Psalms 69:1-9 “Turn Unto Me…”

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Psalm 69: “Turn unto me accordingto the multitude of thy tender mercies.”

What keeps coming back as the prominent theme in this particular Psalm is how God does show “tender mercies” unto the elect in this age by bringing us into judgment (1Pe 4:17). We are witnessed to over and over and more and more in this world that ‘the way of peace they know not‘, especially as we near the end of this age and see the effect or fruit of building a house on sand (Mat 7:24-27) which is what we are doing when go about with the mindset that we can be justified by the deeds of the law.

Isa 59:8 The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.

Rom 3:17 And the way of peace have they not known:
Rom 3:18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Rom 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
Rom 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Psa 127:1 A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

God’s tender mercies are connected to judgment upon the flesh that must be judged today if we are going to rule and reign in the next age and be able to show those same tender mercies to the rest of the world.

Rom 11:31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
Rom 11:32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

1Co 6:3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
1Co 6:4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.

Below is a list of all the verses that mention this phrase ‘tender mercies’ in God’s word which are often connected to lovingkindness or judgment upon us that leads to our redemption (1Pe 4:17).

Psa 25:6 Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.

Psa 40:11 Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.

Psa 51:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

Psa 69:16 Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.

Psa 77:9 Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.

Psa 79:8 O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low.

Psa 103:4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

Psa 119:77 Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight.

Psa 119:156 Great are thy tender mercies, O LORD: quicken me according to thy judgments.

Psa 145:9 The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

Pro 12:10 A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.

God does not make things easier for us in this life because we are a kind of first fruits, however, at the same time He does reassure us that having been called and chosen into this process of going unto perfection, that he will show mercy to us throughout the process and make a way for us through ‘the Way’ to be able to endure until the end.

Mat 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

Luk 12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Php 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Php 1:19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Judgment will always be hard on the flesh but good for the spirit, and with this in mind we can rejoice always knowing that all of this judgement in our lives is working toward a glorious end of being one body fitly framed with the same mind and judgment.

1Co 13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

2Ti 2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
2Ti 2:13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

Php 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

Eph 2:21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
Eph 2:22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Eph 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

When we are connected to Christ and his body we will have the right desire and hope to bring the rest of the world into the all and all relationship that our Father is going to accomplish through the church.

1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

Eph 4:6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

1Co 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

1Co 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

The world’s perspective of the elect at any time is described in these next verses that truly speak to the blindness of our eyes when we first see Christ and scoff and don’t understand why judgment must be upon Him and his body.

Act 28:4 And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.

2Pe 3:3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

Luk 15:1  Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.
Luk 15:2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

Luk 16:14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.

Luk 4:23 And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.

Mar 15:30 Save thyself, and come down from the cross.
Mar 15:31 Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save.

Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Gal 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

What we don’t understand or see in ourselves at first is that we are trying to save ourselves with our many wonderful works, and yet there is only one way to be saved, and God makes a point to emphasize the perspective we should have in regard to all flesh (including Christ’s flesh) in these following verses below.

Joh 15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
Joh 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
Joh 15:20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
Joh 15:21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.

If we are given this perspective we will not be astonished when brothers and sisters go through fiery trials and will believe with the rest of the saints that God’s “tender mercies” will always be in the midst of these needful trials that bring us unto perfection.

1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

1Co 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

These examples above help us see why God must allow the elect to come into many troubled waters. Thanks be to God that we are delivered from them all and learn of His ‘tender mercies’ as He prepares our hearts to show the same mercy to those who will come after us. It is all about the preparation of our hearts as we are truly living sacrifices being prepared for the world.

Act 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

Gal 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

2Ti 4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Mar 1:2  As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Oba 1:21 And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.

The first verse of our study:

If we look at the two words ‘waters’ and ‘soul’ it sounds like a modern-day explanation of congestive heart failure, and although this may not be what is being said, the parable is true that when our hearts our surrounded by filthy waters(H4325) the lily or ‘Shoshannim’ within us who is the hope of glory (Col 1:27) of our ‘soul'(H5315) will not thrive and grow (2Co 6:17).

Shoshannim (H7799)– Original: שu1473 וu1513 ׁu1504 ּu1492 שu1473 שu1473 ןשu1473 וu1513 ׁu1503 שu1473 וu1468 שu1473 ןpar – Transliteration: Shuwshan

– Phonetic: shoo-shan’

– Definition:

  1. lily
  2. probably any lily-like flower
  3. Shoshannim, in title of Psa_45

– Origin: from H7797[A primitive root; to be bright that is cheerful: – be glad X greatly joy make mirth rejoice]

– TWOT entry: 2356

– Part(s) of speech: Noun Masculine

– Strong’s: From H7797; a lily (from its whiteness) as a flower or architectural ornament; also a (straight) trumpet (from the tubular shape): – lily Shoshannim.

Total KJV Occurrences: 15

  • lilies, 8

1Ki_7:26; 2Ch_4:5; Son_2:16; Son_4:5; Son_5:13; Son_6:2; Son_6:3; Son_7:2

  • lily, 5

1Ki_7:19; 1Ki_7:22; Son_2:1; Son_2:2; Hos_14:5

  • Shoshannim, 2

Psa_45:1; Psa_69:1

This first verse gets our attention for the need to have waters within us that…

  1. …are holy and purified (see ‘myrrh’ associated with ‘lillies’ in Son_5:13: Exo_30:23-33; Est_2:12);

and…

  1. …are being received from a cistern that is not broken (Jer_2:13, Isa_3:1, Pro_5:15).

God’s tender mercy to us is being shown by leading us to the living waters of Jesus Christ, and through confessing our brokenness we become a vessel that is being made anew in the hand of the Potter (Joh 6:44, Rom 2:4, Joh 4:10, Jer 18:4, Jer 31:31). That vessel must be salted as every sacrifice must be in order to be accepted of God through Christ.

Mar 9:49 For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.

2Ki 2:19 And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground barren.
2Ki 2:20 And he said, Bring me a new cruseH6746, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him.
2Ki 2:21 And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.
2Ki 2:22 So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake.

Mat 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

This brings to mind all of (Jer 38:1-28) where the Ezekiel-33-type-warning was given by Jeremiah to the princes and king Zedekiah to come out of this city or else they would die by the sword of the Babylonian kings army.

Like Jeremiah and Ezekiel, we are called to witness to this world of the certainty of judgement that is going to come upon this evil world (Rev_11:3-11). Jerusalem below will be taken because, like Jeremiah, “the matter was not perceived”(Isa 53:1).

Jer 38:27 Then came all the princes unto Jeremiah, and asked him: and he told them according to all these words that the king had commanded. So they left off speaking with him; for the matter was not perceived.
Jer 38:28 So Jeremiah abode in the court of the prison until the day that Jerusalem was taken: and he was there when Jerusalem was taken.

What is illustrated in this story of Jeremiah is how blessed we are to hear the voice of the true shepherd and to be able to heed the warnings that God is giving so very few to heed today. Even though we are sore pressed and suffer for righteousness sake, he delivers his messengers through the experience of evil even if it means putting this flesh completely off via martyrdom as Stephen did (Act 7:58-60).

Notice they cast Stephen out of the city, which is what Jeremiah was pleading with those men to do.

Jer 38:2 Thus saith the LORD, He that remaineth in this city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall live; for he shall have his life for a prey, and shall live.

Act 7:58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.

Heb 13:13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.
Heb 13:14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. [Psa 127:1]
Heb 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

It is when I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me that we are cleansed, baptized in death to life (Rom 6:4). It speaks of the holy purification that myrrh symbolizes, where the floods(H7641) overflow(H7857) me:

floods – H7641- Strong’s: From the same as H7640; a stream (as flowing); also an ear of grain (as growing out); by analogy a branch: – branch channel ear (of corn) ([water-]) flood Shibboleth. Compare H5451.

Total KJV Occurrences: 19

  • branches, 1

Zec_4:12 [this word means floods and is connected to Rom_6:4]

  • channel, 1

Isa_27:12

  • corn, 3

Gen_41:5; Rth_2:2; Job_24:24

  • ears, 11

Gen_41:6; Gen_41:7 [the dream is one](2); Gen_41:22; Gen_41:23; Gen_41:24(2); Gen_41:26; Gen_41:27; Isa_17:5(2)

  • floods, 1

Psa_69:2

  • Shibboleth, 1

Jdg_12:6

  • waterflood, 1

Psa_69:15 [let me be found in Christ is the type and shadow cry being made Php_1:21 , Php_3:7]

overflow – H7857

– Strong’s: A primitive root; to gush; by implication to inundate cleanse; by analogy to gallop conquer: – drown (over-) flow (-whelm) rinse run rush (throughly) wash (away).

Total KJV Occurrences: 31

  • away, 2

Job_14:19; Eze_16:9 [David and Golliath- five smooth stones from the brook 1Sa_17:40]

  • drown, 1

Son_8:7

  • flowing, 1

Isa_66:12

  • overflow, 10

Psa_69:2; Psa_69:15; Isa_8:8; Isa_10:22; Isa_28:17; Isa_43:2; Jer_47:2; Dan_11:10; Dan_11:26; Dan_11:40

  • overflowed, 1

Psa_78:20

  • overflowing, 8

Isa_28:2; Isa_28:15; Isa_28:18; Isa_30:28; Jer_47:2; Eze_13:11; Eze_13:13; Eze_38:22

  • overflown, 1

Dan_11:22

  • overwhelmed, 1

Psa_124:4

  • ran, 1

2Ch_32:4

  • rinsed, 3

Lev_6:28; Lev_15:11; Lev_15:12

  • rusheth, 1

Jer_8:6

  • washed, 1

1Ki_22:38

As I mentioned above, it is when I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me that we are cleansed, baptized in death to life (Rom 6:4). It not only speaks of the holy purification that myrrh symbolizes, where the floods(H7641) overflow(H7857) me, but it also reminds us that once these baptisms by fire are accomplished, we will go unto perfection as a result of drinking this cup (Mat 20:23).

Mar 15:22 And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, The place of a skull.
Mar 15:23 And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not.

Joh 19:29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.
Joh 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Co 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

While we wait for God to deliver us, we are going to experience this weariness and feel powerless to say or do anything with our throats being dried and our eyes failing us, which are both symbols of the need for the spiritual increase that comes from God alone (1Co 3:6).

God brings us to this place of thirst and lacking vision in order to be brought to a point where our flesh is out of the way as we become persuaded (Rom 8:38) that God alone is the one who can and will deliver us in our times of need. It is always darkest before the dawn, which is just another way of saying that we are brought to our wits’ end by a loving Father who wants us to learn of His great power to deliver, and in this we do learn of His ‘tender mercies’ (2Co 1:9, Mat 6:34, Psa 27:14, Psa 107:28).

Psa 69:4 They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.
Psa 69:5 O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee.
Psa 69:6 Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord GOD of hosts, be ashamed for my sake: let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel.
Psa 69:7 Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face.
Psa 69:8 I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother’s children.

All of these humble and contrite words of King David lead up to the following part of the Psalm, which is a parable that speaks to how all of these detailed events of verses 4 to 8 are accomplished within those who God is showing His tender mercies to in this age.

Psa 69:9 For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.

We see in verse four that like Christ we are hated by all the world with a cruel hatred that would have them destroy us. What is most important for us to notice is how David deals with the abundant amount of enemies and hatred that God is allowing to manifest in his life.

David ends this verse by saying: “then I restored that which I took not away” which brings these verses to mind (Luk 6:29-30).

He then confesses of his sins in verse 5, declaring that He knows his foolishness (Psa 139:7-12).

Verse 6, 7 and 8 speak to the need for us to realize that our actions, good or bad, have consequences that affect others. It is not for his sake but for God’s sake that he has “borne reproach” and that “shame hath covered my face”.

God lets us feel the shame of our wrongdoings, and we feel very isolated at times for our own good and for the good of the body of Christ. We “become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother’s children” (of verse 8) so that we can be cleansed of all our iniquity which is all connected to His “tender mercies” (Psa 51:1-4).

Psa 51:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Psa 51:2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
Psa 51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
Psa 51:4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

This is a good place to end our study, as we contemplate on how God cleanses the body of Christ of all our iniquities and brings us very low so that we can again be washed and renewed “for the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up;” (of verse 9 Psa 69:9), through (Rom 4:25*) these tender mercies that God manifests (as seen in the second half of verse 9, in “the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me”), so that “that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest” of Psa 51:4 above.

*Rom 4:25 Who was delivered for [Greek: dia – through] our offences, and was raised again for [Greek: dia – through] our justification.

[Study Aired December 17, 2015]