Ps. 109:0 THE ARGUMENT It is sufficiently evident from the body of this Psalm, that it was composed by David when he was in a state of persecution, either by Saul or by Absalom; and that amongst and above all the rest of his enemies he takes very particular notice of, and breaks forth into vehement…

Hold not thy peace; do not neglect me, but take notice of my extreme danger and misery, and deliver me, which thou canst do by the speaking of one word.

Of the deceitful; of those who add hypocrisy and perfidiousness to their malice. Are opened; they speak freely, boldly, and publicly, without any fear or shame. Against me; or, to or with me, as this particle commonly signifies. With a lying tongue; either, 1.

Words of hatred; which, though covered with specious pretences, proceeded from deep malice and hatred, and were designed to work my destruction. Without a cause; without any just provocation given them by me.

For my love they are my adversaries; they requite my love and good will with enmity and mischief, as it is explained, Ps. 109:5. But I give myself unto prayer, Heb. but I prayer, i.e. I am a man of prayer, or I betake myself to prayer. Thus I peace is put for I am for peace, as we render it, Ps.

A wicked man, Heb. the wicked; which may be understood either, 1. Of some wicked tyrant, which may rule him with rigour and cruelty. Or, 2. Of Satan, who is mentioned in the next clause. Let him be delivered over to Satan, to be acted and ruled by him at his pleasure. Over him; either, 1.

When he shall be judged; when he shall be called to an account, and his cause examined before thy tribunal. Let his prayer become sin, i.e. be turned into sin, or be imputed to him as his sin, or be as unavailable with God for his relief as his sins.

Let his days be few; the days of his life. Let him die an untimely death. His office, made void by his death. He also implies that his enemy was a man of power and reputation.

Fatherless; whilst they are but children, and so unable to provide for themselves. A widow; either made a widow by his death; or constantly a widow; all persons abhorring her who was related to so vile a miscreant.

Vagabonds; having no certain place of abode; which is a grievous curse in itself, Gen. 4:12, Gen. 4:14, Isa. 16:2. And beg: this increaseth their misery. Desolate places; into which they are fled for fear and shame, as not daring to show their faces amongst men.

Extortioner; or, usurer, or creditor. Catch, Heb. insnare, which is an emphatical expression, i.e. take away not only by oppression and violence, but also by cheats and cunning artifices, whereby such persons entangle, and so ruin their debtors.

Let him and his be unpitied and hated as the public enemies of mankind.

In the generation following, Heb. in another generation; either in the third generation, or in the second, or that which next followed the generation of his fathers. So in this clause he limits the time of that destruction which he imprecates or foretells in the former.

Be remembered against him, or punished in him, as God hath threatened to deal with great delinquents, Ex. 20:5.

Let them, the sins of his parents last mentioned, be before Lord; in God’s sight and memory, to provoke God them: let them not be covered or pardoned.

Remembered not his duty to God, and his obligation to me my former kindness, expressed Ps. 109:4–5. The poor and needy man; myself, who was desolate and miserable, whose required pity, and not additions of cruelty.

Cursing; either, 1. Cursed or sinful courses. Or rather, 2. To curse others, as appears from the blessing here opposed to it, and from the next verse; to wish and to procure to others, and especially to me.

A garment; which a man wears constantly, and that as Like water; which when a man drinks, goes bowels, and searcheth all the inwards of his belly. Like oil; which is more piercing than water, and being applied to outward parts, reacheth even to the bones and marrow

Which cleaves closer and faster to a man than a garment, than the Eastern garments did, which were large and loose.

Of mine adversaries; of those who were confederate with that arch enemy in his wicked enterprise. Against my soul; with design to take away my life.

Do thou for me, to wit, what I desire, which he expressing the next clause. Or, do thou act for me; be not or still, but stir up thyself to work on my behalf. For my name’s sake; for the glory of thy faithfulness, which highly concerned in giving me the deliverance which thou hast promised to me.

I am poor and needy; and therefore a very proper object for thy pity and help. I am wounded not slightly, but to the very heart with soul-piercing sorrows.

I am gone, Heb. I am made to go; either, 1. From place to place; which was David’s case, when he was persecuted by Saul and by Absalom; and Christ’s case upon earth, where he had no certain place where to lay his head: Matt. 8:20. Or, 2. Into the grave, as this phrase is used, 1 Chron. 17:11, Ps.

Through fasting; either with voluntary fasts, to which the frequency and long continuance of my calamities obliged me; or with forced fasts, sometimes through want of necessary provisions, but most commonly from that loathing of meat, which was occasioned by his excessive sorrows and terrors.

Instead of that pity which either religion or humanity should have taught them to a man in extreme misery, they loaded me with reproaches and scorns. Shaked their heads; a gesture of contempt and derision; of which see Job 16:4, Ps. 22:7.

Know; being convinced of the eminency, and singularity, and strangeness of the work.

Let them curse; I can patiently bear their curses, as being causeless, and fully compensated by thy blessing. Or, they do and will curse, I expect nothing else from them. Arise, i.e. bestir themselves against me. Both God and men are oft said to arise when they enter upon any undertaking, as Josh.

For the disappointment of their wicked hopes and designs, and for that unexpected destruction which they have brought upon themselves.

For that deliverance which I confidently expect. Among the multitude; or, among the mighty, or great men, as this word sometimes signifies. Compare Ps. 119:46.

At the right hand of the poor, to defend him from his adversary, who stood in that place to accuse him, and to procure his condemnation and destruction. See Poole “Ps. 109:6”. That condemn his soul; that pass a sentence of death upon him.