Psalms 69:7
Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face.
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
Ancient Near Eastern culture was profoundly honor-based. Public shaming represented social death—exclusion from community standing and protection. Reproach involved not mere disagreement but public mockery, slander, and attempts to destroy reputation. For David as king, such shame threatened not only personal dignity but national stability and God's covenant promises.
The phrase "for thy sake" echoes earlier psalms (Psalm 44:22, "For thy sake are we killed all the day long") and anticipates Paul's quotation in Romans 8:36. It establishes a pattern of righteous suffering that would characterize God's people throughout redemptive history.
In Jewish tradition, this verse was read in light of Israel's suffering through exile and diaspora. For Christians, it became central to Passion theology—Christ bore ultimate reproach and shame so believers might be clothed with righteousness and glory.
Questions for Reflection
- Have you experienced reproach specifically because of faithfulness to Christ, or has your suffering been from other causes?
- How does distinguishing between suffering 'for His sake' and suffering from our own foolishness affect our spiritual response?
- What does Christ's willing acceptance of shame reveal about God's values versus worldly honor systems?
Analysis & Commentary
Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face. This verse explains why David can appeal to God—his suffering stems from faithfulness to God, not personal wrongdoing. "For thy sake" (עָלֶיךָ/alekha) indicates the causative relationship: loyalty to God provoked the persecution. "Reproach" (חֶרְפָּה/cherpah) signifies public disgrace, scorn, and taunting—not merely private suffering but public humiliation.
"Shame hath covered my face" uses vivid imagery of shame as a garment or veil obscuring one's countenance. In honor-shame cultures, "face" represented one's social standing, dignity, and reputation. To have shame cover one's face meant complete loss of honor in the community's eyes. The perfect tense of "hath covered" (כִּסְּתָה/kissətah) indicates a completed, ongoing state—David remains under this shameful condition.
This verse anticipates Isaiah's Suffering Servant, who gave his back to smiters and "hid not my face from shame and spitting" (Isaiah 50:6). It finds ultimate fulfillment in Christ, who "endured the cross, despising the shame" (Hebrews 12:2) and whose visage was "marred more than any man" (Isaiah 52:14). The righteous sufferer's shame becomes, paradoxically, the means of humanity's glory.