Psalm 109
In this psalm, David is crying out to God to deliver him from the wicked. They were deceitful and hateful, and they had rewarded his friendship with false accusations, repaying his good with evil and hatred. Can you relate?
“O God of my praise, do not be silent! For they have opened the wicked and deceitful mouth against me; they have spoken against me with a lying tongue. They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, and fought against me without cause.”
“In return for my love they act as my accusers; but I am in prayer “In return for my love they act as my accusers; but I am in prayer. Thus they have repaid me evil for good, and hatred for my love.”
David doesn’t want God to remain silent as he faces this difficult situation. What is his situation? We cannot know for sure what the backdrop was for this psalm, but perhaps it was 2 Samuel 15:1-17:23. Read this passage, noting how the following people might fit the description David gives of his enemies in Psalm 109:1-3. Absalom (David’s son) Mephibosheth (note in 2 Sam. 9 all the ways David had shown him kindness) Shimei (one of King Saul’s relatives) Ahithophel (David’s counselor) Some believe David wrote Psalm 55:12-14,20-21 with Ahithophel in mind. Read 2 Sam. 11:3 and 2 Sam. 23:34. How might this explain why Ahithophel turned against David.
What did the wicked give David in exchange for his friendship and goodness (Ps. 109:4-5)? How did David handle this (Ps. 109:4)? Read 1 Peter 4:14-16,19. What are we blessed for? What should we do and what shouldn’t we do if we suffer as a Christian (v. 16)? If we suffer according to God’s will, what two actions should we take (v. 19)? Read Phil. 4:6-7. What should our attitude be in everything? What should our action be? What will be the result, according to verse 7? What does Jesus tell us to do in Luke 6:27-35? Have you been hurt by someone? Are you still angry? Do you want peace of mind? Why don’t you take this problem to God right now in prayer!
“Appoint a wicked man over him; and let an accuser stand at his right hand. When he is judged, let him come forth guilty; and let his prayer become sin. Let his days be few; let another take his office. Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow. Let his children wander about and beg; and let them seek sustenance far from their ruined homes. Let the creditor seize all that he has; and let strangers plunder the product of his labor. Let there be none to extend lovingkindness to him, Nor any to be gracious to his fatherless children. Let his posterity be cut off; in a following generation let their name be blotted out.”
“Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord, and do not let the sin of his mother be blotted out. Let them be before the Lord continually, that He may cut off their memory from the earth; because he did not remember to show lovingkindness, but persecuted the afflicted and needy man, and the despondent in heart, to put them to death. He also loved cursing, so it came to him; and he did not delight in blessing, so it was far from him. But he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment, and it entered into his body like water, and like oil into his bones. Let it be to him as a garment with which he covers himself, and for a belt with which he constantly girds himself. Let this be the reward of my accusers from the Lord, and of those who speak evil against my soul.”
“But Thou, O God, the Lord, deal kindly with me for Thy name’s sake; because Thy lovingkindness is good, deliver me; for I am afflicted and needy, and my heart is wounded within me. I am passing like a shadow when it lengthens; I am shaken off like the locust. My knees are weak from fasting; and my flesh has grown lean, without fatness.”
“I also have become a reproach to them; when they see me, they wag their head. Help me, O Lord my God; save me according to Thy lovingkindness.”
“And let them know that this is Thy hand; Thou, Lord, has done it. Let them curse, but do Thou bless; When they arise, they shall be ashamed, but Thy servant shall be glad. Let my accusers be clothed with dishonor, and let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe.”
What does David want his enemies to know (v. 26-27)? What does David have confidence that God will do (v. 28-29)? What does Prov. 17:13 say about the man who pays back evil for good? Read 2 Sam. 16:5-13. What was Shimei doing? What does Abishai want to do, and what is David’s response? Read 2 Sam. 19:16-23. David is now returning in victory. What does Shimei do? What is Abishai’s response and what is David’s response? According to Matthew 18:21-22, what is our attitude to be toward those who do us wrong? How does God want us to respond to those who do us evil (1 Peter 3:9-12)?
“With my mouth I will give thanks abundantly to the Lord; and in the midst of many I will praise Him. For He stands at the right hand of the needy, to save him from those who judge his soul.”
Read Romans 12:19-21. Who will avenge us? What is our action to be toward those who do us wrong? If we choose to react in anger to those who do us wrong, if we take revenge into our own hands, we have been overcome by evil. Instead, God wants us to overcome evil. How are we instructed to overcome evil in verse 21? This is impossible to do on your own, but what does Jesus say in John 15:5 is the source of our strength? Are you facing a situation where someone has wronged you? Ask God to help you not to be overcome by his/her evil but to overcome the evil with good. Say Philippians 4:13, inserting your own name!
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