This psalm is ascribed to David, and there is nothing in the psalm to make us doubt the correctness of the title. Kimchi supposes that it refers to the enemies of David in the time of Saul. Grotius and Knapp suppose that it refers to Ahithophel; Dathe, to Shimei; DeWette, that it refers to national... [ Continue Reading ]
HOLD NOT THY PEACE - That is, Speak for my defense - as if God had looked with unconcern on the wrongs which were done to him. See the notes at Psalms 83:1. O GOD OF MY PRAISE - The God whom I praise; whom I worship and adore. It implies that he was accustomed to praise him, and desired still to pr... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE MOUTH OF THE WICKED AND THE MOUTH OF THE DECEITFUL - literally, “The mouth of wickedness, and the mouth of deceit.” This acquaints us with the nature of the wrong which had been done him. It was slander; undeserved reproach. ARE OPENED AGAINST ME - Margin, “have opened;” that is, have opene... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY COMPASSED ME ABOUT ALSO WITH WORDS OF HATRED - They attacked me on every side; they assailed me, not merely in one form and direction, but in every form, and in every direction. I could turn no way - I could go nowhere - where I did not encounter these slanderous reports. AND FOUGHT AGAINST ME... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR MY LOVE ... - As a recompence for my love; or, this is the return which I get for all the expressions of my love to them. The enemies referred to were those whom he had treated kindly; to whom he had done good. This is not uncommon in the world. It was illustrated in an eminent degree in the lif... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY HAVE REWARDED ME EVIL FOR GOOD - literally, “They have placed against me.” They have put it in my way; it is what they had to set before me. See the notes at Psalms 35:12, where the same expression occurs. AND HATRED FOR MY LOVE - Instead of loving me in return for my love, they have met m... [ Continue Reading ]
SET THOU A WICKED MAN OVER HIM - This commences the imprecatory part of the psalm, extending to Psalms 109:20. The first thing that the psalmist asks is, that his foe might be subjected to the evil of having a man placed over him like himself: a man regardless of justice, truth, and right; a man who... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN HE SHALL BE JUDGED ... - When for his offences he shall be arraigned. The psalmist supposes that he “might” be put on trial; he seems to suppose that this “would be.” Such wickedness could not always escape detection, and sooner or later he would be arrested and brought to trial. “When” this sh... [ Continue Reading ]
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. How strange it would be for a magistrate to pray “that a murderer or a traitor should be long lived!” AND LET ANOTHER TAKE HIS OFFICE -... [ Continue Reading ]
LET HIS CHILDREN BE FATHERLESS - Hebrew, “his sons.” This is what “always” occurs when a criminal who is a father is executed. It is one of the consequences of crime; and if the officer of justice does his duty, of course, the sons of such a man “must” be made fatherless. The prayer is, simply, that... [ Continue Reading ]
LET HIS CHILDREN BE CONTINUALLY VAGABONDS, AND BEG - Let them continually wander about with no home - no fixed habitation. Let them be compelled to ask their daily food at the hand of charity. Here we enter on a part of the psalm which is more difficult to be reconciled with a proper feeling than th... [ Continue Reading ]
LET THE EXTORTIONER CATCH ALL THAT HE HATH - literally, “Let the extortioner cast a snare over all that he hath;” that is, let him seize all his property. The word rendered “catch” - נקשׁ _nâqash_ - is a word which means to lay a snare, as for birds and wild animals, and hence, it means to ensnare,... [ Continue Reading ]
LET THERE BE NONE TO EXTEND MERCY UNTO HIM - Let him find compassion and sympathy in no one. When he suffers, let him be left to bear it alone. Let there be none found to shed a tear of compassion over him, or to relieve him. Literally, “Let there be no one to draw out kindness to him.” NEITHER LET... [ Continue Reading ]
LET HIS POSTERITY BE CUT OFF - To have a numerous posterity, to have the name and family perpetuated, was regarded among the Hebrews as one of the greatest and most desirable blessings. Hence, to pray that all one’s family might be cut off was one of the severest forms of malediction which could be... [ Continue Reading ]
LET THE INIQUITY OF HIS FATHERS - Of his ancestors. BE REMEMBERED WITH THE LORD - Or, by the Lord. The doctrine of the Bible is, that God “visits the iniquities of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate” him Exodus 20:5; the matter of fact is that child... [ Continue Reading ]
LET THEM BE BEFORE THE LORD CONTINUALLY - Let their sins never pass from the mind of God. Let him never so forget them as not to inflict punishment for them. THAT HE MAY CUT OFF THE MEMORY OF THEM FROM THE EARTH - That they may be wholly forgotten among people. Let their very name perish; and let t... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE THAT HE REMEMBERED NOT TO SHOW MERCY - He had no compassion; he was severe, harsh, unjust, unfeeling. BUT PERSECUTED THE POOR AND NEEDY MAN - The man that was destitute of friends; that was a wanderer and a beggar. There were times in the life of David when this would be strictly and litera... [ Continue Reading ]
AS HE LOVED CURSING ... - As he loved to curse others; as he seemed to have a pleasure alike in the act of cursing and in the feeling which prompts to cursing, let him see what it is; let it come upon him in its fullness. He has chosen this as his portion; let it be his. This, in the original, is in... [ Continue Reading ]
AS HE CLOTHED HIMSELF WITH CURSING LIKE AS WITH A GARMENT - Moral qualities are often compared with raiment - as that in which we “appear” to our fellow-men. See 1 Peter 5:5; Job 29:14. SO LET IT COME INTO HIS BOWELS LIKE WATER - Margin, “within him.” Hebrew, “In his midst.” Let it penetrate him th... [ Continue Reading ]
LET IT BE UNTO HIM AS THE GARMENT WHICH COVERETH HIM - He has chosen to put it on, to wear it, to appear in it; so let him constantly feel its consequences. As he is always obliged to wear clothing, so let this be as constantly with him and upon him as his mantle and his sash. AND FOR A GIRDLE WHER... [ Continue Reading ]
LET THIS BE THE REWARD OF MINE ADVERSARIES FROM THE LORD,... - The word rendered “reward” means usually work, labor, occupation, business; then, what one earns by his work - reward, recompence, Leviticus 19:13. The meaning here is, Let them constantly receive these things which I have prayed for Psa... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT DO THOU FOR ME, O GOD THE LORD, FOR THY NAME’S SAKE - That is, Interpose for me; exert thy power in my behalf. The phrase “for thy name’s sake” implies that the motive which prompted him was a desire that God might be honored. It was not primarily or mainly for his own happiness; it was that God... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR I AM POOR AND NEEDY - I am helpless and dependent. I am in a condition where I need thy gracious interposition. AND MY HEART IS WOUNDED WITHIN ME - I am as one that is prostrated by a weapon - as if my heart had been pierced. I have no courage, no strength. I am like one who lies wounded on a b... [ Continue Reading ]
I AM GONE LIKE THE SHADOW WHEN IT DECLINETH - See the notes at Psalms 102:11. I AM TOSSED UP AND DOWN AS THE LOCUST - Agitated, moved, driven about, as a cloud of locusts is by the wind. The meaning of the whole is, that he was frail and weak, and needed strength from on high.... [ Continue Reading ]
MY KNEES ARE WEAK THROUGH FASTING - Hunger; want of food. Strength to stand is connected with firmness in the knee-joints, and hence, weakness and feebleness are denoted by the giving way of the knees. Compare Hebrews 12:12. AND MY FLESH FAILETH OF FATNESS - I am lean and weak. There is not the pro... [ Continue Reading ]
I BECAME ALSO A REPROACH UNTO THEM - They reproached or reviled me as a bad man. Compare the notes at Psalms 22:6. The plural here - “unto them” - shows that there were more than one to whom the psalm had reference, though one of them was so prominent that a considerable part of the psalm might prop... [ Continue Reading ]
HELP ME, O LORD MY GOD ... - Stand by me; interpose.... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THEY MAY KNOW THAT THIS IS THY HAND - That this has been done by thee; that it has all occurred under thy direction, or has been ordered by thee. The reference seems to be particularly to God’s interposition: “Let it be manifest to all that thou hast interposed in my behalf; that thou hast unde... [ Continue Reading ]
LET THEM CURSE, BUT BLESS THOU - See Psalms 109:17. Let them continue to curse me, provided thou wilt bless me. I am willing to bear all these reproaches, if I may have thy favor. That favor I value infinitely more than I do theirs; and it is a small matter that I am reviled and cursed by people, if... [ Continue Reading ]
LET MINE ADVERSARIES BE CLOTHED WITH SHAME - Let confusion and disappointment seem to cover them, so as to constitute a garment. See the notes at Psalms 109:18. They had “clothed themselves with cursing” Psalms 109:18, and the prayer now is, that the covering of shame might be as complete and entire... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL GREATLY PRAISE THE LORD WITH MY MOUTH - I will sing abundant praises to him. Compare the notes at Isaiah 38:20. YEA, I WILL PRAISE HIM AMONG THE MULTITUDE - In the great congregation. I will publicly acknowledge his goodness and mercy. See the notes at Psalms 22:25.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HE SHALL STAND AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE POOR - He will thus show that he befriends the poor and the helpless. TO SAVE HIM FROM THOSE THAT CONDEMN HIS SOUL - - Margin, “from the judges of his soul.” The Hebrew is, “from those that judge his soul.” The meaning is, from those that pronounce a hars... [ Continue Reading ]