Psalm 69:20-23

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 69:13-21

David had been speaking before of the spiteful reproaches which his enemies cast upon him; here he adds, But, as for me, my prayer is unto thee. They spoke ill of him for his fasting and praying, and for that he was made the song of the drunkards; but, notwithstanding that, he resolves to continue praying. Note, Though we may be jeered for well-doing, we must never be jeered out of it. Those can bear but little for God, and their confessing his name before men, that cannot bear a scoff and a... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 69:22-29

These imprecations are not David's prayers against his enemies, but prophecies of the destruction of Christ's persecutors, especially the Jewish nation, which our Lord himself foretold with tears, and which was accomplished about forty years after the death of Christ. The first two verses of this paragraph are expressly applied to the judgments of God upon the unbelieving Jews by the apostle (Ps. 69:22, 23; Rom. 11:9, 10), and therefore the whole must look that way. The rejection of the Jews... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 69:20

Reproach hath broken my heart ,.... This was his case when his soul was exceeding sorrowful unto death, and his heart like wax melted in the midst of his bows is, Matthew 26:38 ; and I am full of heaviness ; as he was in the garden, Mark 14:33 ; or, "very sick, yea , incurably sick", as the word F7 ואנושה "adeo ut afficiar aegritudine", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "dolui vel aegritudine affectus sum", Gejerus. signifies; see 2 Samuel 12:15 . For what cure is there... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 69:21

They gave me also gall for my meat ,.... Either some bitter herb mentioned with wormwood and hemlock, Deuteronomy 29:18 ; or the gall of some animal The Targum renders it, "the gall of the heads of serpents:' the poison of some serpents is in their heads, and the word that is here used signifies the head; see Deuteronomy 32:33 . This was literally fulfilled in Christ, Matthew 27:34 ; and showed that he bore the curse of the law; that being given to him for food, which was not fit... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 69:22

Let their table become a snare before them ,.... This and the following imprecations were not the effects of a spirit of private revenge; of which there was no appearance in Christ, but all the reverse who prayed for his enemies, while they were using him as above related: but they are prophecies of what should be, being delivered out under the inspiration of the Spirit of God, Acts 1:16 . Wherefore some versions render the words, "their table shall become a snare" F8 יהו "erit",... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 69:23

Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not ,.... Not literally, the eyes of their bodies; but figuratively, the eyes of their understanding; which were so darkened, and they given up to such judicial blindness, that they could not discern the signs of the times that the Messiah must be come, Daniel's weeks being up; could not see any glory, excellency, and comeliness in Christ; could not see the evidence of the Messiahship of Jesus in the miracles he wrought; nor in the prophecies of the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 69:21

They gave me also gall for my meat - Even the food, necessary to preserve us in their slavery, was frequently mingled with what rendered it unpleasant and disgusting, though not absolutely unwholesome. And vinegar, sour small wines, was given us for our beverage. This is applied to our Lord, Matthew 27:34 , where the reader is requested to consult the notes. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 69:22

Let their table become a snare - The execrations here and in the following verses should be read in the future tense, because they are predictive; and not in the imperative mood, as if they were the offspring of the psalmist's resentment: "Their table Shall become a snare; - their eyes Shall be darkened; - thou Wilt pour out thine indignation upon them; - thy wrathful anger Shall take hold of them; - their habitation Shall be desolate, - and none Shall dwell in their tents." The psalmist... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 69:20

Verse 20 20.Reproach hath broken my heart, and I am afflicted. He expresses more distinctly not only that he was confounded, or ashamed at the sad aspect which he presented of having been deserted, but that he was well nigh overwhelmed with sorrow by lying so long under reproach and shame. Whence it is evident that he did not overcome this sorrow without a struggle; and that the reason why he so firmly withstood the waves of temptations was, not because they did not reach his heart, but... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 69:21

Verse 21 21.And they put gall into my meat. Here he again repeats that his enemies carry their cruelty towards him to the utmost extent in their power. He speaks metaphorically when he describes them as mingling gall or poison with his meat, (85) and vinegar with his drink; even as it is said in Jeremiah, “Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink.” (Jeremiah 9:15) But still the Apostle John justly declares that this Scripture was... read more

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