What is the meaning of Psalm 69:7?

For I have endured scorn

David speaks from the heart of someone who has been laughed at, taunted, and rejected.

• This isn’t mere social discomfort; it is open contempt, the kind that wounds deeply (Psalm 22:6–7: “But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people.”).

• The prophets shared this burden (Jeremiah 20:8), and so did Jesus, who “endured such hostility from sinners” (Hebrews 12:3).

• Scripture prepares us for the same pattern: “All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12).

The verse reminds us that ridicule has always been part of the faithful life, not a sign of God’s absence but of our identification with Him.

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for Your sake

The key phrase shifts the focus from the pain to the purpose.

• David is not suffering because of personal failure or foolish choices; it is expressly “for Your sake.” That same motive is echoed in Romans 8:36: “For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

• Jesus told His followers, “If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first” (John 15:18–19). Hostility comes because allegiance to God collides with a world set against Him.

• This perspective transforms suffering into fellowship: we share in Christ’s reproach (Hebrews 13:13) and therefore share in His future glory (Romans 8:17).

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and shame has covered my face

The final phrase reveals the emotional weight: public humiliation that feels like a cloak draped over one’s whole being.

• Isaiah foresaw Messiah saying, “I offered My back to those who struck Me… I did not hide My face from shame and spitting” (Isaiah 50:6).

• At Calvary that prophecy became visible reality (Matthew 27:29–30). Jesus’ face, once transfigured in glory, was covered with spit, blood, and mockery—fulfilling David’s words completely.

• For believers, Peter assures that “whoever believes in Him will never be put to shame” (1 Peter 2:6). The shame we may feel now is temporary; honor in Christ is eternal.

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summary

Psalm 69:7 paints a vivid picture of faithful suffering: enduring ridicule, doing so for God’s honor, and feeling the crushing weight of public shame. David’s experience anticipates the greater Son of David, Jesus, who bore scorn and disgrace for our salvation. When we face contempt for following Him, we stand in a long, honored line of God’s servants, knowing that present shame will one day give way to everlasting glory.