Bible Commentaries
Psalms 109

Verses 1-31

Psalms 109

Imprecatory Doom of the Wicked

Scripture v. 1-31:

This is an imprecatory (pleading judgment) prayer that David pled to God against his enemies, that the righteous cause of God might be vindicated Through David and Israel. It is much like the woes our Lord spoke against His enemies, the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Scribes of apostate Israel, who rejected Him, Matthew 23.

Verse 1 calls upon God to "hold not" His peace, as David’s God of praise and glory, Psalms 83:1. Since God had given him reason to praise Him in the past, David asked that God withhold not His hand of judgment any longer against those who sought by mouth and tongue, v.2, to destroy his influence, as God’s King over Israel, Psalms 28:1; Psalms 25:22; Deuteronomy 10:21; Psalms 22:23; Jeremiah 17:4.

Verse 2 discloses that the mouth of the wicked and the deceitful were continually opened, spreading lies against David, God’s anointed, to destroy his influence before Israel, the chosen of God, a just basis for God to destroy them. The lying, deceit, false accusations, and treachery experienced by David was a preview of what Jesus was to endure, Matthew 26:59.

Verses 3-5 recount that these treacherous defectors of David, circled David as pretended friends but fought against him with words of hatred, malicious charges "without a cause," much as our Lord was later treated, 1 Samuel 19:4-5; Psalms 69:4; John 15:25; Psalms 55:21; Psalms 57:4.
Verse 4 adds that for his love for Israel, many of them became his adversaries, Though he gave himself in prayer for his people Israel, even as our Lord did, 2 Samuel 15:30; Psalms 120:7; yet his enemies rewarded him "hate for love" and "evil" for his prayers and labors, Psalms 35:7; Psalms 35:12; Psalms 38:20; Genesis 44:4; Proverbs 17:13; John 15:19-24; 2 Corinthians 12:15.

Verse 6 appeals to God to set a wicked man over the enemy, with judicial powers to execute retribution, judgment, because of his former official oppression of David and of the innocent. Thus Pilate, who condemned Jesus, was himself forced by the Samaritans to go to Rome to answer charges. There Eusebius relates, that in A.D. 36, Pilate committed suicide. So Satan stands at the right hand of every wicked person, to incite him against truth and right, as he shall do, even with the Antichrist to bring him to his doom. Satan shall thereafter himself be cast into hell forever, as the adversary of God and man, 1 John 2:13-14; 1 John 3:8; 1 John 3:12; 1 John 3:18; Acts 1:20; 2 Thessalonians 2:3; 2 Thessalonians 2:8. See also 1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:9-10; Revelation 20:2-3. He too is the prince of the power of the air, who shall be cast down, Ephesians 2:2; Matthew 4:3; Matthew 4:5; Matthew 4:10.

Verse 7 asks God to let David’s chief enemy be judged, condemned, and to let his prayer be considered as sin, because of his wicked ways, his betraying Israel "without a cause.," v.3; For prayer without repentance and faith is sin, Isaiah 1:15; Psalms 66:18; Proverbs 28:9; Proverbs 15:29.

Verse 8 appeals "let his days be few (limited or cut off); and let another take his office," or charge, that he had gotten by lying treachery; This was not only an experience of David but also of Jesus with Judas Iscariot, Acts 1:20; Psalms 55; Psalms 23; He abused his trust; Another took his office, Acts 1:24; Acts 1:26.

Verses 9,10 cell on God to cause this treacherous, lying traitor to be brought to a shortened death, leaving children fatherless, and a widow behind. It is added "let the children exist as continued vagabonds (wanderers, drifters) and beg;" The imprecatory judgment adds, "let them seek their bread also out of desolate (barren) places," as forewarned, Exodus 20:4-5; Job 27:14; Proverbs 6:11; 1 Samuel 2:8; Proverbs 20:4; Deuteronomy 28:48; Job 15:34; Psalms 59:11; Psalms 37:25.

Verses 11,12 are an imprecatory plea of David for God to withdraw His mercy from his oppressing enemy, so that the extortioner (Satan) may steal all he has and strangers may spoil all his labors. He adds, "Let there be (exist) none to extend mercy to him; Neither let there be any to favor his fatherless," (orphaned) children, as a just, lawful judgment for his wickedness, Deuteronomy 28:39; Nehemiah 5:7; Job 27:15; Psalms 137:9; Psalms 36:10; Psalms 135:5.

Verses 13,14 further appeal to God to cut off (utterly destroy) the posterity of David’s treacherous enemy. And blot out the name of the following generation, as provided in the Law, Deuteronomy 9:14; Job 22:16; Proverbs 10:7; See also Deuteronomy 25:19; Deuteronomy 29:20; 1 Samuel 2:31; 1 Samuel 2:33; 1 Samuel 3:13; 2 Kings 10:10-11; Isaiah 14:20; Isaiah 14:22.
Verse 14 adds a plea for God to remember no more in mercy the iniquity of the fathers of his enemies, and to blot not out the sin of his enemy’s mother; But send harsh judgment, without mercy, upon them all, Exodus 20:5; Nehemiah 4:5; Jeremiah 18:23; Isaiah 63:10; Leviticus 26:30; 2 Samuel 3:29; Matthew 23:31.

Verses 15,16 call for continual judgment from the Lord upon his enemies, that their memory might be forgotten, go without any mem­orial in all the earth, Job 10:14; Job 18:17; Deuteronomy 32:26; Ecclesiastes 6:4. For his throne usurping treacherous enemy had not remembered to show mercy but grievously persecuted the poor and needy and slain those with a broken heart, or spirit, in a bloodthirsty manner, Psalms 69:26; Psalms 35:15.

Verses 17,18 ask that because this cruel, treacherous, throne seeking enemy of David loved cursing, clothing himself with it like a garment; And as he did not take any pleasure in blessing, let no blessing come upon him, but let a blanket of curse come into his bowels like water, and into his bones like oil, to make his belly swell and rot, Numbers 5:22; Numbers 5:24; Numbers 5:27; 2 Kings 1:10; Ecclesiastes 7:22; Let his "chickens come home to roost," is the plea, Ezekiel 35:6; Psalms 35:8; Psalms 73:6; Zechariah 3:3.

Verses 19,20 exhort the Lord to let this harsh judgment be like a garment, covering the whole body of his enemy, held tightly in place by a girdle, continually or permanently, as the just reward or retribution against David’s adversaries who spoke lying words against his soul, v.2; Isaiah 11:5; Jeremiah 13:1; Jeremiah 13:11.

Verse 21 exhorts the Lord , however, to deliver David, God’s king in Israel, for His name’s sake, for the integrity of His covenant character’s sake, in Israel, anal before the earth; He added, "Because thy mercy is good, deliver thou me, "Psalms 119:124; Jeremiah 14:7; Psalms 69:16.

Verse 22-24 describe David’s forlorn, grieving condition as poor, needy, with a wounded heart within himself, with grief, as described Psalms 40:17; Psalms 45:4. He added that he was gone like a declining shadow, Psalms 102:11; and tossed up and down like a locust in the wind, till all are swept away, Exodus 10:19; Joel 2:20; Nahum 3:17.
Verse 24 adds his knees had become weak Through fasting, not voluntarily, but caused by such heavy grief that he could not eat, so that his flesh was pale, without any oily, healthy appearance, Hebrews 12:12; Psalms 35:13; Psalms 69:10.

Verse 25 relates that David’s appearance became an object of reproach, derision, and scorn before his enemies, so that they "shaked their heads," as if it was all over with him, he was beyond hope of recovery, and he was ruined beyond recovery, Psalms 22:6-7; Psalms 31:11; Isaiah 37:22; Matthew 27:39; Job 16:4; Job 30:1; Luke 6:22.

Verses 26,27 are a Davidic plea for the Lord to help, show mercy, and come to his rescue to liberate him, that his enemies might recognize that the Living Lord God had done it, by the hand of His own power, 1 Chronicles 16:35; Deuteronomy 4:21; Exodus 6:7; Deuteronomy 5:15; Psalms 59:13.

Verses 28,29 plead the Lord to let his enemies curse, but let the Lord bless him personally, that as God’s servant he might rejoice, even in the face of his cursing enemies, while they were caused to be ashamed, Numbers 22:12; 2 Samuel 16:11-12. See also Isaiah 65:14; Jeremiah 31:7; James 5:13. He asks further that God may let his adversaries be clothed with shame and covered with their own confusion, "as with a mantle," completely covered from head to foot, Psalms 27:12; Psalms 54:3; Psalms 71:13. See also Psalms 25:3; Genesis 3:10; Genesis 11:8.

Verse 30 relates David’s resolve to greatly praise the Lord, with his mouth, "among the multitude," publicly, before the masses, Psalms 7:17; Psalms 69:30; Psalms 22:22; 2 Chronicles 5:13; Psalms 40:9.

Verse 31 concludes that the Lord will stand at the right hand (available in power) to save the poor, oppressed, and righteous, from those who condemn them, as certified 2 Chronicles 16:9; Job 5:15; Psalms 140:12; 1 Samuel 17:37. This is why Jesus sits as our advocate at the right hand of the Father, 1 John 2:1-2; Hebrews 7:25; Psalms 16:8; Psalms 110:5; Psalms 121:5.