Psalms 69:3

3 (68-4) I have laboured with crying; my jaws are become hoarse, my eyes have failed, whilst I hope in my God.

Psalms 69:3 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 69:3

I am weary of my crying
In his distress; when, bearing the punishment both of loss and sense, he cried unto God; he prayed earnestly, with great intenseness and fervency of spirit; he offered supplications, with strong cryings and tears, insomuch that he calls it a roaring: and whereas there was a seeming delay of answer to his cries, he cried till he was weary of crying; and yet it is remarkable that his last cry was with a loud voice, which surprised the centurion; see ( Psalms 22:1 Psalms 22:2 ) ( Matthew 27:46 ) ;

my throat is dried;
with crying, so that he was hoarse; or "burnt" F21; with inward heat of a fever, which usually attended persons crucified; see ( Psalms 22:15 ) ;

mine eyes fail while I wait for my God;
God the Father was the God of Christ, as he was man; he prepared a body for him, and anointed his human nature with the Holy Spirit; he supported and upheld him: and as such Christ loved him, believed in him, prayed to him, and waited and looked for help and salvation from him; this being delayed, his eyes failed with intense looking about for it, as well as with grief and tears. Ainsworth observes, that failing of the eyes is one of the curses of the law, ( Leviticus 26:16 ) ( Deuteronomy 28:30 ) , and it shows how in every thing Christ was made a curse for his people.


FOOTNOTES:

F21 (rxn) "adustum", Montanus, Gejerus, Michaelis; so Ainsworth.

Psalms 69:3 In-Context

1 (68-1) <Unto the end, for them that shall be changed; for David.> (68-2) Save me, O God: for the waters are come in even unto my soul.
2 (68-3) I stick fast in the mire of the deep and there is no sure standing. I am come into the depth of the sea, and a tempest hath overwhelmed me.
3 (68-4) I have laboured with crying; my jaws are become hoarse, my eyes have failed, whilst I hope in my God.
4 (68-5) They are multiplied above the hairs of my head, who hate me without cause. My enemies are grown strong who have wrongfully persecuted me: then did I pay that which I took not away.
5 (68-6) O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my offences are not hidden from thee:
The Douay-Rheims Bible is in the public domain.