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Psalm 69:12
Those who sit in the gate talk about me. I am the song of the drunkards.
10When I wept and I fasted, that was to my reproach.
11When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them.
12Those who sit in the gate talk about me. I am the song of the drunkards.
13But as for me, my prayer is to you, LORD, in an acceptable time. God, in the abundance of your loving kindness, answer me in the truth of your salvation.
14Deliver me out of the mire, and don’t let me sink. Let me be delivered from those who hate me, and out of the deep waters.
Notice
The gate and the drunkards' song show how far the ridicule has spread, turning one person's distress into public talk and entertainment.
Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.
When has your distress become someone else's joke, and what was hardest about that?
Write on thisWhat would you want a trusted friend to understand about being talked about this way?
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Where else Scripture says this
11 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.
This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
Matthew 16:18I also tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my assembly, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.Both mention gates, though the psalm describes public ridicule and Matthew speaks of Hades failing to overcome Jesus' assembly.
Job 30:1“But now those who are younger than I have me in derision, whose fathers I considered unworthy to put with my sheep dogs.Both speakers describe being treated with contempt, Job by younger people and the psalm's speaker by talkers and drunkards.
Psalm 35:15–16But in my adversity, they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together. The attackers gathered themselves together against me, and I didn’t know it. They tore at …Both passages describe suffering made worse by other people's hostility, through mocking songs or attackers gathering in someone's adversity.
Acts 4:26–27The kings of the earth take a stand, and the rulers plot together, against the Lord, and against his Christ.’Both describe groups opposing someone, though Acts names rulers plotting against the Lord and his Christ.
Isaiah 53:8He was taken away by oppression and judgment. As for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living and stricken for the …Both portray a person suffering at others' hands; Isaiah describes oppression and death, while the psalm names ridicule.
Matthew 27:41–42Likewise the chief priests also mocking with the scribes, the Pharisees, and the elders, said,Mockery links these passages: the psalm names gate-sitters and drunkards, while Matthew names chief priests and other religious leaders.
Acts 17:5But the unpersuaded Jews took along some wicked men from the marketplace and gathering a crowd, set the city in an uproar. Assaulting the house of Jason, they …Both portray hostility involving groups of people; the psalm describes ridicule, while Acts describes a crowd and an assault on Jason's house.
Judges 16:25When their hearts were merry, they said, “Call for Samson, that he may entertain us.” They called for Samson out of the prison; and he performed before them. …Both describe a sufferer becoming entertainment for others, through the drunkards' song or Samson being brought out of prison to perform.
Matthew 27:20Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the multitudes to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.Both describe people turning against someone, though Matthew recounts persuasion toward Jesus' death rather than ridicule.
Daniel 5:23but have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your …Drinking accompanies dishonor in both passages: drunkards sing about the speaker, while Daniel describes wine drinking tied to defiance of God.
Luke 23:2They began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man perverting the nation, forbidding paying taxes to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.”Both describe hostile speech about someone; the psalm names ridicule, while Luke records accusations against Jesus.
Where this verse fits
Loneliness. injustice and anger.
One step
Something small to carry out of this verse
Encouragement
Being made into someone else's song is a real humiliation. The prayer that follows carries that hurt to God without pretending the mockery has stopped.
Now put it in your words.
Start an entry on Psalm 69:12. Write what it stirs. Psalmlog sets your words beside Scripture and gives you one next step. Your first entry is free, no account needed.
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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).