Psalm 109

Psa 109:1

SUPERSCRIPTION: "OF DAVID. A PSALM."

Vv 1-5: David is distressed because of his enemies; vv 6-19: Their curses against him; vv 20-27: David's distress; vv 28,29: His enemies; vv 30,31: Saved!

At end of v 5, insert "Saying": thus vv 6-19 are the imprecations of David's enemies against him. (Other examples: Psa 2:6; 9:12; 22:7; 30:8; 39:3; 41:5; 52:6; 116:4; 132:2,11.)

HISTORICAL SETTING: Absalom's rebellion, Ahithophel's deceptions, and esp the cursing of David by Shimei (2Sa 16:5-13).

Psa 109:2

LYING TONGUES: (NT) Psa 27:12. Cp v 4 in the LXX: "Instead of loving me, they falsely accused me."

Psa 109:3

THEY SURROUND ME: "Then the Jews came round about him" (Joh 10:24).

THEY ATTACK ME WITHOUT CAUSE: Joh 15:25; cp Psa 35:19; 69:4; 119:161.

Psa 109:5

THEY REPAY ME EVIL FOR GOOD: Psa 35:11-13. Were some who testified against Jesus themselves recipients of his miracles? Was Judas so blessed?

Psa 109:6

V 5 should be followed with "saying..." -- leading to the curses of David's enemies recorded in vv 6-20 (cp 2Sa 16:5-13). (Cp Psa 2:2... "saying" in AV, explaining the quotation in Psa 2:3.) (WEnj 205,206)

LET AN ACCUSER STAND AT HIS RIGHT HAND: (NT) The "satan" was Judas; Jesus used the word "diabolos" about him (John 6:70; 13:2, and cp v 26 there), who was to have been chief witness for the "prosecution". ("Stand at the right hand" is legal language -- cp v 7 here; Jdg 6:31; Zec 3:1. The RSV has: "Let an accuser bring him to trial".) But at the last minute, apparently even after coming to the very scene of judgment (note the implication of "saw" in Mat 27:3), Judas refused to play his assigned, and paid-for, part. Thus he left the prosecution in a quandary with no organized case against Jesus (Mat 26:60). And instead of Judas standing at his right hand, Jesus had an angel there (Psa 109:31; 110:5)!

Psa 109:7

LET HIM BE FOUND GUILTY: (NT) Jesus in Mar 14:64.

Psa 109:8

Absalom's ambition to be king. And as for Absalom, HIS days were few: 2Sa 18:17; cp Psa 55:23.

MAY HIS DAYS BE FEW: Jesus lived less than 1/2 a normal lifespan.

MAY ANOTHER TAKE HIS PLACE OF LEADERSHIP: The astute Ittai the Gittite took over Ahithophel's preeminence (2Sa 15:19-22; 18:2,5). Ahithophel, like his NT counterpart Judas, then committed suicide (2Sa 17:23). (NT) In NT "leadership" becomes "episkope" = oversight, responsibility (Act 1:20).

Psa 109:9

Shimei's eagerness to see David slain.

Psa 109:11

STRANGERS: That is, Gentiles, among whom David will have to seek refuge.

Psa 109:13

MAY HIS DESCENDANTS BE CUT OFF: Absalom attempted this when he had Amnon slain, and when he gave his other brothers cause to fear for their own lives (2Sa 13:29,30).

(NT) Cp Isa 53:8,10: "Who shall declare his generation?... cut off from the land of the living..."

Psa 109:14

THE INIQUITY OF HIS FATHERS: (NT) The fall of Adam, and the resultant inheritance of "sin" for all his posterity (Rom 5:12-19), came through all the way to Jesus (Psa 89:50).

THE SIN OF HIS MOTHER: Looking back to Ruth, a virtuous woman unjustly accused (Rth 1:4; 3:8,14)?

(NT) Cp innuendo of Joh 8:41: "WE are not born of fornication."

Psa 109:16

Accusation against David re Bathsheba and esp Uriah (2Sa 12:3,4)?

Psa 109:17

MAY IT COME ON HIM: The curses Shimei aimed at David came back on his own head (1Ki 2:36-46).

Psa 109:18

IT ENTERED INTO HIS BODY LIKE WATER: "But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and came there out blood and water" (Joh 19:34).

Psa 109:19

Cp the High Priest's robe, torn in anger at the words of Christ: Mat 26:65.

Psa 109:20

THE LORD'S PAYMENT: Or "from the Lord" (AV). Re Shimei: "For the Lord hath bidden him" (2Sa 16:11).

Psa 109:22

(NT) Jesus' lament about being forsaken on the cross (Psa 22:1; Mat 27:46; Mar 15:34).

Psa 109:23

I AM SHAKEN OFF LIKE A LOCUST: A ref to the shaking off of a garment of an unwelcome insect. Alternative: "I am tossed up and down like a locust" (AV): The flying locusts are tossed up and down, and whirled round and round by the ever varying currents of the mountain winds (LB 419; Exo 10:19; Joe 2:20).

Psa 109:24

MY KNEES GIVE WAY: (NT) Christ's inability to carry his own cross to the place of execution (Mar 15:21).

FASTING: (NT) True of Jesus in the days before his crucifixion?

Psa 109:27

(NT) Jesus was delivered by the determination of God Himself (Psa 22:31; Mat 27:54; Act 2:23,24; 4:28).

Psa 109:30

IN THE GREAT THRONG I WILL PRAISE HIM: 'If I find favor with God, He will bring me again, and show me His ark and His habitation' (2Sa 15:25).