Psalm 109

Psalm 109 is an imprecatory psalm attributed to David. It expresses intense emotions and calls upon God to bring justice by punishing the wicked. David feels deeply wronged by false accusations and betrayal and pleads for God’s intervention. The psalm conveys a mixture of personal lament and appeals to divine judgment, ending with David’s confidence that God will act on behalf of the oppressed.

Psalm 109:1-10 (NKJV)
1 Do not keep silent,
O God of my praise!
2 For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful
Have opened against me;
They have spoken against me with a lying tongue.
3 They have also surrounded me with words of hatred,
And fought against me without a cause.
4 In return for my love they are my accusers,
But I give myself to prayer.
5 Thus they have rewarded me evil for good,
And hatred for my love.
6 Set a wicked man over him,
And let an accuser stand at his right hand.
7 When he is judged, let him be found guilty,
And let his prayer become sin.
8 Let his days be few,
And let another take his office.
9 Let his children be fatherless,
And his wife a widow.
10 Let his children continually be vagabonds, and beg;
Let them seek their bread also from their desolate places.

David calls on God not to remain silent in the face of the lies and unjust hatred he endures. Despite showing love, he is met with betrayal. In desperation, David pleads for harsh judgment on his enemy, expressing the deep pain caused by this betrayal. He asks for God’s justice not just on the individual but on his family, reflecting the overwhelming hurt and sense of injustice he feels. The curse on the enemy’s office (v. 8) is later referenced in Acts 1:20 regarding Judas.

Psalm 109:11-20 (NKJV)
11 Let the creditor seize all that he has,
And let strangers plunder his labor.
12 Let there be none to extend mercy to him,
Nor let there be any to favor his fatherless children.
13 Let his posterity be cut off,
And in the generation following let their name be blotted out.
14 Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord,
And let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.
15 Let them be continually before the Lord,
That He may cut off the memory of them from the earth;
16 Because he did not remember to show mercy,
But persecuted the poor and needy man,
That he might even slay the broken in heart.
17 As he loved cursing, so let it come to him;
As he did not delight in blessing, so let it be far from him.
18 As he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment,
So let it enter his body like water,
And like oil into his bones.
19 Let it be to him like the garment which covers him,
And for a belt with which he girds himself continually.
20 Let this be the Lord’s reward to my accusers,
And to those who speak evil against my person.

David prays that those who show no mercy to others would likewise receive no mercy from God. He pleads for the removal of his enemies' legacy and punishment for their cruelty to the helpless. The cursing imagery (v. 17-18) reflects the notion that the wicked are so consumed by their wrongdoing that it becomes part of their identity. David trusts that God will repay those who harm the innocent, making divine justice a fitting reward for the actions of his accusers.

Psalm 109:21-29 (NKJV)
21 But You, O God the Lord,
Deal with me for Your name’s sake;
Because Your mercy is good, deliver me.
22 For I am poor and needy,
And my heart is wounded within me.
23 I am gone like a shadow when it lengthens;
I am shaken off like a locust.
24 My knees are weak through fasting,
And my flesh is feeble from lack of fatness.
25 I also have become a reproach to them;
When they look at me, they shake their heads.
26 Help me, O Lord my God!
Oh, save me according to Your mercy,
27 That they may know that this is Your hand—
That You, Lord, have done it!
28 Let them curse, but You bless;
When they arise, let them be ashamed,
But let Your servant rejoice.
29 Let my accusers be clothed with shame,
And let them cover themselves with their own disgrace as with a mantle.

David shifts from cursing his enemies to pleading for God's mercy on himself. He acknowledges his frailty and distress, describing his physical weakness from fasting and the emotional toll of his suffering. Despite others mocking him, he appeals to God’s mercy to rescue him and show that God’s hand is behind his vindication. David expresses confidence that God’s blessing will prevail, turning his enemies’ curses into shame while bringing joy to His servant.

Psalm 109:30-31 (NKJV)
30 I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth;
Yes, I will praise Him among the multitude.
31 For He shall stand at the right hand of the poor,
To save him from those who condemn him.

David concludes with praise, confident that God will defend the oppressed and deliver him from his accusers. He acknowledges that God is the advocate for the poor and needy, standing at their side to bring justice. David’s trust in God’s deliverance reflects his assurance that divine justice will ultimately prevail, despite the present difficulties. His commitment to praising God publicly highlights his gratitude for God's intervention and faithfulness.