When you are hurting and those around you offer little understanding or compassion, where do you turn for comfort?
Key Verse
“But as for me, my prayer is to You, LORD, at an acceptable time; God, in the greatness of Your mercy, answer me with Your saving truth.” — Psalm 69:13 (NASB)
Background Context
In Psalm 69:1–12, David described his suffering as though he were sinking into deep waters with no place to stand. He was exhausted from crying out, surrounded by enemies, and rejected even by those closest to him.
Some of his suffering came because of his devotion to YHWH. His zeal for God’s house had brought reproach upon him, a passage later connected to Yeshua in John 2:17.
Now, in Psalm 69:13–21, David turns his attention more directly toward YHWH. Rather than allowing rejection to silence his prayers, he appeals to God’s lovingkindness, compassion, and faithfulness.
(Continued and expanded after scripture.)
13But as for me, my prayer is to You, O LORD, at an acceptable time;
O God, in the greatness of Your lovingkindness,
Answer me with Your saving truth.
14Deliver me from the mire and do not let me sink;
May I be delivered from my foes and from the deep waters.
15May the flood of water not overflow me
Nor the deep swallow me up,
Nor the pit shut its mouth on me.
16Answer me, O LORD, for Your lovingkindness is good;
According to the greatness of Your compassion, turn to me,
17And do not hide Your face from Your servant,
For I am in distress; answer me quickly.
18Oh draw near to my soul and redeem it;
Ransom me because of my enemies!
19You know my reproach and my shame and my dishonor;
All my adversaries are before You.
20Reproach has broken my heart and I am so sick.
And I looked for sympathy, but there was none,
And for comforters, but I found none.
21They also gave me gall for my food
And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
Reflection on Psalm 69:13–21:
David begins with a powerful contrast: “But as for me, my prayer is to You, LORD.”
Despite the hostility surrounding him, David makes a deliberate choice about where to turn.
He cannot control the actions of his enemies. He cannot force others to understand his suffering or treat him fairly. But he can continue bringing his troubles before YHWH.
David appeals to the greatness of God’s mercy and His saving truth. He asks YHWH to deliver him from the mud and deep waters that threaten to overwhelm him.
These images continue the description of suffering from the beginning of the psalm. David feels trapped in circumstances from which he cannot rescue himself.
Yet he does not stop praying.
This is an important example for us. When difficulties continue longer than expected, we may begin to wonder whether our prayers matter. We may grow discouraged because circumstances have not changed or because the people we expected to help have disappointed us.
David reminds us that we can continue seeking YHWH even when we see no immediate deliverance.
Notice also what David emphasizes about God’s character.
He appeals to YHWH’s lovingkindness, abundant compassion, and faithfulness. His confidence is not based upon his own ability to overcome his enemies. He looks instead to the character of the One who hears him.
That distinction matters.
Our circumstances may change rapidly. People we trust may disappoint us. Our own strength and confidence may fail. But YHWH’s character does not change with our circumstances.
David’s prayer also reveals the intensity of his distress. He asks God not to hide His face, to answer quickly, and to draw near to his soul.
These are not the words of someone who feels strong and confident. They are the cries of someone who desperately needs help.
Scripture does not condemn David for expressing that urgency.
We sometimes assume that strong faith means remaining emotionally unaffected by hardship. But David demonstrates that genuine faith can coexist with fear, grief, and exhaustion.
The important question is what we do with those feelings.
Do we allow them to drive us away from YHWH, or do we bring them before Him?
David then describes another painful part of his experience.
He says that reproach has broken his heart and made him sick. He looked for sympathy but found none, and for comforters, but did not find any.
There is a particular kind of pain that comes when we are already suffering and those around us respond with indifference or cruelty.
Sometimes the absence of compassion hurts almost as much as the original difficulty.
David knew what it meant to feel abandoned by others.
Verse 21 makes his suffering even more vivid: “They also gave me a bitter herb in my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.”
Rather than receiving the nourishment and comfort he needed, David describes being offered bitterness.
This verse carries an important connection to Yeshua.
John 19:28–30 records that, while Yeshua was suffering on the cross, He was given sour wine to drink. John specifically connects this event with the fulfillment of Scripture.
David’s lament therefore points beyond his own suffering. It helps us recognize the rejection and suffering that Yeshua would experience.
The Messiah was not spared the pain of being misunderstood, mocked, abandoned, or treated cruelly.
He endured suffering while remaining faithful to the Father’s will.
This should encourage us when we face rejection or hardship because of our faith.
We do not follow a Messiah who is unfamiliar with suffering. Yeshua understands what it means to experience pain while remaining obedient to YHWH.
But there is another lesson worth considering.
When David looked for sympathy, he found none. His experience should challenge us to consider how we respond when others are suffering.
Are we attentive to those who are hurting? Do we offer encouragement and practical help, or are we too occupied with our own concerns to notice their needs?
Sometimes we may be tempted to judge someone else’s suffering without understanding what they are experiencing. We may offer quick explanations when what they need first is compassion.
David’s words remind us how deeply the absence of kindness can wound someone who is already struggling.
As followers of Yeshua, we should seek to reflect the Father’s compassion in our treatment of others.
We cannot remove every burden someone carries, but we can listen, pray, encourage, and help where we are able.
At the same time, we must remember that even the most caring people cannot meet every need.
Our ultimate confidence must remain in YHWH.
David did not receive the sympathy he desired from those around him, but he continued calling upon God. His suffering was real, and his need for comfort was genuine, yet he refused to abandon the One who could deliver him.
That is the example we should follow.
When others disappoint us, we should resist allowing bitterness to take root. When we feel alone, we should continue seeking YHWH. And when we encounter others who are hurting, we should remember the compassion we ourselves would hope to receive.
YHWH is worthy of our trust even when circumstances are painful and people fail us.
Application
- Continue bringing your struggles before YHWH, even when you have prayed repeatedly without seeing the outcome you desire.
- Place your confidence in God’s lovingkindness and faithfulness rather than depending entirely upon the support or approval of others.
- Remember that Yeshua experienced rejection and suffering. Look to His example when remaining faithful becomes difficult.
- Be attentive to people who are hurting. Offer compassion, encouragement, and practical help rather than adding to their burdens through indifference or judgment.
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You that I can come before You when I am overwhelmed, discouraged, or disappointed by others. Help me remember Your lovingkindness and faithfulness when circumstances are difficult and answers seem delayed. Guard my heart against bitterness when people fail to understand or support me. Thank You for Yeshua, who endured rejection and suffering while remaining faithful to Your will. Help me follow His example and continue trusting You through every trial. Open my eyes to the needs of others, and teach me to respond with genuine compassion rather than indifference. May I seek comfort in You and become a source of encouragement to those around me. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.
May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.
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