Psalms 69:8-28

8I have become like a stranger to my brothers. I am like a foreigner to my family.

9My love for your house burns inside me like a fire. Anybody who insults you, is also insulting me!

10When I weep and I stop eating food, it causes people to insult me.

11When I wear rough clothes to show that I am sad, people laugh at me.

12People who sit at the city gate talk about me. People who are drunk make songs to sing about me.

13But as for me, Lord, I continue to pray to you. Please answer me at the right time. Be kind to me, God, because of your faithful love. Save me, as you have promised to do.

14Save me out of the mud and do not let me sink down into it. Rescue me from the people that hate me. Save me from the deep water.

15Do not let the floods pour over me. Do not let the deep sea cause me to drown. Do not let me fall into the deep hole of death.

16Please answer me, Lord, because your faithful love is great. Turn to hear me, because you are so very kind.

17Do not turn away from me, your servant. I am in great trouble, so please answer me very soon.

18Come very near to me, and make me safe. Rescue me from my enemies.

19God, you know that people are insulting me. They laugh at me to make me feel ashamed. You can see what all my enemies are doing.

20When they insult me, it makes me very upset. I feel helpless. I hoped that someone would be kind and help me, but there was nobody. I wanted someone to comfort me, but I did not find anyone.

21Instead, my enemies put poison in my food. When I was thirsty, they gave me vinegar to drink.

22Please God, cause their feasts to become a trap for them. Let it bring trouble to them and their friends.

23Let their eyes be in the dark so that they cannot see. Let their bodies become weak.

24Yes, punish them, because you are so angry with them!

25Let their homes become empty, so that nobody lives in them any more.

26Do this, because they chase after the people that you have already punished. They talk about the pain of the people that you have hurt.

27Make a note of all their sins. Do not ever forgive them, so that they are righteous.

28Remove their names from the book of living people. Do not write their names on the list of righteous people.