Psa 69:29 | KingComments | STEP | The suffering that people, and especially God’s people, inflicted on the Lord Jesus raised their sins to heaven. It demonstrates the utter hardening of man (cf. ). They fill up the measure of the sin of their fathers ( ). Then there is nothing left for God to do but let the righteous retribution of His judgment come. That is what the Lord Jesus asks for ( ). Here, in particular, it concerns the judgment on the earthly people of God. We learn this from Paul who applies to God’s people as evidence of the judgment of hardening that God will bring on “the rest” of the people ( ). ‘The rest’ is the apostate mass of God’s people. That the Lord Jesus asks this is not inconsistent with His prayer to His Father on the cross to forgive them the sin of His rejection. He thereby asks the Father not to impute that sin to them as an unforgivable sin ( ). They are thereby given the opportunity still to flee to the city of refuge, i.e. to repent ( ). In this psalm it concerns hardened enemies, people who do not want to know about repentance. In the end time these are the antichrist and his followers, that is, the apostate Israel. These people have “their table”. From it they have given David spoiled food and drink. About that food and drink he has spoken in . Now he asks – according to the principle: an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth ( ) – that God will do to them what they have done to him. We can also say that by “their table” is meant the altar in the temple, which is called “the table of the LORD” ( ). However, that table is called “their table” here. It is with it as with the feasts of the LORD that are later called feasts of the Jews ( ). The table is a symbol of fellowship ( ). The Lord’s Table is the symbol of fellowship of believers with Him and with one another. ‘Their table’ is the symbol of a community of apostates. It is a table of demons, with demons in charge. That fellowship will “before them become a snare”. “Them” are all those who join in their rebellion against God and His Christ. To them that table, where they feel themselves at peace, will become “a trap”. This happened historically in the year 70, at the destruction of the temple. Then hundreds of thousands of Jews were slaughtered by the Romans. This will happen again in the end time when the Assyrians conquer Jerusalem and massacre the apostate mass ( ). We can also think of the alliance of the two beasts of Revelation 13, the beast coming out of the sea and the beast coming out of the earth ( ). Their fellowship leads to their common fall ( ). Those who persistently oppose God and His Christ will be deprived of all light on the things of God ( ). They will never see the light again. “Their loins” will be deprived of strength, resulting in their continual shaking. They will waddle their way like drunken people. Spiritually, Israel is blind and without strength. Only Christ can heal them. When a remnant of the people shall “turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away” ( ). In clear and powerful terms, the psalmist asks God to pour out His indignation on them and that His burning anger overtakes them ( ). This is what they deserve because of their posture and attitude against all that is of God. Not only should they be personally affected by judgment, but also their entire living environment ( ). “Their camp” refers to the environment to which they belong, we would say the neighborhood where they grew up and live. “Their tents” refers to their own homes (cf. ). It is all poisoned, for the devil is in control and they allow themselves to be swayed by him in every area of their lives. They are bitten by the poisonous snakes, a picture of satan and his demons ( ) Moses, in response to the rebellion of Korah and his followers, says: “Depart now from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing that belongs to them, or you will be swept away in all their sin” ( ). The psalmist’s wish is for these wicked men to be totally eradicated, root and branch, so that they will never, ever return. In this verse we recognize Judas, the betrayer of the Lord. This verse is applied to him by Peter under the guidance of the Holy Spirit ( ) in choosing someone to take the vacant place of Judas in the midst of the twelve apostles. Judas is a type of the antichrist and the leader of the apostate crowd who took the Lord Jesus captive. This once again makes it clear that the enemies of whom the Lord speaks in this psalm are truly hardened people. This is further evidenced by their persecution of the Man Who was smitten by God ( ; cf. ). In the suffering of Christ inflicted on Him by God, they see cause to mock Him. The remnant will also confess that as sin ( ) and recognize that He was wounded for their transgressions and crushed for their iniquities ( ). The apostates, however, know of no repentance. They speak mockingly of the sorrow of Him Who was wounded by God. It recalls what David experienced through the curses of Simei ( ). By every crime they did to Christ, they added one iniquity to another ( ). God must put those iniquities together and judge them therefore (cf. ). These apostates must not and will not come to God’s righteousness, that is, to God’s salvation, for they will never be released from criminal prosecution. They will never be able to escape God’s righteous judgment. Their portion must be to be “blotted out of the book of life” ( ). This means, first, that they must die, and second, that they will not stand in the final judgment ( ). God, of course, does not need a book, but it is said in this way to help us understand His purpose with life. The book of life here is the book in which every human being who has ever been born is written. God “takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live“ ( ). If the ungodly does not do so, God removes him from this book of life (cf. ). Before the great white throne, this book will be opened. Then it turns out that it is not their names that are in it, but their wicked works ( ). Because their names are not in it, they will be cast into the lake of fire ( ). The names that remain in the book of life are the names of all those who are associated with the Lamb. Their names are also in another book: “the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain” ( ). The Lamb is the name of Christ specifically associated with His humiliation. The names of all who followed Him in His humiliation have been written since the foundation of the world in the book that bears His Name. The names of those who have been erased from the general book of life are missing from that book. They are not written down in it. In his deep suffering, the psalmist continues to place his trust in God’s salvation. Prophetically, the Messiah speaks one more time of the affliction and pain in which He is ( ). It is a reassurance that God will punish injustice righteously. With a pleading “O God” He asks God to put Him securely “on high” through His salvation. Then He will be delivered from His affliction and pain. God has done this by raising Him from the dead.

‏ Psalms 69:29

Prayer for Judgment

The suffering that people, and especially God’s people, inflicted on the Lord Jesus raised their sins to heaven. It demonstrates the utter hardening of man (cf. Gen 6:11). They fill up the measure of the sin of their fathers (Mt 23:32). Then there is nothing left for God to do but let the righteous retribution of His judgment come. That is what the Lord Jesus asks for (Psa 69:22).

Here, in particular, it concerns the judgment on the earthly people of God. We learn this from Paul who applies Psa 69:22-23 to God’s people as evidence of the judgment of hardening that God will bring on “the rest” of the people (Rom 11:7-10). ‘The rest’ is the apostate mass of God’s people.

That the Lord Jesus asks this is not inconsistent with His prayer to His Father on the cross to forgive them the sin of His rejection. He thereby asks the Father not to impute that sin to them as an unforgivable sin (Lk 23:34). They are thereby given the opportunity still to flee to the city of refuge, i.e. to repent (Acts 2:38). In this psalm it concerns hardened enemies, people who do not want to know about repentance. In the end time these are the antichrist and his followers, that is, the apostate Israel.

These people have “their table”. From it they have given David spoiled food and drink. About that food and drink he has spoken in Psa 69:21. Now he asks – according to the principle: an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth (Exo 21:24) – that God will do to them what they have done to him.

We can also say that by “their table” is meant the altar in the temple, which is called “the table of the LORD” (Mal 1:7 ; 12). However, that table is called “their table” here. It is with it as with the feasts of the LORD that are later called feasts of the Jews (Jn 6:4 ; Jn 7:2). The table is a symbol of fellowship (1Cor 10:18-21). The Lord’s Table is the symbol of fellowship of believers with Him and with one another. ‘Their table’ is the symbol of a community of apostates. It is a table of demons, with demons in charge.

That fellowship will “before them become a snare”. “Them” are all those who join in their rebellion against God and His Christ. To them that table, where they feel themselves at peace, will become “a trap”. This happened historically in the year 70, at the destruction of the temple. Then hundreds of thousands of Jews were slaughtered by the Romans. This will happen again in the end time when the Assyrians conquer Jerusalem and massacre the apostate mass (Zec 13:8). We can also think of the alliance of the two beasts of Revelation 13, the beast coming out of the sea and the beast coming out of the earth (Rev 13:11-15). Their fellowship leads to their common fall (Rev 19:20).

Those who persistently oppose God and His Christ will be deprived of all light on the things of God (Psa 69:23). They will never see the light again. “Their loins” will be deprived of strength, resulting in their continual shaking. They will waddle their way like drunken people. Spiritually, Israel is blind and without strength. Only Christ can heal them. When a remnant of the people shall “turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away” (2Cor 3:16).

In clear and powerful terms, the psalmist asks God to pour out His indignation on them and that His burning anger overtakes them (Psa 69:24). This is what they deserve because of their posture and attitude against all that is of God.

Not only should they be personally affected by judgment, but also their entire living environment (Psa 69:25). “Their camp” refers to the environment to which they belong, we would say the neighborhood where they grew up and live. “Their tents” refers to their own homes (cf. Num 16:26). It is all poisoned, for the devil is in control and they allow themselves to be swayed by him in every area of their lives. They are bitten by the poisonous snakes, a picture of satan and his demons (Num 21:6)

Moses, in response to the rebellion of Korah and his followers, says: “Depart now from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing that belongs to them, or you will be swept away in all their sin” (Num 16:26). The psalmist’s wish is for these wicked men to be totally eradicated, root and branch, so that they will never, ever return.

In this verse we recognize Judas, the betrayer of the Lord. This verse is applied to him by Peter under the guidance of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:16 ; 20) in choosing someone to take the vacant place of Judas in the midst of the twelve apostles. Judas is a type of the antichrist and the leader of the apostate crowd who took the Lord Jesus captive. This once again makes it clear that the enemies of whom the Lord speaks in this psalm are truly hardened people.

This is further evidenced by their persecution of the Man Who was smitten by God (Psa 69:26; cf. Isa 53:4b ; 10). In the suffering of Christ inflicted on Him by God, they see cause to mock Him. The remnant will also confess that as sin (Isa 53:4b) and recognize that He was wounded for their transgressions and crushed for their iniquities (Isa 53:5a). The apostates, however, know of no repentance. They speak mockingly of the sorrow of Him Who was wounded by God. It recalls what David experienced through the curses of Simei (2Sam 16:5-8).

By every crime they did to Christ, they added one iniquity to another (Psa 69:27). God must put those iniquities together and judge them therefore (cf. Isa 40:2). These apostates must not and will not come to God’s righteousness, that is, to God’s salvation, for they will never be released from criminal prosecution. They will never be able to escape God’s righteous judgment.

Their portion must be to be “blotted out of the book of life” (Psa 69:28). This means, first, that they must die, and second, that they will not stand in the final judgment (Psa 1:5). God, of course, does not need a book, but it is said in this way to help us understand His purpose with life. The book of life here is the book in which every human being who has ever been born is written.

God “takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live“ (Eze 33:11). If the ungodly does not do so, God removes him from this book of life (cf. Rev 3:5 ; Rev 22:19). Before the great white throne, this book will be opened. Then it turns out that it is not their names that are in it, but their wicked works (Rev 20:12). Because their names are not in it, they will be cast into the lake of fire (Rev 20:15).

The names that remain in the book of life are the names of all those who are associated with the Lamb. Their names are also in another book: “the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain” (Rev 13:8 ; Rev 17:8 ; Rev 21:27). The Lamb is the name of Christ specifically associated with His humiliation. The names of all who followed Him in His humiliation have been written since the foundation of the world in the book that bears His Name. The names of those who have been erased from the general book of life are missing from that book. They are not written down in it.

In his deep suffering, the psalmist continues to place his trust in God’s salvation. Prophetically, the Messiah speaks one more time of the affliction and pain in which He is (Psa 69:29). It is a reassurance that God will punish injustice righteously. With a pleading “O God” He asks God to put Him securely “on high” through His salvation. Then He will be delivered from His affliction and pain. God has done this by raising Him from the dead.