Psalm 69.
The language of this psalm points us directly to the rejected Messiah, Jesus the Lord, and the occasion, His crucifixion. We have not here God forsaking Him as the Holy Sin Bear, as in Psalm 22, but His sufferings at the hands of men. It is plain that our blessed Lord is here seen (as in many other psalms), occupying the place of the godly remnant of the future day, experiencing rejection on account of His faithfulness. In the fullest way the expressions found in the first twenty-one verses were fulfilled in Jesus; some of them can only in a limited sense be true of the godly among Israel during the great tribulation, but all is for their help and encouragement.
The feelings of the Holy One of God as here told, are deeply touching to the Christian heart; there was the one Perfect Man whose feelings were not at all blunted by indwelling sin, as every other man’s (even the subjects of redeeming grace), meeting the full tide of human enmity poured upon Him without a cause.
Death is before Him; the waters are come into His soul; the flood overflows Him. How real, and how intense His sufferings—far beyond the thoughts of David as he penned the psalm for the sinless One, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
It was when man’s wickedness rose to its height that He restored that which He took not away: He glorified God in the fullest way as the obedient Man in a scene where man was in revolt, —at enmity with God. And how His Father must have delighted in Him thus obedient unto death! (See John 12:27, 28; Philippians 2:6-11; Isaiah 53:12; 1 Peter 2:22, 23). What a contrast between the first and last Adam, between Genesis 3 and Luke 22 and 23!
In verse 5 the cause and the occasion of the remnant’s sufferings is told: folly and sins (trespasses), and, we may add, the greatest sin of the Jews, in the rejection of the Just One (Acts 7:52; Zechariah 12:10).
It is only in the deep sympathies of His loving heart with the remnant that verse 5 could express our Lord’s feelings, Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth. And how precious is the prayer of verse 6, considering in the agonies of the cross those who might be stumbled by reason of these unprecedented sufferings of the only Righteous One!
Verses 7 to 12 show how rejection was Christ’s portion all through, and not just at the close of His life. The zeal of God’s house had devoured Him—so far had Israel’s guides gone in departure from the law and the prophets.
Notice the difference, characteristic of the psalm in the language of verse 13, from that in Psalm 22, verses 1 and 2. Psalm 69 we may consider as Christ’s portion, in part, during the first three hours, and Psalm 22 The last three hours, on the cross, but the distinction cannot be applied throughout.
Verses 22 to 28 show that Psalm 69 is not occupied with Christ as the Sin Bearer as making atonement for our sins; they are the call of the Righteous One for judgment upon the wicked, when the day of God’s long-suffering patience is over. Such language will suit the epoch of the great tribulation, but is not for the Christian.
In verses 29 to 36 is the application of the psalm distinctly the remnant with the creation praising God, Zion saved, and the cities of Judah inhabited by those that love His Name.
ML 01/25/1931