Psalms 109:1 «To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. » Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise; _A Psalm of David_] Written by him, _usque adeo terribili et horrifica oratione,_ saith Beza, in such terrible terms, as the like is not to be found in Holy Scripture; wherefore it is to be read and use... [ Continue Reading ]
For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue. Ver. 2. _For the mouth of the wicked_] There is nothing more easy than to wag a wicked tongue. _ They have spoken against me with a lying tongue_] But with so much imp... [ Continue Reading ]
They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause. Ver. 3. _They compassed me about also, &c._] So that I could not find out any way to clear myself, though never so innocent. _ And fought against me_] So they smote Jeremiah with the tongue, and our Saviour s... [ Continue Reading ]
For my love they are my adversaries: but I [give myself unto] prayer. Ver. 4. _For my love they are mine adversaries_] Heb. they satanically hate me. To render evil for evil is brutish, but to render evil for good is devilish. _ But I give myself to prayer_] Heb. But I am prayer, or, a man of pray... [ Continue Reading ]
And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love. Ver. 5. _And they have rewarded me_] See Psalms 109:4 . _ Flectere naturam gratia nulla potest._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand._ Ver. 6. _Set thou a wicked man over him_] Whose tender mercies may be cruelties; let the devil be his taskmaster. Thus he prayed against Doeg, or Ahithophel, but certainly Judas, Acts 1:20. And so the primitive Christians pray... [ Continue Reading ]
When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer become sin. Ver. 7. _When he shall be judged_] Let him be cast in all his suits, _causa excidat._ And let his prayer become sin] _Quot apud iudicem preces adhibebit tot sibi mulctas aecersat,_ If he beg favour of the judge, let it b... [ Continue Reading ]
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 hi... [ Continue Reading ]
Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow. Ver. 9. _Let his children be fatherless_] Helpless and shiftless. A sore vexation to many on their death beds, and just enough on graceless persecutors. But happy are they who, when they lie a dying, can say, as Luther did, _Domine Deus gratias... [ Continue Reading ]
Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek [their bread] also out of their desolate places. Ver. 10. _Let his children be continually vagabonds_] Let them wandering wander, as Gen 4:12 Cain's curse. Let them rogue about, - _et timida voce rogare cibos._ This is many times a t... [ Continue Reading ]
Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil his labour. Ver. 11. _Let the extortioner catch all that he hath_] As it were in nets and snares, that is, in bonds, debts, mortgages; so Chrysostom expoundeth Psalms 10:9. _Et ipsum et omnes eius facultates inexplicabilibus su... [ Continue Reading ]
Let there be none to extend mercy unto him: neither let there be any to favour his fatherless children. Ver. 12. _Let there be none to extend mercy to him_] Let God in his justice set off all hearts from him that had been so unreasonably merciless. Thus no man opened his mouth to intercede for Hama... [ Continue Reading ]
Let his posterity be cut off; [and] in the generation following let their name be blotted out. Ver. 13. _Let his posterity be cut Off_] _Sit eius exitus excidium,_ so some render it, let his end be destruction; and it is better to take it, as we translate, "Let his posterity," &c. Let them be razed... [ Continue Reading ]
Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the LORD; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out. Ver. 14. _Let the iniquity of his fathers, &c._] In whose sinful steps he treadeth, be charged upon him. _ And let not the sin of his mother_] Who bred him no better, but cockered him in... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let them be before the LORD continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth._ Ver. 15. _Let them be before the Lord_] Stand ever upon record in his presence, to provoke him to wrath. A heavy curse indeed.... [ Continue Reading ]
Because that he remembered not to shew mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart. Ver. 16. _Because that he remembered not to show mercy_] Here the prophet beginneth to show why he useth such doleful imprecations against his enemies, viz. not out of a... [ Continue Reading ]
As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him. Ver. 17. _As he loved cursing, &c._] "The backslidcr in heart shall be filled with his own ways," Proverbs 14:14. Cursing men are cursed men, as were easy to instance in sundry, as Hacker, hang... [ Continue Reading ]
As 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. Ver. 18. _As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment_] _Ut vestis commensurata corpori,_ as the inner garment that sticks closest to the body, and is... [ Continue Reading ]
Let it be unto him as the garment [which] covereth him, and for a girdle wherewith he is girded continually. Ver. 19. _Let it be unto him as a garment_] Yet as an inner, but outer garment also, that men may see and say, This is an accursed person; the visible vengeance of God pursueth him.... [ Continue Reading ]
Psalms 109:20 [Let] this [be] the reward of mine adversaries from the LORD, and of them that speak evil against my soul. Ver. 20. _Let this be the reward_] _Opus vel operae precium._ The same Hebrew word signifieth work and wages, _Actio et merces,_ Job 7:2 Isaiah 49:4; persecutors shall be sure of... [ Continue Reading ]
But do thou for me, O GOD the Lord, for thy name's sake: because thy mercy [is] good, deliver thou me. Ver. 21. _But do thou for me_] _Fac mecum, sis mihi a latere,_ stick to me, act on my behalf, and for my benefit.... [ Continue Reading ]
For I [am] poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me. Ver. 22. _For I am poor and needy_] As a leper showeth his ulcers to move pity, so doth David his indigency and ailments. _ And my heart is wounded_] I have my inward troubles also: or I am _cordicitus vulneratus,_ almost dead, _animam... [ Continue Reading ]
_I am gone like the shadow when it declineth: I am tossed up and down as the locust._ Ver. 23. _I am gone like the shadow_] _Abii, perii, evanui,_ I vanish, as the long shadows do so soon as the sun setteth. _ As the locust_] Leapeth from hedge to hedge, so do I from place to place, being tossed f... [ Continue Reading ]
My knees are weak through fasting; and my flesh faileth of fatness. Ver. 24. _My knees are weak through fasting_] Either for lack of meat or stomach to it; _genua labant,_ my knees buckle under me, the strong men bow themselves, Ecclesiastes 12:3 . _ My flesh faileth of fatness_] I am lean and low... [ Continue Reading ]
I became also a reproach unto them: [when] they looked upon me they shaked their heads. Ver. 25. _I became also a reproach_] In respect to my leanness. _ They shaked their heads_] This is threatened as a curse, Deuteronomy 28:15,68, but may befall the best, as it did our Saviour, Psa 22:7 Mat 27:3... [ Continue Reading ]
Help me, O LORD my God: O save me according to thy mercy: Ver. 26. _Help me, O Lord_] Prayer, like those arrows of deliverance, must be multiplied, as our trouble is lengthened and lieth on.... [ Continue Reading ]
That they may know that this [is] thy hand; [that] thou, LORD, hast done it. Ver. 27. _That they may know_] That I am delivered merely by thy presence and power. It is the ingenuity of the saints, in all their desired or expected mercies, to study God's ends more than their own.... [ Continue Reading ]
Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice. Ver. 28. _Let them curse, but bless thou_] Yea, the rather, as 2 Samuel 16:12; and I wot well that those whom thou blessest shall be blessed, as Isaac once said of his son Jacob, Genesis 27:33 . _ Wh... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a mantle._ Ver. 29. _As with a mantle_] _Sicut diploide,_ saith the Vulgate, as with a doublet, _q.d._ Let them be doubley ashamed; for which purpose also he here doubleth his prayer.... [ Continue Reading ]
I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude. Ver. 30. _I will greatly praise the Lord_] _Diligenter et impense._ God's blessings are binders; and great deliverances call for suitable praises, the neglect hereof is _crimen stellionatus, cousenage._... [ Continue Reading ]
_For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save [him] from those that condemn his soul._ Ver. 31. _For he shall stand at the right hand_] As a faithful and powerful (παραστατης or υπεραπιστης) champion, and not as Satan standeth at the persecutor's right hand, Psalms 109:6 . _ From thos... [ Continue Reading ]