TRV
Translation
King James Version
¶ To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise;
Complete Jewish Bible
For the leader. A psalm of David: God, whom I praise, don't remain silent!
Geneva Bible (1599)
To him that excelleth. A Psalme of David. Holde not thy tongue, O God of my praise.
Young's Literal Translation
To the Overseer. --A Psalm of David. O God of my praise, be not silent,
In the KJVVerse 15,757 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Commentary on Psalms 109 verses 1–5
1 ¶ To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise;
2 For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue.
3 They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause.
4 For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer.
5 And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.
It is the unspeakable comfort of all good people that, whoever is against them, God is for them, and to him they may apply as to one that is pleased to concern himself for them. Thus David here.
I. He refers himself to God's judgment (Psa 109:1): "Hold not thy peace, but let my sentence come forth from thy presence, Psa 17:2. Delay not to give judgment upon the appeal made to thee." God saw what his enemies did against him, but seemed to connive at it, and to keep silence: "Lord," says he, "do not always do so." The title he gives to God is observable: "O God of my praise! the God in whom I glory, and not in any wisdom or strength of my own, from whom I have every thing that is my praise, or the God whom I have praised, and will praise, and hope to be for ever praising." He had before called God the God of his mercy (Psa 59:10), here he calls him the God of his praise. Forasmuch as God is the God of our mercies we must make him the God of our praises; if all is of him and from him, all must be to him and for him.
II. He complains of his enemies, showing that they were such as it was fit for the righteous God to appear against. 1. They were very spiteful and malicious: They are wicked; they delight in doing mischief (Psa 109:2); their words are words of hatred, Psa 109:3. They had an implacable enmity to a good man because of his goodness. "They open their mouths against me to swallow me up, and fight against me to cut me off if they could." 2. They were notorious liars; and lying comprehends two of the seven things which the Lord hates. "They are deceitful in their protestations and professions of kindness, while at the same time they speak against me behind my back, with a lying tongue." They were equally false in their flatteries and in their calumnies. 3. They were both public and restless in their designs; "They compassed me about on all sides, so that, which way soever I looked, I could see nothing but what made against me." 4. They were unjust; their accusations of him, and sentence against him, were all groundless: "They have fought against me without a cause; I never gave them any provocation." Nay, which was worst of all, 5. They were very ungrateful, and rewarded him evil for good, Psa 109:5. Many a kindness he had done them, and was upon all occasions ready to do them, and yet he could not work upon them to abate their malice against him, but, on the contrary, they were the more exasperated because they could not provoke him to give them some occasion against him (Psa 109:4): For my love they are my adversaries. The more he endeavoured to gratify them the more they hated him. We may wonder that it is possible that any should be so wicked; and yet, since there have been so many instances of it, we should not wonder if any be so wicked against us.
III. He resolves to keep close to his duty and take the comfort of that: But I give myself unto prayer (Psa 109:4), I prayer (so it is in the original); "I am for prayer, I am a man of prayer, I love prayer, and prize prayer, and practise prayer, and make a business of prayer, and am in my element when I am at prayer." A good man is made up of prayer, gives himself to prayer, as the apostles, Act 6:4. When David's enemies falsely accused him, and misrepresented him, he applied to God and by prayer committed his cause to him. Though they were his adversaries for his love, yet he continued to pray for them; if others are abusive and injurious to us, yet let not us fail to do our duty to them, nor sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for them, Sa1 12:23. Though they hated and persecuted him for his religion, yet he kept close to it; they laughed at him for his devotion, but they could not laugh him out of it. "Let them say what they will, I give myself unto prayer." Now herein David was a type of Christ, who was compassed about with words of hatred and lying words, whose enemies not only persecuted him without cause, but for his love and his good works (Joh 10:32); and yet he gave himself to prayer, to pray for them. Father, forgive them.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–5. Public domain.
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Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 109
The Psalm, then, begins thus: "O God, be not silent as to my praise; for the mouth of the ungodly, yea, the mouth of the deceitful is opened upon me" [Psalm 109:1]. Whence it appears, both that the blame, which the ungodly and the deceitful is not silent of, is false, and that the praise, which God is not silent of, is true. "For God is true, but every man a liar;" [Romans 3:4] for no man is true, except him in whom God speaks. But the highest praise is that of the only-begotten Son of God, in which He is proclaimed even that which He is, the only-begotten Son of God. But this did not appear, but, when His weakness appeared, lay hid, when the mouth of the ungodly and deceitful was opened upon Him; and for this reason his mouth was opened, because His virtue was concealed: and he says, "the mouth of the deceitful was opened," because the hatred which was covered by deceit burst out into language.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 109:1 initiates one of the most fervent and emotionally charged psalms attributed to King David, serving as an urgent and direct appeal to God in a season of profound distress and betrayal. This verse sets the foundational tone for a desperate cry from a heart burdened by suffering and injustice, imploring the divine to break a perceived silence and intervene decisively. It simultaneously anchors the psalmist's unwavering trust in God as the ultimate object of his praise, affirming a deep relational faith even amidst overwhelming adversity.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 109:1 employs several potent literary devices that amplify its emotional and theological impact. The direct address, "O God," is a clear example of Apostrophe, establishing an immediate, intimate, and urgent dialogue with the divine. The phrase "Hold not thy peace" utilizes Personification, attributing the human action of "holding peace" or remaining silent to God, thereby vividly conveying the psalmist's perception of divine inaction or delayed response. This also functions as a profound Lament, a foundational genre within the Psalms, where the psalmist expresses deep distress, pain, and appeals to God for help and intervention. The title "God of my praise" is a powerful form of Appellation or Epithet, a descriptive title that highlights a specific attribute or the nature of the psalmist's relationship with God, reinforcing his deep trust and devotion even amidst dire circumstances. The entire verse serves as a compelling Invocation, a direct call upon God at the outset of a prayer, setting the tone for the intense plea for justice and vindication that follows.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 109:1 introduces a profound theological tension: the suffering of the righteous and the perceived silence of God, juxtaposed with unwavering faith in God's character as the object of all praise. This tension is a recurring theme throughout biblical literature, exploring how believers grapple with injustice, divine timing, and the mystery of God's ways. The psalmist's plea is not born of doubt in God's existence or power, but rather an earnest, almost desperate cry for God to manifest His justice and faithfulness in a tangible way. It demonstrates that even in the deepest anguish and feeling of abandonment, true worship continues to be directed towards the one true God. This verse sets the stage for a dramatic appeal for vindication, rooted in a deep, personal, and covenantal relationship with the divine.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 109:1 serves as a profound reminder that authentic faith allows for raw, honest, and even desperate expression before God, especially when we feel He is silent or slow to act. The psalmist's fervent plea to "Hold not thy peace" validates our own moments of spiritual anguish, betrayal, or perceived abandonment. It teaches us that lament is not a sign of weak faith, but rather a deeply biblical and healthy way to process pain, grief, and injustice, trusting that God, whom we still call "the God of my praise," is faithful, hears our cries, and will respond in His perfect timing and way. This verse encourages persistence in prayer and a bold approach to the throne of grace, reminding us that our identity as worshippers of God remains constant, regardless of our circumstances. Our praise, even in its most desperate form, can be both a cry for help and an act of profound, enduring trust.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Is it appropriate for believers to pray "imprecatory" psalms like Psalm 109?
Answer: While the imprecations found later in Psalm 109 can be unsettling to modern readers, Psalm 109:1 itself is a lament, a direct and urgent cry for divine intervention. The broader context of imprecatory psalms (such as Psalms 109) must be understood within the ancient Near Eastern legal and covenantal framework, where appeals for justice were directed to God, the ultimate and righteous judge. These psalms express a righteous indignation against profound evil and a fervent longing for God's justice to prevail, rather than a personal desire for vindictive revenge. For New Testament believers, while we are called to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (as taught by Jesus in Matthew 5:44), these psalms still serve to validate our feelings of pain, betrayal, and injustice. They remind us that God is indeed a righteous judge and that ultimate justice belongs solely to Him. They teach us to commit our grievances to God, trusting Him to execute justice in His perfect timing and according to His perfect will, rather than taking matters into our own hands or harboring personal vengeance.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 109:1, with its raw and desperate plea for God to "Hold not thy peace," finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. While King David cried out in personal anguish from perceived betrayal, Jesus, the perfect Son of David and the sinless Lamb of God, experienced the ultimate betrayal and injustice, culminating in His agonizing cry from the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46). In that singular, pivotal moment, the Father did hold His peace, allowing the full, righteous wrath for humanity's sin to fall upon the Son, so that divine justice might be satisfied and eternal salvation secured for all who believe. Yet, Jesus also perfectly embodies the "God of my praise," as He perfectly glorified the Father in His earthly life, obedient death, and triumphant resurrection (John 17:4). His suffering, perceived abandonment, and ultimate vindication through resurrection demonstrate that God does not remain silent forever; His silence on the cross was for a redemptive purpose, leading to the breaking of death's power. Through Christ, the silence of judgment was broken by the triumph of grace, inaugurating a new covenant where believers, though they may suffer and feel unheard, can always approach the throne of grace with confidence because Jesus, our great High Priest, ever lives to intercede for us (Hebrews 7:25). Thus, David's desperate plea points forward to the One who truly endured divine silence for our sake, and through whom God's ultimate justice, faithfulness, and praise are eternally revealed.