Those who hate me without a cause and more than the hairs of my head; they are mighty who would destroy me, being my enemies wrongfully; though I have stolen nothing, I still must restore it. O God, You know my foolishness; and my sins are not hidden from You. Let not those who wait for You, O Lord God of hosts, be ashamed because of me; let not those who seek You be confounded because of me, O God of Israel. Because for Your sake I have borne reproach; shame has covered my face. I have become a stranger to my brothers and an alien to my mother’s children; because zeal for Your house has eaten me up, and the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me. When I wept and chastened my soul with fasting, that became my reproach. I also made sackcloth my garment; I became a byword to them. Psalm 69:4-11
In this Psalm, verses 1-3 we see the description of his situation. I wrote about this in “Under His Wings.” In verses 4-11, King David states the reason for his situation.
The psalmist understood his heart’s condition and that his sins were not hidden from God; however, they were not the reason for his situation as he was writing this psalm. Further, he feared that his miserable situation might be a stumbling block to other believers.
This Psalm was applied to Christ by the New Testament writers. It expresses the thoughts of any believer who is being ridiculed by the world, but it uniquely refers to Jesus.
Christ carried our sin to the Cross with shame and humiliation. His face was rejected by the Father because of the burden of sin that Jesus took upon Himself. His dignity was violated and His name was dishonored. He was made uncomfortable upon the Cross in order that we can have comfort and peace of mind.
Even his own family rejected Him (See Matt. 12:46-50 and John 7:3-5).
Why did all of this happen to King David? Because of his passion for the House of God – just as our Lord Jesus was consumed with a zeal for His Father’s house.
Whenever Jesus heard men speak evil words with insults about the Father, Jesus took it a personal affront. One day He drove the money changers from the temple courts. His disciples remembered that it was written of Him here in Psalm 69, “Zeal for Your house has eaten me up” (John 2:17).
They hated David without a cause just as the Jews hated Christ. Both David and Jesus took the reproach of Father God upon themselves because they loved the House of God. Are we willing to bear the offense and abuse that comes with being a follower of Jesus? God help us, as a people of God, to become more willing each day of our life to glorify and lift up the mighty name of Jesus to a lost and dying world.
But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’ John 15:25
David’s wearing of sackcloth, a symbol of grief, brought ever more ridicule to him. Jesus was stripped naked and hung upon an old rugged tree, bound as a thief, with His broken body held by three nails hanging between heaven and earth as He gave His life for you and me.
Friend, if you do not know Jesus as Savior and Lord, my prayer today is that some day, somewhere you will lift your eyes toward heaven and ask Christ to come and live within your heart by the power of the Holy Spirit. By doing this, you allow Jesus to become your substitute for your redemption from sin. Today is the day of salvation. Today is the day to worship God and crown Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords.
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2
You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your right hand has held me up, Your gentleness has made me great. Psalm 18:35
The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted. Psalm 18:46
Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day. Psalm 25:5
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1
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