Bible Commentaries

Psalm 109:1-31. 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 Psalm 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.

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

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).

(Compare Psalm 35:7; Psalm 69:4).

They return evil for good (compare Psalm 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.

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

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

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

The opposite blessing is long life (Psalm 91:16; Proverbs 3:2). The last clause is quoted as to Judas by Peter (Acts 1:20).

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

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.

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

Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered, etc. — 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 (Psalm 34:16).

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

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

Let his loved sin, cursing, come upon him in punishment (Psalm 35:8), thoroughly fill him as water and oil, permeating to every part of his system (compare Numbers 5:22-27), and become a garment and a girdle for a perpetual dress.

Let this … reward — or, “wages,” pay for labor, the fruit of the enemy‘s wickedness.

from the Lord — as His judicial act.

for me — that is, kindness.

wounded — literally, “pierced” (Psalm 69:16, Psalm 69:29).

like the shadow — (Compare Psalm 102:11).

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

Taunts and reproaches aggravate his afflicted and feeble state (Psalm 22:6, Psalm 22:7).

Let my deliverance glorify Thee (compare Psalm 59:13).

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