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Commentary on Psalms 109 verses 6–20
David here fastens upon some one particular person that was worse than the rest of his enemies, and the ringleader of them, and in a devout and pious manner, not from a principle of malice and revenge, but in a holy zeal for God and against sin and with an eye to the enemies of Christ, particularly Judas who betrayed him, whose sin was greater than Pilate's that condemned him (Joh 19:11), he imprecates and predicts his destruction, foresees and pronounces him completely miserable, and such a one as our Saviour calls him, A son of perdition. Calvin speaks of it as a detestable piece of sacrilege, common in his time among Franciscan friars and other monks, that if any one had malice against a neighbour he might hire some of them to curse him every day, which he would do in the words of these verses; and particularly he tells of a lady in France who, being at variance with her own and only son, hired a parcel of friars to curse him in these words. Greater impiety can scarcely be imagined than to vent a devilish passion in the language of sacred writ, to kindle strife with coals snatched from God's altar, and to call for fire from heaven with a tongue set on fire of hell.
I. The imprecations here are very terrible - woe, and a thousand woes, to that man against whom God says Amen to them; and they are all in full force against the implacable enemies and persecutors of God's church and people, that will not repent, to give him glory. It is here foretold concerning this bad man,
1.That he should be cast and sentenced as a criminal, with all the dreadful pomp of a trial, conviction, and condemnation (Psa 109:6, Psa 109:7): Set thou a wicked man over him, to be as cruel and oppressive to him as he has been to others; for God often makes one wicked man a scourge to another, to spoil the spoilers and to deal treacherously with those that have dealt treacherously. Set the wicked one over him (so some), that is, Satan, as it follows; and then it was fulfilled in Judas, into whom Satan entered, to hurry him into sin first and then into despair. Set his own wicked heart over him, set his own conscience against him; let that fly in his face. Let Satan stand on his right hand, and be let loose against him to deceive him, as he did Ahab to his destruction, and then to accuse him and resist him, and then he is certainly cast, having no interest in that advocate who alone can say, The Lord rebuke thee, Satan (Zac 3:1, Zac 3:2); when he shall be judged at men's bar let not his usual arts to evade justice do him any service, but let his sin find him out and let him be condemned; nor shall he escape before God's tribunal, but be condemned there when the day of inquisition and recompence shall come. Let his prayer become sin, as the clamours of a condemned malefactor not only find no acceptance, but are looked upon as an affront to the court. The prayers of the wicked now become sin, because soured with the leaven of hypocrisy and malice; and so they will in the great day, because then it will be too late to cry, Lord, Lord, open to us. Let every thing be turned against him and improved to his disadvantage, even his prayers.
2.That, being condemned, he should be executed as a most notorious malefactor. (1.) That he should lose his life, and the number of his months be cut off in the midst, by the sword of justice: Let his days be few, or shortened, as a condemned criminal has but a few days to live (Psa 109:8); such bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days. (2.) That consequently all his places should be disposed of to others, and they should enjoy his preferments and employments: Let another take his office. This Peter applies to the filling up of Judas's place in the truly sacred college of the apostles, by the choice of Matthias, Act 1:20. Those that mismanage their trusts will justly have their office taken from them and given to those that will approve themselves faithful. (3.) That his family should be beheaded and beggared, that his wife should be made a widow and his children fatherless, by his untimely death, Psa 109:9. Wicked men, by their wicked courses, bring ruin upon their wives and children, whom they ought to take care of and provide for. Yet his children, if, when they lost their father, they had a competency to live upon, might still subsist in comfort; but they shall be vagabonds and shall beg; they shall not have a house of their own to live in, nor any certain dwelling-place, nor know where to have a meal's-meat, but shall creep out of their desolate places with fear and trembling, like beasts out of their dens, to seek their bread (Psa 109:10), because they are conscious to themselves that all mankind have reason to hate them for their father's sake. (4.) That his estate should be ruined, as the estates of malefactors are confiscated (Psa 109:11): Let the extortioner, the officer, seize all that he has and let the stranger, who was nothing akin to his estate, spoil his labour, either for his crimes or for his debts, Job 5:4, Job 5:5. (5.) That his posterity should be miserable. Fatherless children, though they have nothing of their own, yet sometimes are well provided for by the kindness of those whom God inclines to pity them; but this wicked man having never shown mercy there shall be none to extend mercy to him, by favouring his fatherless children when he is gone, Psa 109:12. The children of wicked parents often fare the worse for their parents' wickedness in this way that the bowels of men's compassion are shut up from them, which yet ought not to be, for why should children suffer for that which was not their fault, but their infelicity? (6.) That his memory should be infamous, and buried in oblivion and disgrace (Psa 109:13): Let his posterity be cut off; let his end be to destruction (so Dr. Hammond); and in the next generation let their name be blotted out, or remembered with contempt and indignation, and (Psa 109:15) let an indelible mark of disgrace be left upon it. See here what hurries some to shameful deaths, and brings the families and estates of others to ruin, makes them and their despicable and odious, and entails poverty, and shame, and misery, upon their posterity; it is sin, that mischievous destructive thing. The learned Dr. Hammond applies this to the final dispersion and desolation of the Jewish nation for their crucifying Christ; their princes and people were cut off, their country was laid waste, and their posterity were made fugitives and vagabonds.
II. The ground of these imprecations bespeaks them very just, though they sound very severe. 1. To justify the imprecations of vengeance upon the sinner's posterity, the sin of his ancestors is here brought into the account (Psa 109:14, Psa 109:15), the iniquity of his fathers and the sin of his mother. These God often visits even upon the children's children, and is not unrighteous therein: when wickedness has long run in the blood justly does the curse run along with it. Thus all the innocent blood that had been shed upon the earth, from that of righteous Abel, was required from that persecuting generation, who, by putting Christ to death, filled up the measure of their fathers, and left as long a train of vengeance to follow them as the train of guilt was that went before them, which they themselves agreed to by saying, His blood be upon us and on our children. 2. To justify the imprecations of vengeance upon the sinner himself, his own sin is here charged upon him, which called aloud for it. (1.) He had loved cruelty, and therefore give him blood to drink (Psa 109:16): He remembered not to show mercy, remembered not those considerations which should have induced him to show mercy, remembered not the objects of compassion that had been presented to him, but persecuted the poor, whom he should have protected and relieved, and slew the broken in heart, whom he should have comforted and healed. Here is a barbarous man indeed, not it to live. (2.) He had loved cursing, and therefore let the curse come upon his head, Psa 109:17-19. Those that were out of the reach of his cruelty he let fly at with his curses, which were impotent and ridiculous; but they shall return upon him. He delighted not in blessing; he took no pleasure in wishing well to others, nor in seeing others do well; he would give nobody a good word or a good wish, much less would he do any body a good turn; and so let all good be far from him. He clothed himself with cursing; he was proud of it as an ornament that he could frighten all about him with the curses he was liberal of; he confided in it as armour, which would secure him from the insults of those he feared. And let him have enough of it. Was he fond of cursing? Let God's curse come into his bowels like water and swell him as with a dropsy, and let it soak like oil into his bones. The word of the curse is quick and powerful, and divides between the joints and the marrow; it works powerfully and effectually; it fastens on the soul; it is a piercing thing, and there is no antidote against it. Let is compass him on every side as a garment, Psa 109:19. Let God's cursing him be his shame, as his cursing his neighbour was his pride; let it cleave to him as a girdle, and let him never be able to get clear of it. Let it be to him like the waters of jealousy, which caused the belly to swell and the thigh to rot. This points at the utter ruin of Judas, and the spiritual judgments which fell on the Jews for crucifying Christ. The psalmist concludes his imprecations with a terrible Amen, which signifies not only, "I wish it may be so," but "I know it shall be so." Let this be the reward of my adversaries from the Lord, Psa 109:20. And this will be the reward of all the adversaries of the Lord Jesus; his enemies that will not have him to reign over them shall be brought forth and slain before him. And he will one day recompense tribulation to those that trouble his people.
"Let them always be against the Lord" [Psalm 109:14]. "Against the Lord," means in the Lord's sight: for other translators have rendered this line, "let them be always in the sight of the Lord;" while others have rendered it, "let them be before the Lord always;" as it is elsewhere said, "You have set our misdeeds in Your sight." By "alway," he means that this great crime should be without pardon, both here, and in a future life. "Let the memorial of them perish from off the earth:" that is, of his father and of his mother. By memorial of them, he means, that which is preserved by successive generations: this he prophesied should perish from the earth, because both Judas himself, and his sons, who were the memorial of his father and mother, without any succeeding offspring, as it is said above, were consumed in the short space of one generation.. ..
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SUMMARY
Psalms 109:14 is a profound imprecatory plea embedded within a psalm of lament, where the psalmist, overwhelmed by the malicious actions of adversaries, implores God to actively recall and hold accountable the iniquity of his enemy's ancestors. This verse articulates an intense desire for divine justice, requesting that the accumulated generational sin of the foe not be overlooked or forgiven by the Lord, but rather brought to bear in their judgment, reflecting a raw cry for retribution in the face of profound betrayal and injustice.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Psalm 109 stands as one of the most intense examples of imprecatory psalms within the Psalter, often grouped with others such as Psalm 35 and Psalm 69. The psalm commences with a desperate cry for God's intervention (verses 1-5), meticulously detailing the psalmist's suffering at the hands of deceitful and slanderous enemies who repay good with evil. The central section of the psalm (verses 6-19) then transitions into a series of vivid curses and petitions for divine judgment against a specific adversary, consistently referred to as "the wicked" or "my accuser." This segment is characterized by an overwhelming sense of injustice and a fervent appeal for God to act as the ultimate righteous judge. The psalmist's intention is not merely personal vengeance but an appeal to God's covenantal justice, trusting that the Lord will vindicate the innocent and punish the wicked. The psalm concludes with a renewed expression of trust in God's deliverance and praise for His faithfulness (verses 20-31), demonstrating that even amidst the darkest human anguish and the most severe imprecations, the psalmist's ultimate hope remains firmly in the Lord.
Historical & Cultural Context: In the ancient Near Eastern world, including ancient Israel, the understanding of sin and its consequences extended beyond purely individualistic terms to encompass a framework of corporate and generational responsibility. While later biblical texts like Ezekiel 18 would significantly emphasize individual accountability, the concept that the iniquity of fathers could impact future generations was a recognized principle, particularly evident in covenant curses and blessings (e.g., Exodus 20:5). This perspective does not imply that God punishes innocent descendants for their ancestors' sins, but rather that the entrenched patterns of sin, the societal consequences of unrighteous actions, and the structures shaped by such iniquity could indeed ripple through generations. The psalmist's plea in Psalms 109:14 reflects this cultural understanding, appealing for a comprehensive judgment that considers the full scope of the enemy's unrighteousness, including their ancestral lineage. Furthermore, imprecatory psalms often functioned as a form of legal appeal, bringing a case before the divine Judge when human justice systems proved inadequate, underscoring the profound belief that God alone could deliver perfect justice.
Key Themes: This verse significantly contributes to several overarching themes within Psalm 109 and the broader Psalter. Firstly, it powerfully articulates the theme of Divine Justice and Retribution. The psalmist's fervent appeal for God to "remember" the iniquity of the enemy's lineage underscores a deep-seated conviction that God is a righteous judge who perceives all wrongdoing and will ultimately bring about a just reckoning. This is not a call for human vengeance but a desperate cry for God's intervention to uphold cosmic order and moral rectitude. Secondly, the verse highlights the complex theme of Generational Consequences of Sin. By invoking "the iniquity of his fathers" and "the sin of his mother," the psalmist taps into the ancient understanding that patterns of sin and their resultant curses could extend beyond the individual, impacting their descendants. While balanced by later prophetic emphasis on individual responsibility (e.g., Jeremiah 31:29-30), this plea reflects a desire for the full weight of the enemy's unrighteous heritage to be considered in their judgment. Lastly, Psalms 109:14 exemplifies the Nature of Imprecatory Prayer itself. These psalms provide a divinely sanctioned outlet for intense human suffering, anger, and a desperate longing for justice in a world often marked by profound injustice. They are raw, honest expressions of pain and a fervent appeal to God as the only one capable of righting wrongs, rather than prescriptive commands for believers to curse their enemies.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 109:14 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its intense message. Parallelism is prominently featured in the verse's structure, with the two clauses mirroring each other in form and intensifying the request: "Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered" is powerfully paralleled by "and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out." This specific type of parallelism, in its spiritual implication, functions as antithetical parallelism, as it expresses the opposite of God's usual gracious act of blotting out sin for His people, thereby amplifying the severity of the desired judgment. The verse primarily utilizes Imprecation as its rhetorical mode, a direct address to God requesting harm or judgment upon an enemy. This is a defining characteristic of the genre of imprecatory psalms, serving as a divinely sanctioned outlet for intense suffering and a fervent plea for divine justice. Furthermore, there is an element of Personification in the way "iniquity" and "sin" are treated as tangible entities that can be "remembered" or "blotted out" by God, giving them a distinct presence before the divine court. The intensity of the language also borders on Hyperbole, reflecting the psalmist's extreme distress and the depth of the perceived betrayal, using strong, vivid terms to express a profound longing for comprehensive justice.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 109:14, with its plea for generational accountability, stands in a complex theological tension with other biblical teachings. While the Old Testament does acknowledge the concept of corporate solidarity and the potential for the consequences of sin to ripple through generations (e.g., the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:5), later prophetic books, particularly Ezekiel and Jeremiah, emphasize a strong shift towards individual accountability, stating that "The soul who sins will die" (Ezekiel 18:20). This development highlights a progression in revelation, clarifying that God does not punish innocent children for their parents' sins, but rather that patterns of sin and their societal consequences can persist. The psalmist's plea here is less about God punishing the innocent and more about God fully remembering and acting upon the cumulative weight of unrighteousness associated with the enemy's lineage, underscoring God's perfect justice and His active memory of all deeds. This contrasts sharply with God's promise to His repentant people to "blot out" their transgressions and "remember their sins no more," a theme central to the New Covenant.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 109:14 challenges modern readers to grapple with the raw, intense emotions expressed in the imprecatory psalms. It serves as a powerful reminder that the Bible does not shy away from the profound human experience of injustice, betrayal, and the desperate longing for divine intervention. While our New Testament calling is to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44), these psalms provide a divinely inspired, honest outlet for our own cries for justice when we feel deeply wronged. They teach us that it is permissible to bring our deepest pain, anger, and desire for vindication before God, trusting Him as the ultimate righteous Judge who alone can perfectly discern and execute justice. This verse also serves as a stark reminder of the gravity of sin, both individual and potentially generational in its patterns and consequences, and the profound contrast between the desire for judgment upon enemies and God's boundless grace that offers to blot out the sins of the repentant through Christ. It compels us to consider the nature of true justice and the ultimate source of vindication, encouraging us to surrender our desire for personal retribution to the One who judges righteously.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
How do we reconcile Psalms 109:14 with New Testament teachings on forgiveness and love for enemies?
Answer: Reconciling Psalms 109:14 with New Testament teachings requires understanding the nature of imprecatory psalms and the progression of biblical revelation. Firstly, imprecatory psalms are not commands for believers to curse their enemies, but rather honest, divinely inspired prayers from individuals under severe distress. They are appeals to God, the ultimate righteous Judge, to execute justice when human systems have failed. The psalmist is not taking vengeance into his own hands but entrusting it to the Lord. Secondly, the Old Testament, while containing principles of "an eye for an eye," also contains calls for justice, mercy, and even kindness to enemies (e.g., Proverbs 25:21). The New Testament, however, brings a fuller revelation of God's character in Christ, emphasizing radical love, forgiveness, and non-retaliation. Jesus commands His followers to "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:44), and Paul teaches, "Do not repay evil for evil" (Romans 12:17). Therefore, while Psalms 109:14 gives voice to a legitimate human cry for justice in the face of profound evil, it is not a prescriptive model for Christian behavior. Instead, it directs our longing for justice to God, who perfectly balances justice with mercy, ultimately fulfilled in Christ's atoning work, which addresses sin definitively and offers forgiveness to all who repent.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 109:14, with its raw plea for the remembrance of ancestral sin and the fervent desire that it not be "blotted out," finds its profound and redemptive fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While the psalmist longs for the full weight of sin to be held against his adversary, Christ's mission was precisely the opposite for those who believe: to take the full weight of sin upon Himself so that it could be blotted out. The "iniquity of his fathers" and "the sin of his mother" point to the universal reality of inherited sinfulness and the accumulated guilt of humanity, which only a perfect, substitutionary sacrifice could address. Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, became sin for us, though He knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). Through His crucifixion, Christ "blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to the cross" (Colossians 2:14), effectively erasing the record of our debt and guilt. The ultimate fulfillment of God's promise in the New Covenant is that He will "be merciful toward their iniquities, and their sins I will remember no more" (Hebrews 8:12, quoting Jeremiah 31:34). Thus, while the psalmist's cry for justice is a valid expression of human suffering, Christ provides the ultimate, merciful solution to the problem of sin, transforming the desire for remembered iniquity into the glorious reality of forgotten and forgiven transgression for all who come to Him in faith.