Psalms 69:19-21

David was confident that God knew his situation, and that because He knew it, He would help him. The opposition of his critics had wounded David’s spirit. None of his friends stood with him when popular opinion turned against him. Instead of sustaining him with a good meal, they gave him poison to eat and vinegar to drink. This is probably a figurative description of their treatment of him. The Hebrew word barut (food) describes a meal that sympathetic friends gave to a mourner. [Note: A. Cohen, The Psalms, p. 219.] David’s use of this particular word highlights the hypocrisy of his friends’ actions.

One of Jesus’ disciples treated Him hypocritically by betraying Him with a kiss (Matthew 26:48), and Jesus’ enemies gave Him real vinegar to drink as He hung on the cross (Matthew 27:48).