "garment" H3831)
Usage: Occurs in 33 OT verses. KJV: apparel, clothed with, clothing, garment, raiment, vestment, vesture. See also: Genesis 49:11; Job 41:5; Psalms 22:19.
שָׂ֑ק
saq
H8242
"sackcloth"
N-ms
This term refers to a coarse cloth or sack used for mourning or carrying grain. People wore sackcloth to show humility or grief, like in the book of Esther. It symbolized repentance and sorrow.
Definition: 1) mesh, sackcloth, sack, sacking 1a) sack (for grain) 1b) sackcloth 1b1) worn in mourning or humiliation 1b2) same material spread out to lie on
Usage: Occurs in 46 OT verses. KJV: sack(-cloth, -clothes). See also: Genesis 37:34; Psalms 69:12; Psalms 30:12.
וָ/אֱהִ֖י
hâyâh
H1961
"to be"
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-1cs
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Definition: 1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) --- 1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass 1a1b) to come about, come to pass 1a2) to come into being, become 1a2a) to arise, appear, come 1a2b) to become 1a2b1) to become 1a2b2) to become like 1a2b3) to be instituted, be established 1a3) to be 1a3a) to exist, be in existence 1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time) 1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality) 1a3d) to accompany, be with 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about 1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone
Usage: Occurs in 3131 OT verses. KJV: beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use. See also: Genesis 1:2; Genesis 17:4; Genesis 36:11.
לָ/הֶ֣ם
""
Prep | Suff
לְ/מָשָֽׁל
mâshâl
H4912
"proverb"
Prep | N-ms
A proverb is a short saying that teaches a lesson, often using comparisons or metaphors, like those found in the book of Proverbs. It's a way of sharing wisdom and insight. Proverbs are used by Solomon and other biblical writers.
Definition: 1) proverb, parable 1a) proverb, proverbial saying, aphorism 1b) byword 1c) similitude, parable 1d) poem 1e) sentences of ethical wisdom, ethical maxims
Usage: Occurs in 39 OT verses. KJV: byword, like, parable, proverb. See also: Numbers 23:7; Psalms 78:2; Psalms 44:15.
Study Notes — Psalms 69:12
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Psalms 69:12 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Psalms 69:12
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 69:12
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Psalms 69:12
- Trapp's Commentary on Psalms 69:12
- Ellicott's Commentary on Psalms 69:12
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Psalms 69:12
- Cambridge Bible on Psalms 69:12
- Barnes' Notes on Psalms 69:12
- Whedon's Commentary on Psalms 69:12
- Sermons on Psalms 69:12
Context — The Waters Are up to My Neck
10I wept and fasted, but it brought me reproach.
11I made sackcloth my clothing, and I was sport to them.
12Those who sit at the gate mock me, and I am the song of drunkards.
13But my prayer to You, O LORD, is for a time of favor. In Your abundant loving devotion, O God, answer me with Your sure salvation. 14Rescue me from the mire and do not let me sink; deliver me from my foes and out of the deep waters.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalms 35:15–16 | But when I stumbled, they assembled in glee; they gathered together against me. Assailants I did not know slandered me without ceasing. Like godless jesters at a feast, they gnashed their teeth at me. |
| 2 | Mark 15:17–19 | They dressed Him in a purple robe, twisted together a crown of thorns, and set it on His head. And they began to salute Him: “Hail, King of the Jews!” They kept striking His head with a staff and spitting on Him. And they knelt down and bowed before Him. |
| 3 | Daniel 5:23 | Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. The vessels from His house were brought to you, and as you drank wine from them with your nobles, wives, and concubines, you praised your gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you have failed to glorify the God who holds in His hand your very breath and all your ways. |
| 4 | Deuteronomy 16:18 | You are to appoint judges and officials for your tribes in every town that the LORD your God is giving you. They are to judge the people with righteous judgment. |
| 5 | Matthew 27:62–63 | The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and Pharisees assembled before Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while He was alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ |
| 6 | Luke 23:2 | And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man subverting our nation, forbidding payment of taxes to Caesar, and proclaiming Himself to be Christ, a King.” |
| 7 | Job 30:8–9 | A senseless and nameless brood, they were driven off the land. And now they mock me in song; I have become a byword among them. |
| 8 | Matthew 27:12–13 | And when He was accused by the chief priests and elders, He gave no answer. Then Pilate asked Him, “Do You not hear how many charges they are bringing against You?” |
| 9 | Acts 4:26–27 | The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His Anointed One.’ In fact, this is the very city where Herod and Pontius Pilate conspired with the Gentiles and the people of Israel against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed. |
| 10 | Matthew 27:41–42 | In the same way, the chief priests, scribes, and elders mocked Him, saying, “He saved others, but He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel! Let Him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in Him. |
Psalms 69:12 Summary
The verse Psalms 69:12 tells us that the psalmist is being mocked by people at the gate, and his situation has become a joke to those who are careless and sinful. This is similar to what Jesus faced, as written in Matthew 27:39-44, where he was mocked on the cross. The psalmist's experience teaches us to trust in God's loving devotion and salvation, even when we face suffering and ridicule, just like it is written in Romans 8:35-39. We can learn to respond to mockery and ridicule by praying to God for help and deliverance, and by trusting in his presence and love, as seen in Psalms 23:4.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do the people at the gate mock the psalmist in Psalms 69:12?
The people at the gate mock the psalmist because of his devotion to God and his decision to fast and wear sackcloth, as seen in Psalms 69:10-11, which they view as strange or weak. This reaction is similar to what the prophet Isaiah experienced, as written in Isaiah 53:3, where he was despised and rejected by men.
What does it mean to be the 'song of drunkards' in Psalms 69:12?
Being the 'song of drunkards' means that the psalmist's situation and suffering have become a subject of ridicule and amusement for those who are careless and sinful, much like the fools mentioned in Proverbs 24:9. This shows how far the psalmist has fallen in the eyes of his community.
How does the psalmist's experience in Psalms 69:12 relate to the life of Jesus Christ?
The psalmist's experience of being mocked and ridiculed is similar to what Jesus Christ faced during his ministry, as written in Psalms 22:7-8 and fulfilled in Matthew 27:39-44. Jesus was also mocked and ridiculed by those who did not understand his mission and message.
What can we learn from the psalmist's response to mockery in Psalms 69:12?
The psalmist's response to mockery is to pray to God for help and deliverance, as seen in Psalms 69:13-14. This teaches us to trust in God's loving devotion and salvation, even in the midst of suffering and ridicule, just like the apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8:35-39.
Reflection Questions
- How do you respond when you are mocked or ridiculed for your faith, and what can you learn from the psalmist's experience?
- In what ways can you identify with the psalmist's feeling of being a 'song of drunkards', and how can you find comfort in God's presence?
- What are some ways you can trust in God's loving devotion and salvation, even when faced with suffering and ridicule, just like the psalmist in Psalms 69:13-14?
- How can you use your experiences of suffering and ridicule as opportunities to pray and seek God's help, just like the psalmist in Psalms 69:12?
Gill's Exposition on Psalms 69:12
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
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 69:12
O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Psalms 69:12
They that sit in the gate; either, 1. Vain and idle persons, that spend their time in the gates and markets, in which there used to be a confluence of people. Or rather, 2. The judges and magistrates, who used to sit (which was their posture, , &c.) in the gates of cities, the usual places of judicature; for David oft complains of his hard usage from these men, as ,2 119:23, and elsewhere; which was the more grievous, because these, who were obliged by their office to protect and right him, did join with others in reproaching and oppressing him. Of the drunkards; of the scum of the people; of all lewd and debauched persons. Thus both-high and low conspired against him.
Trapp's Commentary on Psalms 69:12
Psalms 69:12 They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I [was] the song of the drunkards.Ver. 12. They that sit in the gate] Men of authority and dignity, who should have showed more grace and gravity. The saints are sure of enemies of all sorts. David was traduced at public and private meetings, seriis et ludicris, sobriis et ebriis. And I was the song of the drunkards] Heb. of the drinkers of strong drink; the ale stakes made ballads on their ale bench, de macie mea et miseria. These servants tear and toss my name, as curs do carrion.
Ellicott's Commentary on Psalms 69:12
(12) In the gate . . .—The place of public resort where justice was administered. (See Psalms 9:14 Note.) And I was the song.—Literally, and songs of those drinking strong drink, but we must supply the pronoun.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Psalms 69:12
Verse 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 burning crown of all, a deep load of guilt upon the conscience. To such a life any death was preferable.
Cambridge Bible on Psalms 69:12
12. They that sit in the gate talk of me, And the songs of them that drink strong drink (make sport of me). In the gate where men gather to hear the last gossip as well as to transact business (Psalms 9:14; Jeremiah 17:19 f.) he is the talk of the city: his austerities and oddities furnish a subject for the latest comic song of the revellers’ parties. Cp. Lamentations 3:14; Job 30:9; Isaiah 5:11-12; Isaiah 5:22; Amos 6:4 ff.
Barnes' Notes on Psalms 69:12
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.
Whedon's Commentary on Psalms 69:12
12. In the gate—The usual place of courts, trade, and business, and hence of large gatherings of the people.
Sermons on Psalms 69:12
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
Weighed and Found Wanting by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, Daniel preaches to Belshazzar, the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar, about the consequences of pride and disobedience to God. He reminds Belshazzar of how Nebuchadnezzar |
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(Daniel) Daniel in the Lion's Den by Willie Mullan | In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the story of Daniel in the lion's den. He begins by discussing the prosperity of Daniel, who was chosen as one of the 120 princes over the k |
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An Immediate Call to Repent by Dan Biser | This sermon emphasizes the urgent need for repentance in the face of societal and church challenges, highlighting the prevalence of sin, evil, and the lack of urgency and true repe |
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Bible Survey - Daniel by Peter Hammond | Peter Hammond preaches on the life of Daniel, a wise and righteous prophet who remained faithful to God despite being exiled to Babylon. Daniel's integrity and courage in the face |
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Belshazzar's Feast and the Fall of Babylon by Arno Clemens Gaebelein | Arno Clemens Gaebelein delves into the historical account of Belshazzar's feast and the divine judgment that followed, showcasing the defiance and blasphemy against God that led to |
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Epistle 367 by George Fox | George Fox emphasizes the necessity of living a life of righteousness and holiness, as it is essential for seeing God and maintaining peace within a community. He warns that unholi |
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Circumstantial Evidences of the Resurrection by Hal Lindsey | In this sermon, the speaker discusses how Dr. Simon Greenleaf, the founder of Harvard Law School, applied his laws of legal evidence to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Dr. Greenl |