Psalm 69:11
New International Version
when I put on sackcloth, people make sport of me.

New Living Translation
When I dress in burlap to show sorrow, they make fun of me.

English Standard Version
When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them.

Berean Standard Bible
I made sackcloth my clothing, and I was sport to them.

King James Bible
I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them.

New King James Version
I also made sackcloth my garment; I became a byword to them.

New American Standard Bible
When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a proverb to them.

NASB 1995
When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them.

NASB 1977
When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them.

Legacy Standard Bible
When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them.

Amplified Bible
When I made sackcloth my clothing [as one in mourning], I became a byword [a mere object of scorn] to them.

Christian Standard Bible
I wore sackcloth as my clothing, and I was a joke to them.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I wore sackcloth as my clothing, and I was a joke to them.

American Standard Version
When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword unto them.

Contemporary English Version
They sneered at me for wearing sackcloth to show my sorrow.

English Revised Version
When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a proverb unto them.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I dressed myself in sackcloth, but I became the object of ridicule.

Good News Translation
I dress myself in clothes of mourning, and they laugh at me.

International Standard Version
When I dressed in sackcloth, I became an object of gossip among them.

NET Bible
I wear sackcloth and they ridicule me.

New Heart English Bible
When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them.

Webster's Bible Translation
I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them.
Majority Text Translations
Majority Standard Bible
I made sackcloth my clothing, and I was sport to them.

World English Bible
When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And I make my clothing sackcloth, "" And I am for an allegory to them.

Young's Literal Translation
And I make my clothing sackcloth, And I am to them for a simile.

Smith's Literal Translation
And I will give my clothing sackcloth, and I for a parable to them.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I made haircloth my garment: and I became a byword to them.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And I put on a haircloth as my garment, and I became a parable to them.

New American Bible
When I clothed myself in sackcloth; I became a byword for them.

New Revised Standard Version
When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
I made sackcloth also my garment and I became a proverb to them.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
I have made my clothes sackcloth and I have been a proverb to them.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
I made sackcloth also my garment, And I became a byword unto them.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And I put on sackcloth for my covering; and I became a proverb to them.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Waters Are Up to My Neck
10I wept and fasted, but it brought me reproach. 11I made sackcloth my clothing, and I was sport to them. 12Those who sit at the gate mock me, and I am the song of drunkards.…

Cross References
Isaiah 58:5
Is this the fast I have chosen: a day for a man to deny himself, to bow his head like a reed, and to spread out sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast and a day acceptable to the LORD?

Matthew 11:21
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

Jonah 3:6
When word reached the king of Nineveh, he got up from his throne, took off his royal robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.

Daniel 9:3
So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and petition, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

1 Kings 21:27
When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He lay down in sackcloth and walked around meekly.

Nehemiah 9:1
On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth, with dust on their heads.

Joel 1:13
Put on sackcloth and lament, O priests; wail, O ministers of the altar. Come, spend the night in sackcloth, O ministers of my God, because the grain and drink offerings are withheld from the house of your God.

Esther 4:1
When Mordecai learned of all that had happened, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the middle of the city, wailing loudly and bitterly.

2 Samuel 3:31
Then David ordered Joab and all the people with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.” And King David himself walked behind the funeral bier.

Jeremiah 6:26
O daughter of my people, dress yourselves in sackcloth and roll in ashes. Mourn with bitter wailing, as you would for an only son, for suddenly the destroyer will come upon us.

Ezekiel 27:31
They will shave their heads for you and wrap themselves in sackcloth. They will weep over you with anguish of soul and bitter mourning.

Matthew 6:16-18
When you fast, do not be somber like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. / But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, / so that your fasting will not be obvious to men, but only to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Luke 10:13
Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

Acts 13:2-3
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” / And after they had fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

2 Corinthians 6:5
in beatings, imprisonments, and riots; in labor, sleepless nights, and hunger;


Treasury of Scripture

I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them.

I made

Psalm 35:13,14
But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom…

Isaiah 20:2
At the same time spake the LORD by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoe from thy foot. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.

Isaiah 22:12
And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:

I became

Psalm 44:13,14
Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us…

Deuteronomy 28:37
And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the LORD shall lead thee.

1 Kings 9:7
Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people:

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Byword Clothing Evil Garment Grief Proverb Sackcloth Simile Sport
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Byword Clothing Evil Garment Grief Proverb Sackcloth Simile Sport
Psalm 69
1. David complains of his affliction
13. He prays for deliverance
22. He devotes his enemies to destruction
30. He praises God with thanksgiving














I made sackcloth my clothing
Sackcloth is a coarse material traditionally made from goat's hair, often worn in ancient Israel as a sign of mourning, repentance, or humility. The use of sackcloth is seen throughout the Old Testament, such as in the stories of Job (Job 16:15) and the people of Nineveh (Jonah 3:5-6). It symbolizes a deep sense of sorrow or penitence. In the context of Psalm 69, David expresses his distress and humility before God, reflecting a heart of repentance and seeking divine intervention. This act of wearing sackcloth can also be seen as a type of Christ, who bore the sins of humanity and was acquainted with grief (Isaiah 53:3).

and I was sport to them
The phrase "I was sport to them" indicates that the psalmist became an object of ridicule and mockery. This reflects the cultural context where public humiliation was a common form of social ostracism. In biblical times, being mocked or scorned was a severe form of suffering, often reserved for those who were seen as outcasts or enemies. This experience of derision is echoed in the life of Jesus Christ, who was mocked and scorned by the soldiers and the crowd during His crucifixion (Matthew 27:27-31). The psalmist's experience foreshadows the suffering and rejection that Christ would endure, highlighting the theme of righteous suffering throughout Scripture.

Persons / Places / Events
1. David
Traditionally attributed as the author of Psalm 69, David is expressing his deep distress and humiliation.

2. Enemies of David
Those who mock and scorn David, taking pleasure in his suffering.

3. Sackcloth
A coarse material worn as a sign of mourning or repentance, symbolizing humility and distress.

4. Israel
The nation often represented by David, experiencing collective suffering and seeking God's deliverance.

5. God
The ultimate source of comfort and deliverance, whom David seeks in his time of need.
Teaching Points
Humility in Suffering
David's choice to wear sackcloth signifies humility and recognition of his need for God. In our own lives, we should adopt a posture of humility, especially in times of distress.

Endurance Through Mockery
Just as David was mocked, Christians may face ridicule for their faith. We are called to endure such trials, knowing that God sees and will vindicate us.

Repentance and Mourning
Sackcloth is a symbol of repentance. We should be quick to repent and seek God's forgiveness when we fall short, trusting in His mercy.

Identifying with Christ's Suffering
David's experience foreshadows Christ's suffering. As believers, we are invited to share in Christ's sufferings, knowing that it leads to glory.

Hope in God's Deliverance
Despite the scorn and suffering, David's hope was in God's deliverance. We too can trust that God will deliver us from our trials in His perfect timing.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1. What is the meaning of Psalm 69:11?

2. How does Psalm 69:11 illustrate the cost of standing firm in faith?

3. What does "sackcloth" symbolize in Psalm 69:11, and how can we apply it?

4. How can we respond when mocked for our faith, as in Psalm 69:11?

5. Connect Psalm 69:11 to Jesus' suffering and rejection in the New Testament.

6. How can we find strength in God when facing ridicule like in Psalm 69:11?

7. What does Psalm 69:11 reveal about the nature of suffering and humility in faith?

8. How does wearing sackcloth in Psalm 69:11 symbolize repentance and mourning?

9. Why is the psalmist's suffering in Psalm 69:11 significant for understanding divine justice?

10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Psalm 69?

11. What is the meaning of 'A Time to Mourn and Dance'?

12. How do Psalms foreshadow Jesus Christ's life and mission?

13. Psalm 30:11-12: If mourning is truly turned to dancing, why do faithful believers throughout history often remain in prolonged suffering?

14. Psalm 35:13-14 - How can David both mourn for his foes and call down curses on them without contradiction?
What Does Psalm 69:11 Mean
I made sackcloth my clothing

David writes, “I made sackcloth my clothing” (Psalm 69:11). In Scripture, sackcloth is the garment of deep sorrow and repentance.

• We see it when Ahab humbled himself after Elijah’s rebuke (1 Kings 21:27).

• The people of Nineveh wore it as they turned from sin (Jonah 3:5–6).

• Daniel sought God “with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes” (Daniel 9:3).

By putting on sackcloth, David is not playing the victim; he is taking the posture of genuine mourning—perhaps over personal sin, definitely over the reproach he bears for God’s sake (v. 7). His outward clothing matches his inward heart, just as Isaiah 58:5 describes true fasting that reaches the heart. The New Testament ultimately shows this spirit in Christ, who “emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant” (Philippians 2:7). Although Jesus did not don literal sackcloth, His life of humility fulfills what David only foreshadowed.


and I was sport to them

The second half of the verse reads, “I became a proverb to them” (Psalm 69:11), or as older wording puts it, “I was sport to them.” David’s grief becomes everyone else’s joke.

• Job felt the same sting: “Now I am their song; I am a byword among them” (Job 30:9).

• Jeremiah lamented, “I have become a laughingstock all day long” (Jeremiah 20:7).

• Even drunkards sat at the gate mocking (Psalm 69:12).

This ridicule reaches its climax in Jesus. Psalm 69 is quoted about Christ’s zeal (John 2:17) and His betrayal (Acts 1:20). At the cross He was mocked by soldiers and passers-by alike (Mark 15:29–32), fulfilling the pattern David experienced. Hebrews 13:13 urges believers to “go to Him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace He bore,” reminding us that sharing in His reproach is part of faithful discipleship (1 Peter 4:14).


summary

Psalm 69:11 paints a vivid picture: humble repentance on the inside, sackcloth on the outside, and scorn from a watching world. David’s suffering points ahead to the greater Son of David, Jesus, who bore ultimate shame for our salvation. When we humble ourselves before God, we may still face ridicule, but we stand in good company—and the God who sees every tear will one day turn that reproach into honor.

Verse 11. - I made sackcloth also my garment (see Psalm 30:12; Psalm 35:13); and I became a proverb to them; or, a byword, as the same word, mashal, is rendered in Psalm 44:14.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
I made
וָאֶתְּנָ֣ה (wā·’et·tə·nāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

sackcloth
שָׂ֑ק (śāq)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 8242: A mesh, coarse loose cloth, sacking, a bag

my clothing,
לְבוּשִׁ֣י (lə·ḇū·šî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 3830: A garment, clothing, raiment

and I was
וָאֱהִ֖י (wā·’ĕ·hî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

sport
לְמָשָֽׁל׃ (lə·mā·šāl)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4912: A pithy maxim, a simile

to them.
לָהֶ֣ם (lā·hem)
Preposition-l | Pronoun - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1992: They


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OT Poetry: Psalm 69:11 When I made sackcloth my clothing (Psalm Ps Psa.)
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