Psalms 69:11 Made Simple

KJV ORIGINAL

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

Close to the original. Clear modern English.

✦ MADE SIMPLE

I wore rough sackcloth as my clothing, and I became a joke to the people around me.

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

The writer is describing how his deep mourning and grief made him an object of ridicule to others.

📚 Historical Context

In the context of Psalm 69, David is expressing deep anguish and pleading for God's deliverance amid persecution and betrayal, likely drawing from his own experiences as king of Israel facing enemies and personal hardships. Sackcloth was a coarse garment commonly worn in ancient Near Eastern cultures as a symbol of mourning, repentance, or extreme humility, reflecting David's voluntary embrace of suffering to show his devotion to God. As a result, his actions made him an object of ridicule, turning him into a proverb or byword among his adversaries, highlighting the social and spiritual isolation he endured.

Explore Similar Verses

Isaiah 15:3

In their streets they will wrap themselves in rough cloth used for mourning. On their rooftops and in their streets, everyone will cry out in anguish, weeping heavily.

Isaiah 22:12

On that day, the Lord God Almighty called for weeping and mourning, for shaving heads bald and wearing rough sackcloth as signs of grief.

Jonah 3:5

The people of Nineveh actually believed God's message. They declared a fast and put on rough, uncomfortable clothes as a sign of repentance, everyone from the most important leaders down to regular everyday people.

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