Psalms 69:10 Meaning and Explanation
“When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Fasting and tears can be deeply personal acts of grief, repentance, and prayer. Psalms 69:10 recognizes that such devotion may be misread or mocked. The verse helps us see that God receives the inward seeking of the soul even when observers treat it with contempt.
The psalmist's weeping and fasting express a humbled, seeking soul, yet others turn these acts of grief into material for reproach. He brings even religious devotion misunderstood by others before God.
The Context of Psalms 69:10
Psalm 69 describes a sufferer surrounded by waters, enemies, false accusation, and reproach. After asking that other seekers of God will not be shamed because of him, the speaker says that he has borne reproach for God's sake. He has become a stranger to his family, and zeal for God's house has brought upon him insults directed against God. Verse 10 gives a further example of his response: he wept and fasted. Verse 11 adds sackcloth, another sign of mourning, and verse 12 describes ridicule from influential people at the gate and from drunkards. Verse 13 turns again to prayer for God's merciful answer.
What Does Psalms 69:10 Mean?
The phrase "When I wept" shows that the psalmist's sorrow was expressed rather than hidden. He also "chastened my soul with fasting." In this setting, fasting is a humbling discipline joined to grief and prayer. The wording emphasizes the soul, the inner person brought low before God. The verse does not state the length or particular occasion of the fast, so we should not add details beyond the psalm. Its painful conclusion is plain: "that was to my reproach." Others used even his visible mourning and devotion as an occasion to shame him. The verse records a wound that can arise when people interpret sincere seeking of God through suspicion, contempt, or ridicule.
Fasting in the Old Testament appears in times of mourning, danger, repentance, and earnest petition. Here it belongs to the psalm's larger lament, alongside tears and sackcloth. These practices are not presented as techniques that compel God to act. The psalmist continues to appeal to the LORD's lovingkindness, tender mercies, and salvation. His fasting expresses need before the God to whom he prays. The ridicule in verses 10-12 reveals the contrast between the psalmist's humbled posture and the contempt of those around him. Yet the chapter moves toward thanksgiving and praise. The humble who seek God are invited to take heart because the LORD hears the poor and does not despise his prisoners.
Jesus taught about fasting in Matthew 6:16-18, directing it toward the Father who sees in secret rather than toward public display. That teaching provides a fitting canonical light for Psalm 69:10. The psalmist did not fast to gain human approval, and he received reproach instead. Christ also knew public misunderstanding and shame while faithfully seeking the Father's will. His teaching affirms that the Father sees devotion beyond the judgment of observers. Psalm 69 therefore encourages a sincere, Godward practice of fasting when it is undertaken, joined with prayer, mercy, and humility. The value of such seeking rests in God's regard, not in the response of those who notice it.
Bible Verses Related to Psalms 69:10
“And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.”
- 1 Samuel 7:6
“So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us.”
- Ezra 8:23
“Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?”
- Isaiah 58:6
“Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.”
- Matthew 6:16
Where Psalms 69:10 Echoes in Scripture
Matthew 6:16-18 gives a strong later echo by addressing fasting and the danger of performing it for human notice. Jesus directs his hearers to the Father who sees in secret. Psalm 69:10 supplies a poignant earlier scene in which fasting receives public reproach rather than admiration. Together, the passages draw attention away from observers and toward God, who knows the truth of a humbled heart.
How to Apply Psalms 69:10 Today
Times of fasting can be joined to a specific prayer, grief, confession, or desire to seek God more attentively. This verse encourages quiet sincerity and freedom from the need to explain our practice to everyone. Fasting may take different forms according to health, age, work, and wise pastoral or medical counsel. When food is set aside, we can use the space created for prayer, Scripture, generosity, and attention to God. If others misunderstand a faithful act of seeking, we need not answer every judgment. God sees the tears, the inward humility, and the prayer that may be difficult to express aloud.
Reflection & Prayer
What grief, need, or longing might we bring before God with a more deliberate and humble attention? We may also consider whether someone else's sincere devotion has been too quickly judged. Suggested prayer: "Merciful Father, receive my seeking heart. Teach me to mourn honestly, pray sincerely, and look for your approval above the opinions that wound me."