Read Psalm 109
For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.
1 My God, whom I praise,
do not remain silent,
2 for people who are wicked and deceitful
have opened their mouths against me;
they have spoken against me with lying tongues.
3 With words of hatred they surround me;
they attack me without cause.
4 In return for my friendship they accuse me,
but I am a man of prayer.
5 They repay me evil for good,
and hatred for my friendship.
6 Appoint someone evil to oppose my enemy;
let an accuser stand at his right hand.
7 When he is tried, let him be found guilty,
and may his prayers condemn him.
8 May his days be few;
may another take his place of leadership.
9 May his children be fatherless
and his wife a widow.
10 May his children be wandering beggars;
may they be driven from their ruined homes.
11 May a creditor seize all he has;
may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.
12 May no one extend kindness to him
or take pity on his fatherless children.
13 May his descendants be cut off,
their names blotted out from the next generation.
14 May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord;
may the sin of his mother never be blotted out.
15 May their sins always remain before the Lord,
that he may blot out their name from the earth.
16 For he never thought of doing a kindness,
but hounded to death the poor
and the needy and the brokenhearted.
17 He loved to pronounce a curse—
may it come back on him.
He found no pleasure in blessing—
may it be far from him.
18 He wore cursing as his garment;
it entered into his body like water,
into his bones like oil.
19 May it be like a cloak wrapped about him,
like a belt tied forever around him.
20 May this be the Lord’s payment to my accusers,
to those who speak evil of me.
21 But you, Sovereign Lord,
help me for your name’s sake;
out of the goodness of your love, deliver me.
22 For I am poor and needy,
and my heart is wounded within me.
23 I fade away like an evening shadow;
I am shaken off like a locust.
24 My knees give way from fasting;
my body is thin and gaunt.
25 I am an object of scorn to my accusers;
when they see me, they shake their heads.
26 Help me, Lord my God;
save me according to your unfailing love.
27 Let them know that it is your hand,
that you, Lord, have done it.
28 While they curse, may you bless;
may those who attack me be put to shame,
but may your servant rejoice.
29 May my accusers be clothed with disgrace
and wrapped in shame as in a cloak.
30 With my mouth I will greatly extol the Lord;
in the great throng of worshipers I will praise him.
31 For he stands at the right hand of the needy,
to save their lives from those who would condemn them.
Go Deeper
David pours out his heart in Psalm 109. He releases his feelings, his tremendous hurt and anger toward his enemies. He uses harsh words and pleads for God’s help. Let’s not sugar-coat this. David doesn’t hold back when describing what actions he hopes God will take: Make the enemies’ days few, make their children beggars, have creditors take all they have, make it so that no one extends kindness to them, have the enemies’ names be blotted out from the next generation, clothe them with disgrace, and wrap them in shame. David was very real and very honest. It is extremely important to note, however, that David doesn’t take the action himself. He puts these thoughts, feelings, and requests into God’s hands, asking that God save him according to His unfailing love. David pours out his heart to God and then he trusts in whatever God will do next.
Journaling is a part of many Christians’ Bible-reading and quiet time. It may include writing keywords or short phrases to record what you’re reading and learning from God’s Word, your hurts, joys, praises, or prayer requests. Other times, journaling may take on more of a diary-like process, such as writing a letter to God. Either way, there is freedom that comes from being fully, totally, completely honest with God. This honesty includes even those thoughts and feelings that we may be scared to put words to or feel guilty for feeling. We are called, however, to pour out our hearts to him. God is our refuge (Ps 62:8b).
David’s psalm is not about requesting God to bring destruction to those with whom we disagree with or those who have hurt us, but rather to be honest and real with God. This psalm is about submitting our feelings to Him. David was brutally honest and laid his requests before God. He wanted action to come from God without taking it in his own hands. We serve a loving and just God. A God who became flesh to die for us and carry the burden of our sins on His shoulders. And with the new covenant through Jesus, we learn that we are to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44).
So, while we should continue to be truthful and forthright with God about our feelings, and sometimes action is necessary, let’s also commit to praying for those who might fall into our “enemy” category. God holds the world and future in his hands. Often, we may need to trust in that truth and pray without any other action.
Questions
- When talking about his enemies, David incorporates people who have spoken untruths about him as well as those who have been unkind. Are there people in your life that fit into that category?
- Have you committed to praying for these individuals?
- How can you love these “enemies”?
Try This
Write God a letter. Tell Him the good, the bad, the ugly. Thank Him. Present your requests to Him. Be authentic. Store your letter and reflect upon it in the future.
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4 thoughts on “Psalms of Trust: Psalm 109”
This Psalm had me in a quandary. I was unsure where David was going. MERCY!! Matthew 18:21-35 Jesus’ teachings about forgiveness, including the idea that forgiveness should be without limit and that God is willing to forgive debts that are impossible to repay which equals MERCY. Jesus on the cross saying “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). MERCY is NOT getting what we do deserve. GRACE is GETTING what we don’t deserve.
God I am thankful for Your mercy, that You do not give me what I deserve but instead I get grace. God help me to move the plank out of my eye to forgive those who have harmed me. This forgiving makes my walk with You better, so that I am not dragging around a anchor and chain. God thank You for truly, truly, letting go of that weight that so easily ensnares me. I want revenge from some of these hurts. BUT GOD, you will take care of this, not me. God thank You for easing my heart from these vengence thoughts. Thank You for laying it all at Your feet. God thank You for Your GRACE and that wonderful MERCY in this day and these minutes. God thank You for peace. God give me Your love goggles to see others, and Your words of love to speak, and hands and feet to accomplish what it is You desire for Your glory and honor today, in Jesus name amen.
WOOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This Psalm shows the depth of David’s relationship with God who he repeatedly praises for his unfailing love. When attacked by evil people he took his anger to the Lord pouring out every thought and feeling in prayer. He didn’t run away from God but to God. David could have retaliated and taken matters into his own hands, but he was a man after God’s own heart, so he sought the heart of God. What a great reminder to take everything to God in prayer. As the old hymn proclaims, “oh what peace we often forfeit, oh what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.”
2 “for people who are wicked and deceitful have opened their mouths against me;”
Wow! David’s despondency is definitely not a passing emotion. There must be dozens of these type of psalms lamenting the betrayal by those close to him. Very instructive to be able to read his “journaling”.
To be honest, this has not been an easy choice to first give it over to the Lord, but if I am to truly surrender and follow Christ, then I need to put obedience into action. We are commanded to never avenge ourselves or get “even”. Whether the hurt comes from fellow believers or from unbelievers, revenge is simply not a legitimate option for us/me.
1Peter 3:9 “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”
1 Thessalonians 5:15
2 Corinthians 13:11
Deuteronomy 32:35