Deeper Commentary
Psa 109:1
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David-
The Psalm was apparently initially written about his persecution by
Saul, but then expanded and reapplied to his experiences with Shimei and
Ahithophel at the time of Absalom's rebellion.
God of my praise, don’t remain silent-
The apparent silence of God is the abiding struggle of every true
believer. But David juxtaposes this struggle with the statement that he
will always praise God. Regardless of our difficulties with the problem of
evil and the apparent silence of God, He is still to be the object of our
praise. The problem of evil and God's silence is in fact built in to our
human experience to test and develop our love and trust in God.
When we think of "praise" we tend to think of joyful group singing. But
the "praise" offered by man when God appears silent... is surely in the
heart.
Psa 109:2
for they have opened the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of
deceit against me. They have spoken to me with a lying tongue-
So many of the Psalms contain references to Saul's smear campaign
against David (Ps. 27:12; 31:13 cp. 1 Sam. 26:19). This frequency of
reference in itself indicates the weight with which this tragedy rested
upon David's mind. It makes good homework to list all the lies Saul told
David. But these words also apply to the lies told to David at the time of
Absalom's rebellion, who for years prior to it had bad mouthed David to
the men of Israel. Solomon repeatedly condemns "the mouth of the wicked"
(Prov. 10:6,11,32; 11:11; 12:6; 15:28; 19:28). All he says is true enough,
but he clearly enough has in view how his father David had condemned the
supporters of Saul and Absalom as having "the mouth of the wicked" (Ps.
109:2). And these were the groups who were threatening his power and
throne. Solomon presents himself by implication as having the mouth of the
just / righteous. And yet we must note that David too had spoken multiple
words of deceit in relation to the murder of Uriah. Indeed the phrase is
used in Is. 53:9 as if the Lord Jesus was the only man who didn't have a
"mouth of deceit". Solomon like David was in denial of the fact that we
all sin with our mouths, as James makes clear in James 3:1-3.
Psa 109:3
They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, and fought
against me without a cause-
The continued emphasis in David's psalms
upon "without cause" surely reflects a self righteousness (Ps. 35:19;
69:4; 109:3; 119:161). For David's righteousness was only impressive
relative to the wickedness of his enemies; before God, it was filthy rags.
It was true that Saul persecuted David "without cause" (s.w. 1 Sam.
19:5), but the experience of "without cause" persecution can lead us to an
inappropriate self-righteousness. This is what happened to Job, who also
suffered "without cause" (s.w. Job 2:3), and had to be convicted of
self-righteousness at the end of the story. And it seems this happened to
David. David himself intended to shed blood "without cause" and was only
saved from it by grace (s.w. 1 Sam. 25:31).
Reading through the book of Psalms in one or two sittings reveals that
frequent and intense self-examination was a leading characteristic of
David:, especially while on the run from Saul and Absalom; as if he began to pick up
false guilt from how he was being treated, wondering if it was all in fact
justified (Ps. 4:4; 7:3; 17:3; 18:20-24; 19:12; 26:1; 39:1; 59:3; 66:18;
77:6; 86:2; 101:2; 109:3; 139:23,24).
Psa 109:4
In return for my love, they are my adversaries; but I am in prayer-
This clearly applies to David's love for Saul, refusing to kill him
when he could have done, and lamenting over him as man mourns for his
mother (Ps. 35:14). And likewise of his senseless love for Absalom. And
yet again we could note that David speaks so much hatred for Saul in the
Psalms; he is choosing to focus upon his own more positive side, rather
than seeing that he too in the wider picture of human character and
history had not always been so perfect. We recall his murder of his loyal
friend Uriah.
"But I am in prayer" could mean that that despite their adversarial behaviour, David had prayed for them. He says the same in Ps. 35:13: "when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth, I afflicted my soul with fasting. My prayer returned into my own bosom".
Psa 109:5
They have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love-
See on :4. Whilst David's lament is understandable, he shows himself
out of step with the spirit of the Lord Jesus, who taught that we should
love and do good to others without expecting "good" in return from them,
and indeed accepting they may continue to do evil to us (Lk. 6:33,34). But
David has the natural expectation that those we do good to ought to be
loyal to us in return, and certainly not hate us.
Psa 109:6
Set a wicked man over him, let an adversary stand at his right
hand-
The plural slanderers and adversaries now become focused upon a
singular person. Possibly David is personifying them all as one person. Or
if a specific individual is in view, it perhaps was in the first context Shimei as he cursed David as he
fled from Absalom. But verse 8 is quoted in the New Testament about Judas.
This is not to say that everything about Shimei in this Psalm is true of
Judas, indeed the bitter feelings of David as expressed here do not seem
appropriate to the saving sorrow which the Lord felt for Judas.
The contrast is with how Yahweh stands at the right hand of the righteous (:31), i.e. as his guide. A satan at the right hand is a similar situation to the description of the court of Heaven which we meet in Zechariah 3. I suggest that all human situations on earth are reflected in the court of Heaven, and vice versa. David wished that an Angel adversarial to Shimei would be actively involved in his life, and that Angel [a righteous one] would be represented by the actions of a "wicked man" on earth leading Shimei [or Judas] to destruction. So perhaps it was a Satan-Angel that stood at Judas' right hand (i. e. to influence him), confirming him in the way he had chosen to go, as God hardened Pharaoh's already hard heart. The question is, who was this individual on earth in the life of Shimei, and perhaps also of Judas? Perhaps it was the High Priest in the case of Judas.
The book of Job is frequently alluded to by David (see on :24); it was likely about the only scripture he had access to apart from the Pentateuch. So it is unsurprising that he should apparently hold the same idea of a Satan-Angel, under God's control, which we find in Job. That Angel represented and was manifest through adversaries on earth, who may themselves have been evil. Perhaps David thought in terms of a wicked man on earth, controlled by the Satan-Angel in Heaven. It seems from Zech. 3:1 that it was customary for the accuser to stand on the right hand of the accused in the court.
We note that :6-19 all speak of an individual being cursed, whereas the rest of the Psalm is about David's plural adversaries. Possibly David is going through them and cursing them individually; or possibly, these are the curses upon David which were uttered by his adversaries. Perhaps he remembered every word of Shimei's curses; hence his inability to fully forgive him at the end of his life, endlessly playing the tape of these curses in his mind. It is stressed that Shimei cursed David: "cursed continually... cursed as he went, threw stones at him, and threw dust" (2 Sam. 16:5,13). This would then be the reference of :28 "They may curse, but You bless". And likewise what he had in mind in :2-4: "For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me, speaking against me with lying tongues. They encircle me with words of hate, and attack me without cause. In return for my love they accuse me". "Let an adversary stand at his right hand" was what they wished on David (:6); but his response is to trust that "[God] will stand at the right hand of the needy [a term David often uses of himself], to save him from those who judge his soul" (:31).
And yet :6-19 seem to equally apply to David's cursing of Shimei as they do to Shimei's cursing of David. The commentary bears that out. My suggestion is that David is quoting Shimei's cursings of him- but applying to Shimei. Having quoted the curses, David then says: "This is the reward [or 'May this be the reward...'] of my adversaries from Yahweh, of those who speak evil against my soul" (:20)- as if to say, 'What my adversaries say about me is actually true of them'. GNB "LORD, punish my enemies in that way— those who say such evil things against me!". David wishes the curses upon him to be applied to the one who cursed him.
Psa 109:7
When he is judged, let him come forth guilty, let his prayer be
turned into sin-
This is clearly wishing for the person in view to be condemned at the
last day, and for God to consider this person's prayers as sin. David
seems totally lacking in any desire for repentance and salvation for his
enemies, but rather wishes their absolute condemnation from God.
The idea is that the entrance of prayer before God is the entrance of the
person; and the outcome of prayer is therefore a foretaste of the day of
judgment. Hence answered prayer is a foretaste of our final acceptance. We
come in prayer boldly before the throne of grace (Heb. 4:16 "Let us
therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace"), just as we
will come boldly before that same throne at the day of judgment: "We may
have boldness and not be ashamed before Him at His coming" (1 Jn. 2:28).
Our attitude in prayer now will be our attitude in the day of judgment.
David wished this on Shimei and Shimei wished it on David (see on :6).
There is no grace in either of them.
Psa 109:8
Let his days be few, let another take his office-
Although quoted about Judas, the initial application would have been
to the likes of Saul, Ahithophel and Shimei. And on :19 I will suggest
Joab may also be in view. Their "office" would have respectively been as
king, chief adviser and head of Saul's herdsmen, and in Joab's
case, head of the army. In the application to Saul, David's desire to see
"another take his office" would have been a request for himself to be made
king after Saul, as he had been promised.
If we take this as a curse upon David, this would reflect the
common feeling that David should have resigned as king. He himself had
taught that "he that rules over men must be of integrity" and he had
demonstrated that he wasn't.
Psa 109:9
Let his children be fatherless and his wife a widow-
A quotation from Ex. 22:24, of God's especial condemnation of those
who abuse the stranger, the poor and weak. David feels he is in that
situation whilst persecuted by Saul, often describing himself as a
stranger and "poor and needy" (:16).
If, as discussed on :6, these are the cursings of David, then the reference to his illegitimate children would be understandable in the context of his adultery.
Psa 109:10
may his children be wandering beggars, let them be sought from
their ruins-
In the application to Saul, this would have included David's best
friend Jonathan. He seems to have been far too quick in his wishing of the
worst condemnation on his enemies. Perhaps he is using standard phrases of
condemnation, without thinking of their implication. We can take a warning
here; we can all use standard forms of cursing another, the implications
of which we need to think through. David is wishing that his
enemies become poor and needy- when this is how he presents himself before
God in :22 "I am poor and needy", and asks for pity to be shown to him.
This is a glaring error. If we beg for God's pity upon us in our poverty,
then we are not to wish such poverty and lack of pity upon even our worst
enemies.
Psa 109:11
Let the creditor seize all that he has, let strangers plunder the
fruit of his labour-
The Mosaic law forbad the exercise of such usury (s.w. Ex. 22:25).
But what is envisaged is a man in debt to Gentiles ("strangers",
paralleled with "the creditor"). As noted on :10, this is perhaps a
standard curse which David is appropriating perhaps without undue thought
as to the implications (see on :10).
Psa 109:12
Let there be nobody to extend kindness to him, neither let there be
anyone to have pity on his fatherless children-
It is God who 'extends kindness', for the phrase is alone used of Him
(Ps. 36:10; Jer. 31:3). David wishes this person to be outside the realm
of God's grace; and we reflect why ever David felt the need to say this
about anybody. Perhaps his grief over the deaths of Saul and Absalom was
partly because he realized he had cursed them too deeply in prayers like
this.
Psa 109:13
Let his posterity be cut off, in the next generation may their name
be blotted out-
As noted on :10, David is not thinking of the implications of this
with regards to Saul. David does all he can to ensure that the name of
Saul and Jonathan was not blotted out, showing extraordinary grace to
their descendants. Perhaps he did this aware that such prayers as this had
been going far too far.
If these are cursings of David (see on :6), then this is a request for the Divine promises to him to be reversed.
Psa 109:14
Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered by Yahweh, don’t
let the sin of his mother be blotted out-
Psa 109:15
Let them be before Yahweh continually, that He may cut off their
memory from the earth-
Again we note that there is not a word of desire for the repentance
and salvation of the person, but rather verse after verse expressing a
desire for their eternal condemnation. And indeed God
did take the life of some of David's children in judgment for what he did.
Psa 109:16
because he didn’t remember to show kindness, but persecuted the
poor and needy man, the broken in heart, to kill them-
Shimei had in view Uriah as the "poor man" of 2 Sam. 12:1,
whom David killed. David sees these words as relevant to himself as the
"poor man" who was persecuted by Shimei and Absalom, who wished to kill
him. He speaks of himself with just this phrase in :22: "I am poor and
needy". David remembered those who showed kindness to him as he fled
Absalom, e.g. "show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite... for
so [i.e. with kindness] they came to me when I fled from Absalom" (1 Kings
2:7). Shimei cursed David as he fled from Absalom.
David had seen himself as "poor and needy" and broken hearted, needing grace after his sin with Bathsheba and its consequences (Ps. 40:17; 70:5; 86:1; 109:16,22), and also during his persecution by Saul. We noted on :9 that David felt himself to be the "poor and needy" who had been abused by Saul. He wished Solomon to likewise have pity on the "poor and needy" amongst the Gentiles, those who had likewise repented (Ps. 72:13). And David was especially desirous to himself see the "poor and needy" blessed and accepted as he had been (Ps. 82:3,4; 113:7). It is our personal experience of needing grace which leads us to have a heart for those like us, the poor and needy. Any other motivation will ultimately not abide. Solomon appears to glorify his mother Bathsheba for likewise pitying the poor and needy (Prov. 31:9,20). But we have to note that David had received grace when he was broken and needy, as a result of his sin with Bathsheba. But he doesn't want to reflect that to this adversary, who had likely been raised up by God (at least in the application to Ahithophel, Shimei and Absalom) as a consequence for his sin. We note too that Nathan had likened Uriah to a "poor man" abused by David (2 Sam. 12:1). But David here asks God to eternally condemn those who persecuted the "poor" (see on Ps. 109:9,16). And it seems Ps. 109 was used by David not only about his persecution at the time of Saul, but also of his sufferings at the time of Absalom's rebellion, after the time of his sin. So it seems David didn't maintain his sense of humility before Nathan.
In 2 Sam. 9:3 David enquired "Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?". David's mercy to the "house" of his enemy reflects God's promised grace to David's "house" in 2 Sam. 7, just as we likewise should reflect our personal experience of God's grace to others. The same phrase is used by David of Saul when he says that Saul had not remembered to "show mercy / kindness" (Ps. 109:16). But all the same David shows grace to him. So David's response to God showing him grace was to show grace to those who didn't show grace. Our response should be likewise.
Psa 109:17
Yes, he loved cursing, and it came to him. He didn’t delight in
blessing, and so it was far from him-
This points towards Shimei, whose cursing of David at the time of
Absalom's rebellion clearly hurt David very deeply. At the time, David
forgave him. But he didn't maintain that intensity of forgiveness, because
on his deathbed he asks Solomon to ensure Shimei even as an old man is
slain because of it. His statement here that the cursing "came to him" may
be a 'future perfect', stating the future as if it has already happened,
as a way of stating intention. And David expressed this intention to
Solomon to ensure Shimei was cursed with death for his cursing. We too
struggle to maintain levels of forgiveness we grant to people, and we
perceive how God's "frank" and permanent forgiveness (Lk. 7:42) is of an
altogether higher quality and nature than our forgiveness.
Psa 109:18
He clothed himself also with cursing as with his garment; it
came into his inward parts like water, like oil into his bones-
As noted on :17,
David graciously overlooked Shimei's cursing, promising him that he would
not die because of it (2 Sam. 16:10,11; 19:23). But he didn't keep up that
level of grace to the end: he later asked Solomon to ensure that Shimei
was killed for that incident (1 Kings 2:8,9). And one wonders whether it
was Shimei’s words which so broke David’s heart that he later wrote these
words. A curse entering the inward parts like water seems to
allude to the ritual of Num. 5:11-31, which is in the context of sexual
misbehaviour. This would confirm the suggestion on :6 that these curses
are actually being made against David, rather than by him.
Psa 109:19
Let it be to him as the clothing with which he covers himself, like
the belt that is always around him-
Whoever the individual is in view, he was known for always wearing
the same belt. The only person in David's life whose belt is noted is Joab
(2 Sam. 20:8; 1 Kings 2:5). See on :8. Perhaps this Psalm began with
reference to Saul, but was reapplied to Ahithophel, Absalom, Shimei and
then finally to Joab when Joab rose up against David. In the previous
verses, David has himself wished cursing upon this person, but now he
appears to try to justify it by saying that the person who has cursed him
will simply receive his own curses.
Psa 109:20
This is the reward of my adversaries from Yahweh, of those who
speak evil against my soul-
If the preceding :6-19 were curses upon David (see on :6), he
is now wishing these curses upon them, arguing that 'This all sounds more
true of you than me'. We could render 'May this be the reward of my
adversaries'.
David had himself spoken evil against innocent people (s.w. 1 Sam. 25:17). But David was so sensitive to words spoken against him that he breathes out the deepest condemnation upon those who had spoken them. Again we get the impression that David is not adequately aware of the huge grace he himself had received. Otherwise there would have been at least some desire for the repentance and salvation of his enemies. This is so markedly lacking in the Psalms of David. See on :21.
Psa 109:21
But deal with me, Yahweh the Lord, for Your name’s sake; because
Your grace is good, deliver me-
As noted on :20, David appears totally lacking in any grace toward
his enemies; but he here and in :26 begs for grace to be shown to him,
aware at least subconsciously of his own desperate need for deliverance /
salvation by grace. He rightly perceives God's Name to be essentially
"grace". The Name of Yahweh is essentially His characteristics (Ex.
34:5-7), and they are epitomized in "grace".
Psa 109:22
for I am poor and needy. My heart is wounded within me- See on :16, where David appeals to God's anger with those who abuse the "poor and needy" to condemn any who had not had pity upon him. He is acting just like Saul whom he condemns here, for he too breathed curses upon any who didn't feel sorry for him (1 Sam. 22:8).
Psa 109:23
I fade away like an evening shadow, I am shaken off like a locust-
David's feelings at this time are also appropriate to Hezekiah, whose
feelings were responded to by God by making the shadow of the sundial
reverse. The same words are used in 2 Kings 20:10. The locust was an
unclean animal, and this is how David felt.
Psa 109:24
My knees are weak through fasting, my body is thin and lacks fat-
Here again is another indication that David has the book of Job in
mind, for this is how Job describes himself. See on :6,25.
Psa 109:25
I have also become a reproach to them; when they see me, they shake
their head-
Again the allusions to Job continue (see on :6,24); this time to Job
16:4; 19:5; 20:3. The situation here seems more appropriate at this point
to the plans of Absalom, Ahithophel, Shimei and Joab. For Saul rarely
"saw" David at the time of his persecution of him.
Psa 109:26
Help me, Yahweh, my God. Save me according to Your grace-
As noted on :20, David appears totally lacking in any grace toward
his enemies; but he here and in :21 begs for grace to be shown to him,
aware at least subconsciously of his own desperate need for deliverance /
salvation by grace.
Psa 109:27
that they may know that this is Your hand; that You, Yahweh, have
done it-
Although David seeks for personal salvation by grace (:26), his
motivation for that salvation was still not totally pure. For here he
states that he wants that salvation in order to demonstrate that his
sufferings were the result of God's hand rather than his own sins. Even
though his sufferings at the hands of the likes of Joab, Ahithophel and
Shimei were all the consequence of his own sins. But he so struggled with
a sense of wrongful shame, when he ought to have finally accepted that his
shame was a consequence of his sins regarding Uriah and Bathsheba.
Psa 109:28
They may curse, but You bless. When they arise, they will be shamed, but Your servant shall rejoice- Frequently the rejected are threatened with both shame and anger / gnashing of teeth; shame and anger are going to be connected in that awful experience. They will "curse [in anger]... and be ashamed". The final shame of the rejected is going to be so great that "they shall be greatly ashamed... their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten" (Jer. 20:11). Seeing they will be long dead and gone, it is us, the accepted, who by God's grace will recall the terrible shame of the rejected throughout our eternity. "When they arise" would be a reference to resurrection. David clearly expected a future day of resurrection and judgment, when shame, cursing and blessing would all be ultimately and eternally articulated.
Psa 109:29
Let my adversaries be clothed with dishonour, may they cover
themselves with their own shame as with a robe-
Although David has wished condemnation upon his enemies, he likes to
imagine that actually their condemnation and shame is a direct result of
their own actions in this life. And this is true enough. They had clothed
themselves with cursing in this life (:18), as Shimei had; and David sees
this as related to their clothing themselves with shame at the last day
(:28). And yet David seems remarkably uncritical of himself; for he
himself is clothing himself with cursing against his enemies in this
Psalm. And what if he were wrong? What if the likes of Joab are to be
finally saved...?
Psa 109:30
I will give great thanks to Yahweh with my mouth, truly I will
praise Him among the multitude-
This is the same idea as often in the Psalms; David imagines himself
surrounded by the "multitude" of the righteous, praising God at the last
day (:28 "when they arise"), when the wicked are destroyed and he is
finally justified (Ps. 22:22,25; 35:18; 40:10). We too can look forward to
eternal salvation not simply on a personal level; but seeing our eternal
place amongst the true people of God. "With my mouth" suggests
David personally imagined himself resurrected, with his own personality
and "mouth". Salvation is indeed personal.
Psa 109:31
For He will stand at the right hand of the needy, to save him
from those who judge his soul-
This is in contrast to how God can stand at the right hand of the
wicked to condemn them; see on :6. David rightly perceives that there is a higher hand in human
life, someone or something standing at our right hand. And he wishes this
to be God's influence toward condemnation for his enemies, and God's
influence toward salvation in his own case. This is the difference between
the evil spirit from the Lord, and the Holy Spirit.
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