Psalms 109:14

Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the LORD; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.

Let the iniquity {H5771} of his fathers {H1} be remembered {H2142} with the LORD {H3068}; and let not the sin {H2403} of his mother {H517} be blotted out {H4229}.

May the wrongs of his ancestors be remembered by ADONAI, and may the sin of his mother not be erased;

May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD, and the sin of his mother never be blotted out.

Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with Jehovah; And let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.

Psalms 109:14 is a profound and challenging verse found within an imprecatory psalm, where the psalmist, traditionally identified as David, pours out his intense distress and calls for divine judgment upon an adversary. This particular verse reflects a severe plea for the consequences of the enemy's ancestral sins to be remembered by God, rather than forgotten or forgiven.

Context

Psalm 109 is classified as an "imprecatory" psalm, meaning it contains strong petitions for God's judgment and curses upon enemies. The psalmist is facing slander, betrayal, and malicious accusations from those who have returned evil for his good. In his deep anguish and sense of injustice, he appeals directly to the Lord for intervention and retribution. Verses like 109:14 are expressions of a raw, human cry for justice in a world where injustice often seems to prevail, appealing to God as the ultimate righteous judge.

Key Themes

  • Divine Justice and Retribution: The verse is a fervent appeal to God to act as the righteous judge, not overlooking the accumulated wrongdoing of the enemy and their lineage. It underscores the psalmist's belief that God sees all and will ultimately bring about justice.
  • Generational Consequences of Sin: The phrase "Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the LORD; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out" speaks to the ancient Near Eastern concept, also present in parts of Old Testament law, that the sins of ancestors could have ramifications for their descendants. While later scripture emphasizes individual accountability (e.g., Ezekiel 18:20), this verse reflects a plea for the full weight of family sin to be considered in the enemy's judgment.
  • The Nature of Imprecatory Prayer: This verse highlights the intense and sometimes shocking nature of imprecatory psalms. They serve as honest expressions of human suffering and a desperate longing for God's intervention against profound evil, rather than prescriptions for personal vengeance.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "iniquity" is 'avon (עָוֹן), which carries the sense of perversity, guilt, or punishment for sin. It's not merely a mistake but a deliberate deviation from what is right. The phrase "blotted out" comes from the Hebrew machah (מָחָה), meaning to wipe away, erase, or obliterate. In other biblical contexts, God promises to blot out the sins of the repentant, but here, the psalmist desires the opposite for his enemy – that their sins, and those of their ancestors, be permanently held in remembrance before God.

Practical Application and Reflection

For the modern reader, Psalms 109:14 offers several points of reflection:

  • God's Justice: It reminds us that God is ultimately a God of justice who sees all wrongdoing. While we are called to love our enemies and pray for them (Matthew 5:44), the psalms give voice to the human struggle with injustice and the longing for divine intervention.
  • Understanding Old Testament Context: This verse helps us understand the ancient mindset regarding sin and its consequences, including the idea of generational impact, which is balanced by the New Testament's strong emphasis on individual responsibility and God's boundless grace for those who repent.
  • Contrast with Forgiveness: The desire for sins not to be "blotted out" for the enemy stands in stark contrast to the glorious promise of the new covenant, where God declares He will remember His people's sins no more. This highlights the immense mercy available through Christ, offering hope where human pleas for justice might be severe.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Exodus 20:5

    Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation] of them that hate me;

  • Nehemiah 4:5

    And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked [thee] to anger before the builders.

  • Jeremiah 18:23

    Yet, LORD, thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay [me]: forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight, but let them be overthrown before thee; deal [thus] with them in the time of thine anger.

  • Leviticus 26:39

    And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies' lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them.

  • 2 Samuel 21:8

    But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite:

  • 2 Samuel 21:9

    And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the hill before the LORD: and they fell [all] seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first [days], in the beginning of barley harvest.

  • 2 Kings 11:1

    ¶ And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal.

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