Psalms – Chapter 68

Old Testament37 Verses

Chapter Summary

Psalms 68 opens with the words: "Unto the end, for them that shall be changed; for David." David stands at the center of this chapter. Across its 37 verses, two threads run through the text: God's protection and deliverance and justice and care for the poor. The Church invites us to read this chapter within the whole sweep of salvation history, where every page points toward Christ.

1Unto the end, for them that shall be changed; for David.

2Save me, O God: for the waters are come in even unto my soul.

3I 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.

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

5They 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.

6O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my offences are not hidden from thee:

7Let not them be ashamed for me, who look for thee, O Lord, the Lord of hosts. Let them not be confounded on my account, who seek thee, O God of Israel.

8Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face.

9I am become a stranger to my brethren, and an alien to the sons of my mother.

10For the zeal of thy house hath eaten me up: and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.

11And I covered my soul in fasting: and it was made a reproach to me.

12And I made haircloth my garment: and I became a byword to them.

13They that sat in the gate spoke against me: and they that drank wine made me their song.

14But as for me, my prayer is to thee, O Lord; for the time of thy good pleasure, O God. In the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.

15Draw me out of the mire, that I may not stick fast: deliver me from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.

16Let not the tempest of water drown me, nor the deep water swallow me up: and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.

17Hear me, O Lord, for thy mercy is kind; look upon me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.

18And turn not away thy face from thy servant: for I am in trouble, hear me speedily.

19Attend to my soul, and deliver it: save me because of my enemies.

20Thou knowest my reproach, and my confusion, and my shame.

21In thy sight are all they that afflict me; my heart hath expected reproach and misery. And I looked for one that would grieve together with me, but there was none: and for one that would comfort me, and I found none.

22And they gave me gall for my food, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

23Let their table become as a snare before them, and a recompense, and a stumblingblock.

24Let their eyes be darkened that they see not; and their back bend thou down always.

25Pour out thy indignation upon them: and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them.

26Let their habitation be made desolate: and let there be none to dwell in their tabernacles.

27Because they have persecuted him whom thou hast smitten; and they have added to the grief of my wounds.

28Add thou iniquity upon their iniquity: and let them not come into thy justice.

29Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; and with the just let them not be written.

30But I am poor and sorrowful: thy salvation, O God, hath set me up.

31I will praise the name of God with a canticle: and I will magnify him with praise.

32And it shall please God better than a young calf, that bringeth forth horns and hoofs.

33Let the poor see and rejoice: seek ye God, and your soul shall live.

34For the Lord hath heard the poor: and hath not despised his prisoners.

35Let the heavens and the earth praise him; the sea, and every thing that creepeth therein.

36For God will save Sion, and the cities of Juda shall be built up. And they shall dwell there, and acquire it by inheritance.

37And the seed of his servants shall possess it; and they that love his name shall dwell therein.

Important Verses in Psalms 68

Let not them be ashamed for me, who look for thee, O Lord, the Lord of hosts. Let them not be confounded on my account, who seek thee, O God of Israel.

Psalms 68:7

But as for me, my prayer is to thee, O Lord; for the time of thy good pleasure, O God. In the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.

Psalms 68:14

Hear me, O Lord, for thy mercy is kind; look upon me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.

Psalms 68:17

But I am poor and sorrowful: thy salvation, O God, hath set me up.

Psalms 68:30

Historical Context

Psalms addresses god's people at prayer in every age within the broader story of God's covenant people. Chapter 68 of 150 stands in the central portion of the book, where decisive events or teachings take shape. It is a liturgical poem composed for Temple worship and personal prayer with 37 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. David appear at the center of the events recorded here. The chapter begins: "Unto the end, for them that shall be changed; for David." The chapter ends with: "And the seed of his servants shall possess it; and they that love his name shall dwell therein. " The wider setting of Psalms is this: The 150 Psalms are the inspired prayer book of Israel and of the Church, spanning every human emotion—praise, lament, thanksgiving, repentance, and hope. Catholic tradition dates the book to the period described in its introduction: Composed across nearly a millennium, from David (c. 1000 BC) to after the exile.

Who Wrote It

David is credited with many psalms; others by Asaph, the sons of Korah, Solomon, Moses, and anonymous psalmists

When It Was Written

Composed across nearly a millennium, from David (c. 1000 BC) to after the exile

Catholic Commentary

At the literal level, the psalmist voices praise, lament, thanksgiving, or petition before God. A pivotal line is verse 7: "Let not them be ashamed for me, who look for thee, O Lord, the Lord of hosts. Let them not be confounded on my account, who seek thee, O God of Israel." The passage repeatedly touches on God's protection and deliverance.

According to Catholic interpretation, this chapter contributes to the book's portrait of prayer, praise, and the full range of human emotion before God. the Psalms are the prayer book of the Church, prayed daily in the Liturgy of the Hours (CIC 2585-2589). The Catechism and the liturgy frequently draw on such passages to nourish faith and moral life (CIC 302).

For Christians today, the chapter's lesson is clear: The Lord is a refuge and deliverer for all who call upon Him in trouble.. The Church invites us to receive this word not as antiquarian information but as living Scripture proclaimed at Mass and prayed in lectio divina.

Main Teachings

  • The Lord is a refuge and deliverer for all who call upon Him in trouble.
  • God defends the poor and the oppressed, and calls His people to act with justice.
  • Worship is the heart of the covenant: giving God the praise and adoration that are His due.

People in This Chapter

David1 mention

Reflection for Today

The central section of Psalms—Chapter 68 of 150—opens a particular moment in the story of prayer, praise, and the full range of human emotion before God.

According to Catholic teaching, the Psalms are the prayer book of the Church, prayed daily in the Liturgy of the Hours (CIC 2585-2589). This chapter especially highlights sacrificial love modeled on Christ, a theme the Catechism develops in relation to the whole of revelation (CIC 133).

Let Psalms Chapter 68 deepen your love for the Eucharist, where the Word made flesh continues to feed His people. The same Christ who speaks in Scripture offers Himself sacramentally on the altar.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Psalms Chapter 68 about?

Psalms 68 contains 37 verses. It opens with "Unto the end, for them that shall be changed; for David." and closes with "And the seed of his servants shall possess it; and they that love his name shall dwell therein. ". The book as a whole is liturgical poetry and prayer.

What is a key verse in Psalms 68?

One of the most significant verses is verse 7: "Let not them be ashamed for me, who look for thee, O Lord, the Lord of hosts. Let them not be confounded on my account, who seek thee, O God of Israel." It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who appears in Psalms Chapter 68?

This chapter mentions David.

Who wrote Psalms and when?

David is credited with many psalms; others by Asaph, the sons of Korah, Solomon, Moses, and anonymous psalmists. Composed across nearly a millennium, from David (c. 1000 BC) to after the exile.

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