David
Psalm 109
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.
Scripture (KJV)
1Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise;
2For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue.
3They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause.
4For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer.
5And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.
6Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand.
7When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer become sin.
8Let his days be few; and let another take his office.
9Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.
10Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places.
11Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil his labour.
12Let there be none to extend mercy unto him: neither let there be any to favour his fatherless children.
13Let his posterity be cut off; and in the generation following let their name be blotted out.
14Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the Lord; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.
15Let them be before the Lord continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.
16Because that he remembered not to shew mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart.
17As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.
18As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones.
19Let it be unto him as the garment which covereth him, and for a girdle wherewith he is girded continually.
20Let this be the reward of mine adversaries from the Lord, and of them that speak evil against my soul.
21But do thou for me, O God the Lord, for thy name’s sake: because thy mercy is good, deliver thou me.
22For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
23I am gone like the shadow when it declineth: I am tossed up and down as the locust.
24My knees are weak through fasting; and my flesh faileth of fatness.
25I became also a reproach unto them: when they looked upon me they shaked their heads.
26Help me, O Lord my God: O save me according to thy mercy:
27That they may know that this is thy hand; that thou, Lord, hast done it.
28Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice.
29Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own confusion as with a mantle.
30I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude.
31For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those that condemn his soul.
Summary
Psalm 109 is an imprecatory psalm in which David, falsely accused and repaid evil for good, brings his anguish before the God of justice. The opening verses describe lying tongues, words of hatred, and unprovoked attacks, while David responds with the striking resolve of verse 4: “For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer.” Verses 6-20 contain the imprecations themselves, calling down judgment on a malicious accuser—shortened days, a successor in office, a widow and fatherless children, and the memory of his sin before the Lord. The New Testament applies verse 8 to Judas Iscariot (Acts 1:20), showing that such judgments fall on those who betray the innocent.
The psalm does not end in bitterness but in renewed petition and praise. David pleads for deliverance for God’s name’s sake, confesses his own poverty and wounded heart, and asks that his enemies be clothed with shame while God’s servant rejoices. He closes with a vow to praise the Lord among the multitude, confident that God stands at the right hand of the poor to save them. The major themes are injustice, imprecatory prayer, divine justice, mercy, and vindication. Practically, the psalm teaches that the proper response to deep injustice is to give oneself to prayer rather than to vengeance, trusting the righteous Judge. The great lesson is that we may bring our hurt to God and leave the outcome in His hands.
Key Themes
A Prayer from Psalm 109
God of my praise, do not hold Your peace, for lying tongues and mouths of deceit have opened against me. They have rewarded me evil for good and hatred for my love. Though my adversaries rise, I give myself to prayer. Do for me, O God the Lord, for Your name’s sake; because Your mercy is good, deliver me. I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me; my knees are weak through fasting. Help me, O Lord my God; save me according to Your mercy, that they may know that this is Your hand. Let them curse, but bless You; when they arise, let them be ashamed, but let Your servant rejoice. Clothe my adversaries with their own confusion, and I will greatly praise You with my mouth among the multitude. Stand at my right hand, Lord, to save me from those who condemn my soul. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Reflection Questions
- 1How does “I give myself unto prayer” reframe my response to those who wrong me?
- 2What does the New Testament’s use of verse 8 teach about righteous judgment?
- 3Where do I need to leave vengeance to God rather than taking it myself?
- 4How can I, like David, move from imprecation to praise in my prayers?
Related Psalms
Psalm 35
“Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.”
A prayer for God to contend against unjust enemies and vindicate the righteous.
Read morePsalm 69
“Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.”
A deep lament of reproach for God’s sake, ending in hope and praise.
Read morePsalm 58
“Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men?”
A protest against unjust rulers and confidence in God’s righteous judgment.
Read morePsalm 94
“O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself.”
A prayer for justice against oppressors and comfort for the weary.
Read morePsalm 140
“Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man;”
Psalm 140 is a lament of David against violent and deceitful enemies.
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