The Most Avoided Messianic Psalm (6): Comfort in Trouble (Psalm 69:14-19) by Rev. Angus Stewart
I. Through God’s Profound Knowledge
II. Through Petitions for Deliverance
III. Through Requests for Nearness
Psalm singing: 18:1-7; 35:1-7; 139:1-10; 69:14-19 (see below for the words to the Psalms)
Scripture reading: Psalm 69:1-20
John Gill on Psalm 69:16: “... the loving kindness of God to his people, and the members of Christ, is ... good: it arises from the good will and pleasure of God; it is pleasantly and delightfully good to the saints, who have tasted that the Lord is gracious, and have had his love shed abroad in their hearts; it is profitably good unto them; it has prepared and laid up good things for them, both for time and eternity, even all the blessings of grace and goodness: it has promised good things unto them in covenant, and it gives Christ, and all good things along with him; it has a good influence on the graces of the Spirit, faith, hope, and love, to encourage them; and engages believers to a cheerful obedience to all the divine commands; to which may be added the duration of it, it lasts for ever: and it is so good, that it is better than any temporal good thing without it; it is better than life, and all the comforts of it (Ps. 63:3).”
Psalm 69:15, "Let not the deep swallow me up," is inscribed on the reverse side of the gallantry medal issued by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the lifeboat service of the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.

Psalm 18:1-7
1 THEE will I love, 0 Lord, my strength.
2 My fortress is the Lord,
My rock, and he that doth to me
deliverance afford:
My God, my strength, whom I will trust,
a buckler unto me,
The horn of my salvation,
and my high tow’r, is he.
3 Upon the Lord, who worthy is
of praises, will I cry;
And then shall I preserved be
safe from mine enemy.
4 Floods of ill men affrighted me,
death’s pangs about me went;
5 Hell’s sorrows me environed ;
death’s snares did me prevent.
6 In my distress I call’d on God,
cry to my God did I;
He from his temple heard my voice,
to his ears came my cry.
7 Th’ earth, as affrighted, then did shake,
trembling upon it seiz’d:
The hills’ foundations moved were,
because he was displeas’d.

Psalm 35:1-7
1 PLEAD, Lord, with those that plead; and fight
with those that fight with me.
2 Of shield and buckler take thou hold,
stand up mine help to be.
3 Draw also out the spear, and do
against them stop the way
That me pursue : unto my soul,
I’m thy salvation, say.
4 Let them confounded be and sham’d
that for my soul have sought:
Who plot my hurt turn’d back be they,
and to confusion brought.
5 Let them be like unto the chaff
that flies before the wind;
And let the angel of the Lord
pursue them hard behind.
6 With darkness cover thou their way,
and let it slipp’ry prove ;
And let the angel of the Lord
pursue them from above.
7 For without cause have they for me
their net hid in a pit,
They also have without a cause
for my soul digged it.

Psalm 139:1-10
1 LORD, thou hast me search’d and known.
2 Thou know’st my sitting down,
And rising up; yea, all my thoughts
afar to thee are known.
3 My footsteps, and my lying down,
thou compassest always;
Thou also most entirely art
acquaint with all my ways.
4 For in my tongue, before I speak,
not any word can be,
But altogether, lo, O Lord,
it is well known to thee.
5 Behind, before, thou hast beset,
and laid on me thine hand.
6 Such knowledge is too strange for me,
too high to understand.
7 From thy Sp’rit whither shall I go?
or from thy presence fly?
8 Ascend I heav’n, lo, thou art there;
there, if in hell I lie.
9 Take I the morning wings, and dwell
in utmost parts of sea;
10 Ev’n there, Lord, shall thy hand me lead
thy right hand hold shall me

Psalm 69:14-19
14 Deliver me out of the mire,
from sinking do me keep ;
Free me from those that do me hate,
and from the waters deep.
15 Let not the flood on me prevail,
whose water overflows;
Nor deep me swallow, nor the pit
her mouth upon me close.
16 Hear me, 0 Lord, because thy love
and kindness is most good ;
Turn unto me, according to
thy mercies’ multitude.
17 Nor from thy servant hide thy face:
I’m troubled, soon attend.
18 Draw near my soul, and it redeem;
me from my foes defend.
19 To thee is my reproach well known,
my shame, and my disgrace:
Those that mine adversaries be
are all before thy face.