Bible Commentaries
Psalms 109

Introduction

PSALM 109

:-. The writer complains of his virulent enemies, on whom he imprecates God's righteous punishment, and to a prayer for a divine interposition in his behalf appends the expression of his confidence and a promise of his praises. This Psalm is remarkable for the number and severity of its imprecations. Its evident typical character (compare Psalms 109:8) justifies the explanation of these already given, that as the language of David respecting his own enemies, or those of Christ, it has respect not to the penitent, but to the impenitent and implacable foes of good men, and of God and His cause, whose inevitable fate is thus indicated by inspired authority.

Verse 1

1. God of my praise—its object, thus recognizing God as a certain helper. Be not silent (compare Psalms 17:13; Psalms 28:1).

Verse 2

2. For the mouth . . . opened—or, "They have opened a wicked mouth"

against me—literally, "with me," that is, Their intercourse is lying, or, they slander me to my face (Matthew 26:59).

Verse 3

3. (Compare Psalms 35:7; Psalms 69:4).

Verse 4

4, 5. They return evil for good (compare Psalms 27:12; Proverbs 17:13).

I give myself unto prayer—or literally, "I (am) prayer," or, "as for me, prayer," that is, it is my resource for comfort in distress.

Verse 6

6. over him—one of his enemies prominent in malignity (Psalms 55:12).

let Satan stand—as an accuser, whose place was the right hand of the accused (Zechariah 3:1; Zechariah 3:2).

Verse 7

7. The condemnation is aggravated when prayer for relief is treated as a sin.

Verse 8

8. The opposite blessing is long life (Psalms 91:16; Proverbs 3:2). The last clause is quoted as to Judas by Peter (Proverbs 3:2- :).

office—literally, "charge," Septuagint, and Peter, "oversight" [1 Peter 5:2].

Verse 9

9, 10. Let his family share the punishment, his children be as wandering beggars to prowl in their desolate homes, a greedy and relentless creditor grasp his substance, his labor, or the fruit of it, enure to strangers and not his heirs, and his unprotected, fatherless children fall in want, so that his posterity shall utterly fail.

Verse 13

13. posterity—literally, "end," as in Psalms 37:38, or, what comes after; that is, reward, or success, or its expectation, of which posterity was to a Jew a prominent part.

Verse 14

14, 15. Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered, &c.—Added to the terrible overthrow following his own sin, let there be the imputation of his parents' guilt, that it may now come before God, for His meting out its full consequences, in cutting off the memory of them (that is, the parents) from the earth ( :-).

Verse 16

16. Let God remember guilt, because he (the wicked) did not remember mercy.

poor and needy . . . broken in heart—that is, pious sufferer (Psalms 34:18; Psalms 35:10; Psalms 40:17).

Verse 17

17-19. Let his loved sin, cursing, come upon him in punishment ( :-), thoroughly fill him as water and oil, permeating to every part of his system (compare :-), and become a garment and a girdle for a perpetual dress.

Verse 20

20. Let this . . . reward—or, "wages," pay for labor, the fruit of the enemy's wickedness.

from the Lord—as His judicial act.

Verse 21

21, 22. do . . . for me—that is, kindness.

wounded—literally, "pierced" (Psalms 69:16; Psalms 69:29).

Verse 23

23. like the shadow—(Compare Psalms 102:11).

tossed up and down—or, "driven" (Exodus 10:19).

Verse 24

24, 25. Taunts and reproaches aggravate his afflicted and feeble state (Psalms 22:6; Psalms 22:7).

Verse 26

26, 27. Let my deliverance glorify Thee (compare Psalms 59:13).

Verse 28

28-31. In confidence that God's blessing would come on him, and confusion and shame on his enemies (Psalms 73:13), he ceases to regard their curses, and anticipates a season of joyful and public thanksgiving; for God is near to protect (Psalms 16:8; Psalms 34:6) the poor from all unrighteous judges who may condemn him.