Jamieson, Fausset & Brown :: Commentary on Psalm 109

The Book of Psalms

Commentary by A. R. FAUSSET

PSALM 109

Psa 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 Psa 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.

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

      2. For the mouth. . . opened--or, "They have opened a wicked mouth"
      against me--literally, "with me," that is, Their intercourse is living, or, they slander me to my face ( Mat 26:59 ).

      3. (Compare Psa 35:7 69:4 ).

      4, 5. They return evil for good (compare Psa 27:12 Pro 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.

      6. over him--one of his enemies prominent in malignity ( Psa 55:12 ).
      let Satan stand--as an accuser, whose place was the right hand of the accused ( Zec 3:1, 2 ).

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

      8. The opposite blessing is long life ( Psa 91:16 Pro 3:2 ). The last clause is quoted as to Judas by Peter ( Act 1:20 ).
      office--literally, "charge," Septuagint, and Peter, "oversight" [ 1Pe 5:2 ].

      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.

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

      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 ( Psa 34:16 ).

      16. Let God remember guilt, because he (the wicked) did not remember mercy.
      poor and needy. . . broken in heart--that is, pious sufferer ( Psa 34:18 35:10 40:17 ).

      17-19. Let his loved sin, cursing, come upon him in punishment ( Psa 35:8 ), thoroughly fill him as water and oil, permeating to every part of his system (compare Num 5:22-27 ), and become a garment and a girdle for a perpetual dress.

      20. Let this. . . reward--or, "wages," pay for labor, the fruit of the enemy's wickedness.
      from the Lord--as His judicial act.

      21, 22. do. . . for me--that is, kindness.
      wounded--literally, "pierced" ( Psa 69:16, 29 ).

      23. like the shadow--(Compare Psa 102:11 ).
      tossed up and down--or, "driven" ( Exd 10:19 ).

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

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

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