Psalms 109:8

Let his days be few,.... The days of men in common are but few at most: length of days, either beyond or according to the usual term of life, is reckoned a blessing; and to be cut off in the midst of

Let his days be few; and let another take his office. Let his days be few - even as he plotted to shorten my days; literally, 'be fewnesses.' The wish accords with the divinely-appointed fact (Psalms 55:23).

Let his days be few; the days of his life. Let him die an untimely death. His office, made void by his death. He also implies that his enemy was a man of power and reputation.

Psalms 109:8 Let his days be few; [and] let another take his office.Ver. 8. Let his days be few] Let his execution be hastened, as Haman’ s was. Ahithophel and Judas were their own deathsmen. Doeg, doubtless, came to an ill end; and so did other persecutors. See the Book of Martyrs. And let another take his office] Praefecturam. Officers are ofttimes the Church’ s chief enemies; Popish bishops especially, as here in Queen Mary’ s days. Judas was guide to those that took Jesus, Acts 1:16; Acts 1:20.

(8) Office.—See Note, Psalms 109:6. Evidently some post of power and influence.

Verse 8. Let another take his office.] The original is פקדתו pekuddatho, which the margin translates charge, and which literally means superintendence, oversight, inspection from actual visitations. The translation in our common Version is too technical. His bishopric, following the Septuagint, επισκοπην, and Vulgate, episcopatum, and has given cause to some light people to be witty, who have said, "The first bishop we read of was bishop Judas." But it would be easy to convict this witticism of blasphemy, as the word is used in many parts of the sacred writings, from Genesis downward, to signify offices and officers, appointed either by God immediately, or in the course of his providence, for the accomplishment of the most important purposes. It is applied to the patriarch Joseph, Genesis 39:4, ויפקדהו vaiyaphkidehu, he made him bishop, alias overseer; therefore it might be as wisely said, and much more correctly, "The first bishop we read of was bishop Joseph;" and many such bishops there were of God's making long before Judas was born. After all, Judas was no traitor when he was appointed to what is called his bishopric, office, or charge in the apostolate. Such witticisms as these amount to no argument, and serve no cause that is worthy of defence. Our common Version, however, was not the first to use the word: it stands in the Anglo-Saxon [A.S.], "and his episcopacy let take other." The old Psalter is nearly the same; I shall give the whole verse: Fa be made his days, and his bysshopryk another take. "For Mathai was sett in stede of Judas; and his days was fa that hynged himself."

8. Let his life come prematurely to an end (Psalms 37:35-36; Psalms 55:23), and let another man succeed him in his post of authority: or perhaps, let his life be short and withal dishonoured by degradation from his office. Cp. Isaiah 22:19 ff. The rendering let another take his store is less probable. The second clause is quoted together with Psalms 69:25 in Acts 1:20. Judas was the antitype of the man who requited love with treachery, and the words of Scripture are appealed to as a solemn sanction for filling up his office by the election of another Apostle.

Let his days be few - Let him be soon cut off; let his life be shortened. It cannot be wrong for an officer of justice to aim at this; to desire it; to pray for it.

8. Let his days be few—His days shall be few. A prediction and a warning founded on the justice of God, by which “bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days.” Psalms 55:23.