Psalms 69:16 Meaning and Explanation
“Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Some prayers ask for a changed circumstance; this one first asks for God's attentive presence. Psalms 69:16 matters because it teaches a suffering servant to appeal to the goodness already found in the LORD. The request is urgent, yet its foundation is settled: God's love is good and his mercies are abundant.
The psalmist asks the LORD to hear and turn toward him because God's lovingkindness is good and his tender mercies are many. His appeal rests entirely on God's compassionate character.
The Context of Psalms 69:16
Psalm 69 moves through a deeply personal lament. The speaker has described sinking in mire, being hated without cause, bearing reproach, and receiving ridicule from people in public places. Verse 13 begins a concentrated prayer for help, and verses 14-15 use the images of flood, deep, and pit to describe the danger. Verse 16 stands at the center of this appeal. Verse 17 asks God not to hide his face and to hear speedily; verse 18 asks him to draw near and redeem the speaker. The chapter later records severe petitions against persecutors, then turns to thanksgiving, praise, and confidence that God hears the poor.
What Does Psalms 69:16 Mean?
"Hear me, O LORD" is the direct cry of someone who needs God to attend to his case. The psalmist gives a reason: "thy lovingkindness is good." He does not appeal to a claim of personal deserving. He calls upon the goodness of the LORD's steadfast kindness. He then asks, "turn unto me," seeking God's favorable regard in trouble. The measure for that turning is "the multitude of thy tender mercies." The verse does not portray mercy as scarce or reluctant. Its language points to a fullness of compassion in God. The prayer therefore joins need with confidence: the sufferer needs immediate help, and he knows the One he calls upon is good.
This plea follows images of being swallowed by waters and shut in by a pit. The danger is vivid, yet the psalmist's first emphasis in verse 16 is God's character. That ordering helps explain the next lines. To ask God not to hide his face is to ask for restored nearness and favor; to ask him to draw near and redeem is to seek active deliverance. Throughout the chapter, the speaker refuses to let the cruelty of enemies define the final reality. He also refuses concealment before God, acknowledging in verse 5 that his foolishness and sins are known. The LORD's tender mercies provide the basis for a truthful, humble, and urgent prayer.
The verse has a strong place within the Bible's witness that God gives heed to those who call on him in affliction. David's language does not reduce suffering to an illusion or make compassion a distant idea. He asks God to turn toward a real person in real trouble. The later account of Jesus' suffering gives Psalm 69 a distinctive resonance, since the chapter's zeal, reproach, and vinegar are echoed in the Gospel accounts. Verse 16 contributes the prayerful posture of that suffering: dependence on God and appeal to his goodness. It encourages us to seek the LORD's face when human comfort is absent and deliverance has not yet appeared.
Bible Verses Related to Psalms 69:16
“And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily.”
- Psalm 69:17
“For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.”
- Psalm 86:5
“The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.”
- Psalm 103:8
“But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.”
- Lamentations 3:32
How to Apply Psalms 69:16 Today
This verse can shape prayer when our circumstances have become complicated enough that we do not know where to begin. We may begin with God's character: his lovingkindness is good, and his tender mercies are many. Then we can state the need plainly and ask him to turn toward us. This is fitting in illness, grief, conflict, financial strain, or the quiet weariness of prolonged waiting. It also invites us to reflect God's compassion in our treatment of troubled people. A person asking for mercy is often helped by an attentive listener, a patient answer, practical aid, or faithful presence. Our prayers for God's turning can become occasions for merciful action among us.
Reflection & Prayer
What need in your life most requires the assurance that God's lovingkindness is good? Bring that need before him without disguising its weight. Pray: "O LORD, hear me and turn unto me. According to the multitude of thy tender mercies, hold me near and lead me through this trouble."