Yesterday we considered the plight of sinking to the depths of a destructive, ruinous life. Today we look at a psalm in which the writer calls out to God for help, seeking salvation.

Psalm 69 was written by King David of Israel in a time of accusation and conspiracy. We don’t know many details, but apparently the scandal was about a sin he did not commit.

Reading this psalm today, we can also see that it points to Jesus, describing scenes of his descent into the agony of the cross. There he was hated and persecuted without reason. There he paid what he had not stolen. He was given vinegar for his thirst (John 19:28-29). People who passed by on the road mocked him (Mark 15:29- 32). For our sake, Jesus sank to the depths of hell (Mark 15:34), even though he was pure and sinless (Hebrews 4:15).

God’s mercy for us is clear in the forgiveness we have because of Jesus’ suffering. And this moves us to forgive and care for others, who may have sunk into miry depths on their own. Knowing that we are all sinners who need the Savior, we can point others to Christ and help them out of the mire too.

For all who believe, Jesus has borne the punishment for all our sin. And, rising from the dead and ascending to heaven, he went on ahead to prepare a place for us in God’s kingdom, where “there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain” (Revelation 21:4).