Psalms 69:13
But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation. But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.
It is prayer in the midst of weary hours when sorrows roll over the soul like deep waters and reproach and bitter shame fill the aching heart, when none acts as a brother and mockers reproach weeping tears. It directs prayer to the LORD in an acceptable, favorable and right time, asking God to hear and answer on the basis of his abundant mercy and the truth and saving faithfulness of his salvation, trusting that he will answer when circumstances call for it. It appeals to his good loving-kindness and the multitude of his mercies for him to turn and hear, joining a plea for help with confidence in his loving-kindness and saving word, waiting for his word to bid darkness flee and bring relief and revival to the sorrowing, fainting, sinking and contrite soul. The psalm is a prayer in which David personates the greater King, Jesus, whose petitions prefigure experiences and events in the Saviour's life, pointing to his betrayal, condemnation and crucifixion when the sins of the world rested upon him and revealing his inmost feelings as he endured suffering and temptation and shared human infirmity. It relates primarily and immediately to David and finally, antitypically and remotely to Christ, so that not every verse transfers to him, yet its language about zeal for God's house and bearing reproaches can also be true by appropriation when a Christian's history runs parallel to David's.
Prayer in Affliction
But as for me, my prayer rises in weary hours when sorrows roll over like deep waters come into the soul and reproach and bitter shame fill the aching heart. It is the prayer of one whom none befriends as a brother, while mockers reproach weeping and falling tears.
The prayer is directed to the LORD in an acceptable and favorable time, which is the right time for God to hear and answer. It asks God to hear on the basis of the abundance of His mercy and the truth of His salvation, which is His saving faithfulness and saving word. It joins the plea for help to confidence in that loving-kindness, trusting Him to answer when circumstances call for it.
It appeals to God's good loving-kindness and the multitude of His mercies that He would turn and hear. It waits to hear His word, asking Him to bid the darkness flee. It seeks relief and revival for the sorrowing, fainting, sinking and contrite soul.
Prophecy of Christ
Psalm 69 is a prayer in which David personates the greater King, Jesus, so that its petitions and statements prefigure experiences and events in the Saviour's life, and it stands among the psalms that may be prophetic of Christ. It points to Christ in connection with his betrayal, condemnation and crucifixion, as prophetic of his experience when the sins of the world rested upon him, describing an experience he passed through. It portrays in prophetic vision Christ's inner experience as he endured suffering and temptation, revealing his inmost feelings during the struggles of his life. It belongs to the testimony that he shared human suffering, was sick, and took human infirmities and diseases.
It relates primarily and immediately to David and finally, antitypically and remotely to Christ, applying partly to what is immediately before the reader and partly to what is remote. Portions are literally stated in the New Testament as fulfilled in Christ, yet not every verse transfers to him. Verse 5 cannot apply to him without making him a sinner, while verses 9 and 21 were fulfilled in him.
It can also be applied by appropriation when a Christian's history runs parallel to David's, apart from direct fulfillment of prediction. Its language about zeal for God's house eating one up and taking upon oneself the reproaches of those who reproach God can be true of many Christians as well as of David, and his children may share in the triumph he won. Both appropriated quotation and predictive fulfillment can be called fulfillment of Scripture, but not in the same sense. In a differing teaching, held with less weight, the psalm is a simple record of David's experience, not a prediction, and applies to Jesus no more than to anyone else in the present day who happens to be hated without a cause and whose history is tangent to David's in certain points.