Psalms Chapter 109

Old Testament Poetry/Hymns 31 Verses

What is Psalms 109 about?

One hundred fifty inspired poems and hymns — Israel's prayer book, spanning lament and praise, confession and trust. The complete chapter text below provides the immediate literary context for study.

Text — American Standard Version (1901)

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. For original Hebrew/Greek interlinear text, open in BibleWord.ai.
1Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise;
2For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of deceit have they opened against me: They have spoken unto me with a lying tongue.
3They have 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 an adversary stand at his right hand.
7When he is judged, let him come forth guilty; And let his prayer be turned into 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 vagabonds, and beg; And let them seek [their bread] out of their desolate places.
11Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; And let strangers make spoil of his labor.
12Let there be none to extend kindness unto him; Neither let there be any to have pity on his fatherless children.
13Let his posterity be cut off; In the generation following let their name be blotted out.
14Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with Jehovah; And let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.
15Let them be before Jehovah continually, That he may cut off the memory of them from the earth;
16Because he remembered not to show kindness, But persecuted the poor and needy man, And the broken in heart, to slay [them].
17Yea, he loved cursing, and it came unto him; And he delighted not in blessing, and it was far from him.
18He clothed himself also with cursing as with his garment, And it came into his inward parts like water, And like oil into his bones.
19Let it be unto him as the raiment wherewith he covereth himself, And for the girdle wherewith he is girded continually.
20This is the reward of mine adversaries from Jehovah, And of them that speak evil against my soul.
21But deal thou with me, O Jehovah the Lord, for thy name`s sake: Because thy lovingkindness 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 am become also a reproach unto them: When they see me, they shake their head.
26Help me, O Jehovah my God; Oh save me according to thy lovingkindness:
27That they may know that this is thy hand; [That] thou, Jehovah, hast done it.
28Let them curse, but bless thou: When they arise, they shall be put to shame, But thy servant shall rejoice.
29Let mine adversaries be clothed with dishonor, And let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe.
30I will give great thanks unto Jehovah with my mouth; Yea, I will praise him among the multitude.
31For he will stand at the right hand of the needy, To save him from them that judge his soul. Psalm 110 A Psalm of David.

What do historical commentaries say about this chapter?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · on verse 1
“Hold not thy peace, etc.] Or be not as a deaf or dumb man, or like one that turns a deaf ear and will give no answer; so the Lord seems to his people when he does not give an immediate answer to their prayers, and does not arise to help them; he seems to have forsaken them, and to stand at a distance from them; nor does he avenge them of their enemies; it is the Messiah, as man, that puts up this petition, and it agrees with (<192202>Psalm 22:2). O God of my praise; worthy of all praise, because of the perfections of his nature, and for the mercies he bestows; and is and ought to be the constant object of the…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“The Psalmist celebrates God's gracious dealings with His people, of which a summary statement is given. (Psa 111:1-10) Praise ye the Lord--or, Hallelujah (Psa 104:35). This seems to serve as a title to those of the later Psalms, which, like this, set forth God's gracious government and its blessed fruits. This praise claims the whole heart-- (Psa 86:12), and is rendered publicly. upright--a title of the true Israel (Psa 32:11).”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · on verse 1
“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 praise him. He sought that God would interpose now that he might have new occasion for praise. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · on verse 4
“Adversaries - They requite my love with enmity, as it is explained Psa 109:5. Psalms 109:6”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · on verse 1
“Ps 109 The psalmist begins this lament with a general charge against his accusers: They do evil in return for good (109:1-5). At the end of the psalm, he turns to the Lord in prayer, asking for his protection (109:21-25) and vengeance (109:26-31). 109:1 The psalmist sees no evidence that God cares (see 28:1).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · on verse 1
“am 2942, bc 1062 (Title), It is generally supposed that this Psalm was composed by David, when persecuted by Saul, who was rendered more implacable by the base and malicious calumnies of Doeg and others; though some are of opinion, that it was written when David fled from Absalom, and that Ahithophel, rather than Doeg, is the typical person against whom it is principally directed. Hold: Psa 28:1, Psa 35:22, Psa 35:23, Psa 83:1; Isa 42:14 O God: Psa 118:28; Exo 15:2; Deu 10:21; Jer 17:14 Psalms 109:2”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · on verse 1
“A sign for help and complaints of ungrateful persecutors form the beginning of the Psalm. "God of my praise" is equivalent to God, who art my praise, Jer 17:14, cf. Deu 10:21. The God whom the Psalmist has hitherto had reason to praise will also now show Himself to him as worthy to be praised. Upon this faith he bases the prayer: be not silent ( Psa 28:1; Psa 35:22)! A mouth such as belongs to the "wicked," a mouth out of which comes "deceit," have they opened against him; they have spoken with him a tongue (accusative, vid., on Psa 64:6), i.e., a language, of falsehood. דּברי of things and utterances as in Psa…”
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