Today’s Bulletin
OUTLINE
I. Panic On The Brain (v.1-4)
II. No Place to Hide & Reputation (v.5-6)
III. Haters Gonna Hate, Even Godly Zeal (v.7-12)
IV. It’s Over My Head (v.13-18)
V. Reproach & Despair (v.19-21)
VI. Imprecatory Pleas (v.22-29)
VII. Chorus of Gratitude & Praise (v.30-36)
Psalm 69
1 Save me, O God!
For the waters have come up to my neck.
2 I sink in deep mire,
where there is no foothold;
I have come into deep waters,
and the flood sweeps over me.
3 I am weary with my crying out;
my throat is parched.
My eyes grow dim
with waiting for my God.
4 More in number than the hairs of my head
are those who hate me without cause;
mighty are those who would destroy me,
those who attack me with lies.
What I did not steal
must I now restore?
5 O God, you know my folly;
the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you.
6 Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me,
O Lord GOD of hosts;
let not those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me,
O God of Israel.
7 For it is for your sake that I have borne reproach,
that dishonor has covered my face.
8 I have become a stranger to my brothers,
an alien to my mother’s sons.
9 For zeal for your house has consumed me,
and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.
10 When I wept and humbled my soul with fasting,
it became my reproach.
11 When I made sackcloth my clothing,
I became a byword to them.
12 I am the talk of those who sit in the gate,
and the drunkards make songs about me.
13 But as for me, my prayer is to you, O LORD.
At an acceptable time, O God,
in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness.
14 Deliver me
from sinking in the mire;
let me be delivered from my enemies
and from the deep waters.
15 Let not the flood sweep over me,
or the deep swallow me up,
or the pit close its mouth over me.
16 Answer me, O LORD, for your steadfast love is good;
according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.
17 Hide not your face from your servant,
for I am in distress; make haste to answer me.
18 Draw near to my soul, redeem me;
ransom me because of my enemies!
19 You know my reproach,
and my shame and my dishonor;
my foes are all known to you.
20 Reproaches have broken my heart,
so that I am in despair.
I looked for pity, but there was none,
and for comforters, but I found none.
21 They gave me poison for food,
and for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink.
22 Let their own table before them become a snare;
and when they are at peace, let it become a trap.
23 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see,
and make their loins tremble continually.
24 Pour out your indignation upon them,
and let your burning anger overtake them.
25 May their camp be a desolation;
let no one dwell in their tents.
26 For they persecute him whom you have struck down,
and they recount the pain of those you have wounded.
27 Add to them punishment upon punishment;
may they have no acquittal from you.
28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living;
let them not be enrolled among the righteous.
29 But I am afflicted and in pain;
let your salvation, O God, set me on high!
30 I will praise the name of God with a song;
I will magnify him with thanksgiving.
31 This will please the LORD more than an ox
or a bull with horns and hoofs.
32 When the humble see it they will be glad;
you who seek God, let your hearts revive.
33 For the LORD hears the needy
and does not despise his own people who are prisoners.
34 Let heaven and earth praise him,
the seas and everything that moves in them.
35 For God will save Zion
and build up the cities of Judah,
and people shall dwell there and possess it;
36 the offspring of his servants shall inherit it,
and those who love his name shall dwell in it.”
Sermon Discussion questions
Crying Out To God: Psalm 69
Ice Breaker: Have you ever been a "sojourner" (traveler in a foreign place)? Share a funny or memorable moment from that experience.
This Week Specific
In verses 1-4, David expresses a deep sense of desperation and helplessness. Can you think of a time you felt similarly overwhelmed? How did you respond to those feelings, and what role did prayer play in your situation?
David mentions being hated without cause (verse 4). Have you ever faced unjust criticism or accusations? How did it affect your relationship with God and your sense of self-worth?
The sermon mentions how David was concerned about bringing shame to God's name through his situation. How can we be mindful of our witness as Christians, even in difficult circumstances?
Reflect on a time when you faced criticism or mockery for your faith. How did you respond, and how might David's example in this Psalm inform future responses?
In verses 5-6, David acknowledges his faults while addressing God. How can we practice humility in our own prayers, recognizing our imperfections without being defined by them?
Do you think there is a correlation between our zeal for God and persecution? Why not or how so?
David speaks of bearing reproach for his zeal for God (verse 9). How can we find strength and encouragement when our faith leads to misunderstanding or ridicule from others?
How can we cultivate a balance between honestly expressing our pain to God and maintaining trust in His character and timing?
In verses 30-32, David shifts from despair to praise. What are some practical ways we can cultivate a habit of gratitude and worship in our lives, especially during difficult times?
Reflecting on David’s imprecatory prayers (verses 22-29), how should we approach feelings of anger or desire for vengeance? How does Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5:43-44 challenge our natural instincts?
The sermon discusses imprecatory prayers and how we should approach them as Christians today. How do you reconcile feelings of anger or desires for justice with Jesus' command to love our enemies?
David transitions from despair to praise in this Psalm. What practices or truths help you shift your focus to praising God during challenging times?
In verses 34-36, David expresses confidence in God’s future deliverance. How can we hold onto hope in the midst of our suffering, and what promises from Scripture can help us in those times?
Weekly Questions
What stood out to you/challenged you most in this sermon?
What’s one area you feel the Lord wants to grow you into more Christ likeness?
How can this group pray for you this week?