Psalms 109
FBMeyerPsalms 109:1-16
the Persecutor of the Needy Psalms 109:1-16 This psalm is like a patch of the Sahara amid a smiling Eden. But, terrible as the words are, remember that they were written by the man who, on two occasions, spared the life of his persecutor, and who, when the field of Gilboa was wet with Saul’ s life-blood, sang the loveliest of elegiacs to his memory. These maledictions do not express personal vindictiveness. Probably they should be read as depicting the doom of the wrong-doer. The Apostle, quoting this psalm, expressly says that the Spirit of Inspiration spoke before by the mouth of David, Acts 1:16. The imperative let might better be translated by the future shall. This would be in perfect conformity with Hebrew usage. Notice in Psalms 109:4 that by omitting the three words in italics, a beautiful suggestion is made of the life of prayer: But I-prayer. The only response of the psalmist to the hatred of his enemies was to give himself more absolutely to prayer. His whole being was consumed in the one intense appeal to God. Such times come to us all. Such prayers always end in praise and thanksgiving, Psalms 109:30. Happy are we who also can count on the Advocate with the Father, Psalms 109:31. Jesus prays our prayers with us.
Hold not thy peace, O God! The internal evidence agrees with the inscription as ascribing this Psalm to David. Like others of the same character, it dates probably from the time of the Sauline persecution. It is full of appeals for the Divine vindication of persecuted saints. These old sacred writers had clear, strong, views of the enormity of wrong-doing. They did not scruple to invoke the Divine justice against those who perpetrated it (see Psalms 28:4). There are sentences which exhibit a like spirit in the New Testament (Acts 23:3; 1 Timothy 1:20; 2 Timothy 4:4).
But on the whole we are taught by the Gospel to speak more leniently of those who oppress us (Matthew 5:44; Luke 23:34; Acts 7:60). We cannot forget the quotation made from this Psalm (Psalms 109:8) by the Apostle Peter with reference to the betrayer (Acts 1:20). Thus we are led to question whether these strong imprecations may not be a foreshadowing of that awful fate which must overtake such as knowingly and wilfully sin against God’s children and cause.
The arrangement of the Psalm is very simple. It consists of three strophes, each of ten verses, and a final verse which gives the conclusion and sum of the whole.
Psalms 109:4.By omitting the three words in italics, we get a beautiful meaning: But I … prayer; as if the one response made by the Psalmist was PRAYER; and so much so, that his existence for the time was summed up in the word.
Psalms 109:6-15. Let him be condemned It is held by some that these verses are a quotation of what was desired by his foes. It is better to consider them not as imprecations but as predictions, the imperative mood being put for the future tense as the custom of the Hebrew.
Psalms 109:21. For thy name’s sake! What an exquisite prayer! Better let God do for you than do for yourself (Psalms 119:124; Jeremiah 14:7). God’s mercy is indeed good.
Psalms 109:22. I am poor and needy (so also Psalms 70:5). Psalms 109:26. Help me, O Lord! Another of these sweet ejaculatory petitions, of which we should each carry a quiverful for daily use.
Psalms 109:28. But bless Thou! It is well to be persecuted, if with every curse of man we can detect the silver tones of the Divine benediction, saying, “Blessed are ye!” (Matthew 5:11).
Psalms 109:31. He shall stand at the right hand of the poor How brave is the accused if he enters court leaning on the arm of the noblest in the land! How futile is it to condemn when the Judge of all stands beside to justify! (Romans 8:33).
Psalms 109:17-31
the Deliverer of the Needy Psalms 109:17-31 This psalm emphasizes the difference, indicated by our Lord, between His teaching and that addressed to “ them of old time,” especially on the point of forgiveness. It is in such teaching as this that the psalmist’ s mood is distinctly inferior to that which has now become the law for devout men. This at least may be said, that these ancient saints did not desire vengeance for private injuries, but that God’ s name and character might be vindicated. Devout men could not but long for the triumph of good and the defeat and destruction of its opposite. The closing paragraph voices some of those lowly, sad petitions for help, which occur in so many of the psalms. This combination of devout meekness and trust with the fiery imprecations or predictions at the core of this psalm, substantiates what has been said above as to the spirit in which the psalm was conceived. It is not personal, but the voice of the Church asking God to make known the righteousness of His government. The psalm begins and ends with praise. It starts by picturing an adversary at the right hand of the wicked, Psalms 109:6, and closes with assurance that Jehovah stands at the right hand of His afflicted servant to deliver him. “ I have set the Lord always before me: because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved,” Psalms 16:8.
Hold not thy peace, O God! The internal evidence agrees with the inscription as ascribing this Psalm to David. Like others of the same character, it dates probably from the time of the Sauline persecution. It is full of appeals for the Divine vindication of persecuted saints. These old sacred writers had clear, strong, views of the enormity of wrong-doing. They did not scruple to invoke the Divine justice against those who perpetrated it (see Psalms 28:4). There are sentences which exhibit a like spirit in the New Testament (Acts 23:3; 1 Timothy 1:20; 2 Timothy 4:4).
But on the whole we are taught by the Gospel to speak more leniently of those who oppress us (Matthew 5:44; Luke 23:34; Acts 7:60). We cannot forget the quotation made from this Psalm (Psalms 109:8) by the Apostle Peter with reference to the betrayer (Acts 1:20). Thus we are led to question whether these strong imprecations may not be a foreshadowing of that awful fate which must overtake such as knowingly and wilfully sin against God’s children and cause.
The arrangement of the Psalm is very simple. It consists of three strophes, each of ten verses, and a final verse which gives the conclusion and sum of the whole.
Psalms 109:4.By omitting the three words in italics, we get a beautiful meaning: But I … prayer; as if the one response made by the Psalmist was PRAYER; and so much so, that his existence for the time was summed up in the word.
Psalms 109:6-15. Let him be condemned It is held by some that these verses are a quotation of what was desired by his foes. It is better to consider them not as imprecations but as predictions, the imperative mood being put for the future tense as the custom of the Hebrew.
Psalms 109:21. For thy name’s sake! What an exquisite prayer! Better let God do for you than do for yourself (Psalms 119:124; Jeremiah 14:7). God’s mercy is indeed good.
Psalms 109:22. I am poor and needy (so also Psalms 70:5). Psalms 109:26. Help me, O Lord! Another of these sweet ejaculatory petitions, of which we should each carry a quiverful for daily use.
Psalms 109:28. But bless Thou! It is well to be persecuted, if with every curse of man we can detect the silver tones of the Divine benediction, saying, “Blessed are ye!” (Matthew 5:11).
Psalms 109:31. He shall stand at the right hand of the poor How brave is the accused if he enters court leaning on the arm of the noblest in the land! How futile is it to condemn when the Judge of all stands beside to justify! (Romans 8:33).