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Commentary on Psalms 69 verses 22–29
These imprecations are not David's prayers against his enemies, but prophecies of the destruction of Christ's persecutors, especially the Jewish nation, which our Lord himself foretold with tears, and which was accomplished about forty years after the death of Christ. The first two verses of this paragraph are expressly applied to the judgments of God upon the unbelieving Jews by the apostle (Rom 11:9, Rom 11:10), and therefore the whole must look that way. The rejection of the Jews for rejecting Christ, as it was a signal instance of God's justice and an earnest of the vengeance which God will at last take on all that are obstinate in their infidelity, so it was, and continues to be, a convincing proof of the truth of the Christian religion. One great objection against it, at first, was, that it set aside the ceremonial law; but its doing so was effectually justified, and that objection removed, when God so remarkably set it aside by the utter destruction of the temple, and the sinking of those, with the Mosaic economy, that obstinately adhered to it in opposition to the gospel of Christ. Let us observe here,
I. What the judgments are which should come upon the crucifiers of Christ; not upon all of them, for there were those who had a hand in his death and yet repented and found mercy (Act 2:23; Act 3:14, Act 3:15), but upon those of them and their successors who justified it by an obstinate infidelity and rejection of his gospel, and by an inveterate enmity to his disciples and followers. See Th1 2:15, Th1 2:16. It is here foretold,
1.That their sacrifices and offerings should be a mischief and prejudice to them (Psa 69:22): Let their table become a snare. This may be understood of the altar of the Lord, which is called his table and theirs because in feasting upon the sacrifices they were partakers of the altar. This should have been for their welfare or peace (for they were peace-offerings), but it became a snare and a trap to them; for by their affection and adherence to the altar they were held fast in their infidelity and hardened in their prejudices against Christ, that altar which those had no right to eat of who continued to serve the tabernacle, Heb 13:10. Or it may be understood of their common creature-comforts, even their necessary food; they had given Christ gall and vinegar, and therefore justly shall their meat and drink be made gall and vinegar to them. When the supports of life and delights of sense, through the corruption of our nature, become an occasion of sin to us, and are made the food and fuel of our sensuality, then our table is a snare, which is a good reason why we should never feed ourselves without fear, Jde 1:12.
2.That they should never have the comfort either of that knowledge or of that peace which believers are blessed with in the gospel of Christ (Psa 69:23), that they should be given up, (1.) To a judicial blindness: Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not the glory of God in the face of Christ. Their sin was that they would not see, but shut their eyes against the light, loving darkness rather; their punishment was that they should not see, but be given up to their own hearts' lusts, which were hardening, and the god of this world should be permitted to blind their minds, Co2 4:4. This was foretold concerning them (Isa 6:10), and Christ ratified it, Mat 13:14, Mat 13:15; Joh 12:40. (2.) To a judicial terror. There is a gracious terror, which opens the way to comfort, such as that of Paul (Act 9:6); he trembled and was astonished. But this is a terror that shall never end in peace, but shall make their loins continually to shake, through horror of conscience, as Belshazzar, when the joints of his loins were loosed. "Let them be driven to despair, and filled with constant confusion." This was fulfilled in the desperate counsels of the Jews when the Romans came upon them.
3.That they should fall and lie under God's anger and fiery indignation (Psa 69:24): Pour out thy indignation upon them. Note, Those who reject God's great salvation proffered to them may justly fear that his indignation will be poured out upon them; for those that submit not to the Son of his love will certainly be made the generation of his wrath. It is the doom passed on those who believe not in Christ that the wrath of God abideth on them (Joh 3:36); it takes hold of them, and will never let them go. Salvation itself will not save those that are not willing to be ruled by it. Behold the goodness and severity of God!
4.That their place and nation should be utterly taken away, the very thing they were afraid of, and to prevent which, as they pretended, they persecuted Christ (Joh 11:48): Let their habitation be desolate (Psa 69:25), which was fulfilled when their country was laid waste by the Romans, and Zion, for their sakes, was ploughed as a field, Mic 3:12. The temple was the house which they were in a particular manner proud of, but this was left unto them desolate, Mat 23:38. Yet that is not all; it ought to be some satisfaction to us, if we be cut off from the enjoyment of our possessions, that others will have the benefit of them when we are dislodged: but it is here added, Let none dwell in their tents, which was remarkably fulfilled in Judah and Jerusalem, for after the destruction of the Jews it was long ere the country was inhabited to any purpose. But this is applied particularly to Judas, by St. Peter, Act 1:20. For, he being felo de se - a suicide, we may suppose his estate was confiscated, so that his habitation was desolate and no man of his own kindred dwelt therein.
5.That their way to ruin should be downhill, and nothing should stop them, nor interpose to prevent it (Psa 69:27): "Lord, leave them to themselves, to add iniquity to iniquity." Those that are bad, if they be given up to their own hearts' lusts, will certainly be worse; they will add sin to sin, nay, they will add rebellion to their sin, Job 34:37. It is said of the Jews that they filled up their sin always, Th1 2:16. Add the punishment of iniquity to their iniquity (so some read it), for the same word signifies both sin and punishment, so close is their connexion. If men will sin, God will reckon for it. But those that have multiplied to sin may yet find mercy, for God multiplies to pardon, through the righteousness of the Mediator; and therefore, that they might be precluded from all hopes of mercy, he adds, Let them not come into thy righteousness, to receive the benefit of the righteousness of God, which is by faith in a Mediator, Phi 3:9. Not that God shuts out any from that righteousness, for the gospel excludes none that do not by their unbelief exclude themselves; but let them be left to take their own course and they will never come into this government; for being ignorant of the demands of God's righteousness, and going about to establish the merit of their own, they have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God, Rom 10:3. And those that are so proud and self-willed that they will not come into God's righteousness shall have their doom accordingly; they themselves have decided it: they shall not come into his righteousness. Let not those expect any benefit by it that are not willing and glad to be beholden to it.
6.That they should be cut off from all hopes of happiness (Psa 69:28): Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; let them not be suffered to live any longer, since, the longer they live, the more mischief they do. Multitudes of the unbelieving Jews fell by sword and famine, and none of those who had embraced the Christian faith perished among them; the nation, as a nation, was blotted out, and became not a people. Many understand it of their rejection from God's covenant and all the privileges of it; that is the book of the living: "Let the commonwealth of Israel itself, Israel according to the flesh, now become alienated from that covenant of promise which hitherto it has had the monopoly of. Let it appear that they were never written in the Lamb's book of life, but reprobate silver let men call them, because the Lord has rejected them. Let them not be written with the righteous; that is, let them not have a place in the congregation of the saints when they shall all be gathered in the general assembly of those whose names are written in heaven," Psa 1:5.
II. What the sin is for which these dreadful judgments should be brought upon them (Psa 69:26): They persecute him whom thou hast smitten, and talk to the grief of thy wounded. 1. Christ was he whom God had smitten, for it pleased the Lord to bruise him, and he was esteemed stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted, and therefore men hid their faces from him, Isa 53:3, Isa 53:4, Isa 53:10. They persecuted him with a rage reaching up to heaven; they cried, Crucify him, crucify him. Compare that of St. Peter with this, Act 2:23. Though he was delivered by the counsel and foreknowledge of God, it was with wicked hands that they crucified and slew him. They talked to the grief of the Lord Jesus when he was upon the cross, saying, He trusted in God, let him deliver him, than which nothing could be said more grieving. 2. The suffering saints were God's wounded, wounded in his cause and for his sake, and them they persecuted, and talked to their grief. For these things wrath came upon them to the uttermost, Th1 2:16; and see Mat 23:34, etc. This may be understood more generally, and it teaches us that nothing is more provoking to God than to insult over those whom he has smitten, and to add affliction to the afflicted, upon which it justly follows here, Add iniquity to iniquity; see Zac 1:15. Those that are of a wounded spirit, under trouble and fear about their spiritual state, ought to be very tenderly dealt with, and care must be taken not to talk to their grief and not to make the heart of the righteous sad.
III. What the psalmist thinks of himself in the midst of all (Psa 69:29): "But I am poor and sorrowful; that is the worst of my case, under outward afflictions, yet written among the righteous, and not under God's indignation as they are." It is better to be poor and sorrowful, with the blessing of God, than rich and jovial and under his curse. For those who come into God's righteousness shall soon see an end of their poverty and sorrow, and his salvation shall set them up on high, which is the thing that David here prays for, Isa 61:10. This may be applied to Christ. He was, in his humiliation, poor and sorrowful, a man of sorrows, and that had not where to lay his head. But God highly exalted him; the salvation wrought for him, the salvation wrought by him, set him up on high, far above all principalities and powers.
A second time, in fact, let us show that Christ has already come, [as foretold] through the prophets, and has suffered, and has already been received back in the heavens and will come from there according to the predictions prophesied. For, after his advent, we read, according to Daniel, that the city itself had to be destroyed; and we recognize that it has indeed happened. For the Scripture says that “the city and the holy place are simultaneously destroyed together with the leader”—undoubtedly [that Leader] who was to come “from Bethlehem” and from the tribe of “Judah.” Whence, again, it is manifest that “the city must simultaneously be destroyed” at the time when its “Leader” had to suffer in it, [as foretold] through the Scriptures of the prophets, who say, “I have outstretched my hands the whole day to a rebellious people who contradict me, who walk in a way that is not good, but after their own sins.” And in the Psalms, David says, “They pierced my hands and feet: they counted all my bones; they themselves, moreover, stare and gloat over me, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” David did not suffer these things so as to seem to have spoken properly of himself but of Christ who was crucified.
Now, to counter all opinions of this kind, let me dispel at once the preliminary idea on which they13 rest their assertion that the prophets make all their announcements in figures of speech. Now, if this were true, the figures [of speech] themselves could not possibly have been distinguished, inasmuch as the truths would not have been declared, from which the figurative language is derived. And, indeed, if all are figures, where will that be of which they are the figures? How can you hold up a mirror to your face, if your face did not exist? But, in truth, all are not figures, but there are also literal statements; nor are all shadows, but there are bodies too, so that we even have prophecies about the Lord himself, which are clearer than daylight. For it was not figuratively that the Virgin conceived in her womb; nor in a trope did she bear Emmanuel, that is, Jesus, God with us. Even granting that he was figuratively to take the power of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria, still it was literally that he was to “enter into judgment with the elders and princes of the people.” For in the person of Pilate “the heathen raged,” and in the person of Israel “the people imagined vain things”; “the kings of the earth” in Herod, and the rulers in Annas and Caiaphas, were gathered together against the Lord and “against his anointed.” He, again, was “led as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a sheep before the shearer,” that is, Herod, “is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.” “He gave his back to scourges, and his cheek to blows, not turning his face even from the shame of spitting.” “He was numbered with the transgressors.” “He was pierced in his hands and his feet.” “They cast lots for his raiment”; “they gave him gall and made him drink vinegar”; “they shook their heads and mocked him.” “He was appraised by the traitor for thirty pieces of silver.” What figures of speech does Isaiah here give us? What tropes does David? What allegories does Jeremiah? Not even of his mighty works have they used parabolic language. Or else, were not the eyes of the blind opened? Did not the tongue of the dumb recover speech? Did not the relaxed hands and palsied knees become strong, and the lame leap as a hart? No doubt we are accustomed also to give a spiritual significance to these statements of prophecy, according to the analogy of the physical diseases that were healed by the Lord; but still they were all fulfilled literally, thus showing that the prophets foretold both senses, except that very many of their words can only be taken in a pure and simple signification and free from all allegorical obscurity, as when we hear of the downfall of nations and cities of Tyre.… Who would prefer affixing a metaphorical interpretation to all these events, instead of accepting their literal truth? The realities are involved in the words, just as the words are read in the realities. Thus, we find that the allegorical style is not used in all parts of the prophetic record, although it occasionally occurs in certain portions of it.
And furthermore David said concerning his passion, “For my food they gave gall, and for my thirst they did give me vinegar to drink.” Again he said in that passage, “They have persecuted him whom you have struck and have added to the affliction of him that was slain.” For they added many [afflictions] to him, much that was not written concerning him, cursings and revilings, such as the Scripture could not reveal, for their revilings were hateful. But, however, “the Lord was pleased to humiliate him and afflict him.” And “he was slain for our iniquity,” and “was humiliated for our sins and was made sin in his own person.”
Since the holy God has promised those who hope in him a means of escape from every affliction, we, even if we have been cut off in the midst of a sea of evils and are racked by the mighty waves stirred up against us by the spirits of wickedness, nevertheless endure in Christ who strengthens us, and we have not slackened the intensity of our zeal for the churches, nor do we, as in a storm when the waves rise high, expect destruction. We still hold fast to our earnest endeavors as much as is possible, sensible of the fact that he who was swallowed by the whale was considered deserving of safety because he did not despair of his life but cried out to the Lord. So, then, when we have reached the uttermost limit of evils, we do not stop hoping in the Lord, but we watch and see his help on all sides. Therefore, we have now turned also to you, our most honored brothers, whom we frequently expected to come to our aid in the time of tribulations. When we were disappointed in our hope, we also said to ourselves, “I looked for one that would pity me, but there was none, and for those that would comfort me, but I found none.” Our sufferings are such as to have reached even to the limits of our inhabited world; if, when one member suffers, all the members suffer along with it, surely it was proper for you in your mercy also to be compassionate toward us who have been suffering for a long time. Not the nearness of the places, but the union of spirit, is apt to engender the friendship that we believe is entertained for us by your charity.
Why so? "For Him whom You have smitten they have themselves persecuted, and upon the pain of my wounds they have added" [Psalm 69:27]. How then have they sinned if they have persecuted one by God smitten? What sin is ascribed to their mind? Malice. For the thing was done in Christ which was to be. To suffer indeed He had come, and He punished him through whom He suffered. For Judas the traitor was punished, and Christ was crucified: but us He redeemed by His blood, and He punished him in the matter of his price. For he threw down the price of silver, for which by him the Lord had been sold; [Matthew 27:5] and he knew not the price wherewith he had himself by the Lord been redeemed. This thing was done in the case of Judas. But when we see that there is a sort of measure of requital in all men, and that not any one can be suffered to rage more than he has received power to do: how have they "added," or what is that smiting of the Lord? Without doubt He is speaking in the person of him from whom He had received a body, from whom He had taken unto Him flesh, that is in the person of mankind, of Adam himself who was smitten with the first death because of his sin. [Genesis 3:6] Mortal therefore here are men born, as born with their punishment: to this punishment they add, whosoever do persecute men. For now here man would not have had to die, unless God had smitten him. Why then do you, O man, rage more than this? Is it little for a man that some time he is to die? Each one of us therefore bears his punishment: to this punishment they would add that persecute us. This punishment is the smiting of the Lord. For the Lord smote man with the sentence: "What day you shall have touched it," He says, "with death you shall die." [Genesis 2:17] Out of this death He had taken upon Him flesh, and our old man has been crucified together with Him. [Romans 6:6] By the voice of that man He has said these words, "Him whom You have smitten they have themselves persecuted, and upon the pain of My wounds they have added." Upon what pain of wounds? Upon the pain of sins they have themselves added. For sins He has called His wounds. But do not look to the Head, consider the Body; according to the voice whereof has been said by the Same in that Psalm, wherein He showed there was His voice, because in the first verse thereof He cried from the Cross, "God, My God, look upon Me, why have You forsaken Me?" There in continuation He says, "Afar from My safety are the words of Mine offenses."...
It is evident that those things do not happen in the church without causing great sadness to the saints and the faithful; may he console us who foretold all these things and who warned us not to grow cold because of the prevalence of iniquity but to persevere to the end that we may be saved. As far as I am concerned, if there is in me the smallest spark of the charity of Christ, "Who of you is weak, and I am not weak; who is scandalized and I am not on fire?" Do not increase my sufferings, therefore, by falling either into false suspicions or into the sins of others; do not, I beg of you, make me say of you, "And they have added to the grief of my wounds." For those who take pleasure in these sorrows of ours, of whom it was long ago foretold in the person of the body of Christ, "They that sat in the gate, spoke against me; and they that drank wine made me their song," are much more readily borne with; indeed, we have learned to pray for them and to wish them well. But, for what other purpose do they sit there, and what else do they aim at, except, when some bishop or cleric or monk or nun has fallen, that they may believe, assert and contend that all are like that—although it cannot be proved of all? Yet, when some married woman has been found to be an adulteress, they do not cast off their wives or accuse their mothers; but, when it is a case of those who profess a sacred calling, if some false charge has been rumored about or some true one has been published, they take it up, go to work on it, toss it about, so as to have it universally believed. Therefore, of those who take sweetness for their evil tongues from our sorrows, it is easy to compare them with those dogs, if, perchance, we are to take in an adverse sense, those who licked the sores of the beggar who lay before the rich man's gate and who bore hard and humiliating things until he came to rest in Abraham's bosom.
You have truly and in very many places read something that pertains to the detestable wickedness of your crime and to the voluntary suffering of the Lord. He himself speaks through Isaiah: “I gave my back to the scourges, my cheeks to striking hands; my face I did not shield from the insult of spittle.” He says through David, “They put gall in my food, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” On yet another occasion, he says through David, “Many dogs surround me, a pack of evildoers closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and my feet, they have numbered all my bones. They watched me carefully and examined me. They divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothes.” Lest only the kind of your crime might seem to be predicted and the power of the crucified one not foretold, you certainly did not read that the Lord descended from the cross. You did, however, read, “The Lord has reigned from the cross.”
That cluster of grapes that was brought from the land of promise on a lever across the shoulders of two men further prefigured Christ. Just as it was hung on the wood and brought by the services of those two men, so Christ, who came from the flesh of a virgin as from the promised land, was between both Testaments, between the two peoples of the Jews and Gentiles, and was hung on the wood of the cross. Now of the two men who walked beneath the burden of that cluster of grapes, the first one signified the Jewish people of whom it is said, “Let their eyes grow dim so that they cannot see, and keep their backs always feeble.” However, the man who came after prefigured our people, that is, the Gentiles who believe and keep Christ before their eyes. They intend always to follow him as a servant does his master or a disciple his teacher, as the Lord says in the Gospel: “If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.” Moreover, this cluster of grapes poured forth the wine of his blood that was pressed out under the weight of the cross for our salvation and gave the church that chalice of his passion to drink. For this reason it was said to the apostles at the time of the birth of the church, “They are full of new wine.”
“May his habitation become desolate, and may there be none to dwell in it, and may another take his office.” Indeed these verses are clear and plainly set forth by the blessed Peter’s interpretation. On the one hand Judas received a deserved penalty for his double-dealing, and as he went to his own proper place (namely, infernal hell), by his untimely and impious death he forsook the common dwelling place of the human way of life. On the other hand, however, by Matthias’s acceptance of the place of his [Judas’s] ministry and apostolate, the most sacred fullness of apostolic perfection was restored.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 69:27 is a profound imprecatory prayer embedded within a deeply personal lament, where the psalmist, overwhelmed by intense suffering, betrayal, and unprovoked injustice, appeals directly to God for divine judgment against his adversaries. The verse specifically requests that the full measure of their existing and accumulating sin be recognized and accounted for, leading to increased judicial guilt and condemnation, and that they be decisively denied access to God's saving righteousness and divine favor. This plea reflects a foundational Old Testament understanding of God as the ultimate righteous judge who will infallibly bring justice to bear upon the wicked, vindicating the righteous and upholding His moral order.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Psalm 69 is a poignant and intense individual lament, traditionally attributed to David, expressing profound distress, betrayal, and relentless persecution. It stands as one of the most significant imprecatory psalms, characterized by the psalmist's fervent pleas for God's direct intervention and severe judgment against his enemies, particularly evident in the section spanning Psalms 69:22-28. The psalm commences with vivid, almost suffocating imagery of being engulfed by "deep waters" and sinking in "deep mire" (Psalms 69:1-2), powerfully conveying a state of extreme distress, isolation, and imminent peril. The imprecatory section, where verse 27 is situated, follows extensive descriptions of the psalmist's unmerited suffering, his appeals for divine deliverance, and his unwavering commitment to God despite his affliction. This placement suggests that these curses are not born of mere personal vindictiveness but rather from a profound and righteous longing for God's covenantal justice to be re-established in a world seemingly dominated by unpunished malice and defiance of divine law. This section thus functions as a desperate cry for God's righteous judgment in the face of persistent and unprovoked evil.
Historical & Cultural Context: In ancient Israel, the concept of divine justice was an indispensable cornerstone of the covenant relationship between Yahweh and His people. God was universally understood as the righteous judge who would faithfully uphold His covenant by bestowing blessings upon obedience and inflicting punishment upon disobedience. Imprecatory prayers, while often jarring to modern sensibilities that prioritize personal forgiveness, were not expressions of personal vengeance in the contemporary sense. Instead, they were solemn appeals to God, the supreme and ultimate arbiter of justice, to act in accordance with His holy character and covenantal promises. Such prayers were deeply rooted in the theological conviction that God would indeed vindicate the righteous and bring just retribution upon the wicked, especially those who oppressed the innocent, defied divine law, or brought shame upon God's name. The psalmist, often a king or a representative figure of the community, perceived himself as suffering for the sake of righteousness or on behalf of God's people. Consequently, his appeal for judgment was fundamentally an appeal for God's honor and justice to be publicly displayed and definitively established, reflecting the pervasive societal expectation that wrongs would be righted through divine intervention and that God's moral order would ultimately prevail.
Key Themes: Psalms 69:27 significantly contributes to several overarching themes within Psalm 69 and the broader Psalter. Foremost is the pervasive theme of Divine Justice and Retribution, where the psalmist expresses an unwavering trust that God, as the perfectly righteous judge, will administer precise and equitable justice against those who inflict suffering and injustice. This verse specifically highlights the dire Consequences of Persistent Sin, portraying a judicial request for the full cumulative weight of the adversaries' accumulated wickedness to be brought to bear upon them, leading to an increase in their judicial guilt and deserved condemnation, echoing principles found in Deuteronomy 32:35. The severe plea, "and let them not come into thy righteousness," powerfully underscores the theme of Exclusion from God's Saving Grace and Favor, signifying a profound and ultimate spiritual separation from God's redemptive work, His truth, and His life-giving presence. This state of being cut off is often depicted in Scripture as a judicial hardening of heart or being "given over" to one's sin, as seen in passages like Romans 1:28. Ultimately, the entire imprecatory section, including this verse, implicitly and explicitly affirms the psalmist's deep-seated Trust in God's Sovereignty and Ultimate Authority to judge and determine the eternal spiritual standing of all people.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The primary literary device powerfully employed in Psalms 69:27 is Imprecation, which is a direct prayer or invocation of divine judgment and calamity upon someone. This verse is a clear and unvarnished plea to God for the condemnation of the psalmist's enemies, reflecting a deep-seated desire for divine retribution and the re-establishment of moral order. There is also a strong element of Parallelism at play, specifically an implied antithetical parallelism, between the accumulating "iniquity" of the enemies and the unapproachable "thy righteousness" of God. The psalmist desires that his adversaries remain firmly entrenched in their own wickedness, thereby ensuring their absolute exclusion from God's holy, just, and saving righteousness. This stark juxtaposition underscores the vast, unbridgeable chasm between the unrighteousness of humanity in rebellion against God and the perfect, unblemished righteousness of God, thereby emphasizing the profound severity and terrifying finality of being cut off from divine favor.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 69:27, as a potent imprecatory prayer, highlights the profound biblical truth that God is an absolutely righteous judge who will ultimately bring all sin to a full and just account. It underscores the immense gravity of persistent, unrepentant wickedness and the severe, eternal consequences of remaining outside God's saving grace. While challenging for modern readers accustomed to the New Testament's ethical imperatives of love for enemies, this verse reflects a deep and righteous longing for justice in a fallen world where evil often appears to triumph and the innocent suffer. It serves as a stark reminder that God's justice is not merely punitive but fundamentally restorative, aiming to re-establish His perfect moral order and vindicate His holy name. The ultimate separation from God's righteousness, as expressed in this verse, represents the most severe form of divine judgment, thereby emphasizing the incalculable preciousness and necessity of the divine gift of justification and reconciliation.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
This verse, though deeply rooted in a specific historical and theological context of Old Testament imprecation, offers profound and enduring truths for contemporary reflection and application. It serves as an unyielding reminder of the absolute holiness and perfect justice of God, and the profound seriousness with which He views sin and rebellion. The psalmist's fervent desire for the wicked to have "iniquity added unto their iniquity" and to be denied God's righteousness underscores the ultimate, terrifying consequence of persistent and unrepentant rebellion against the Almighty: complete and eternal spiritual alienation. For the believer in Christ, this should cultivate a profound and overwhelming appreciation for the boundless grace of God, who, in His perfect wisdom and love, has provided a way to "come into His righteousness" freely and fully through faith. It challenges us to engage in honest self-examination, to humbly confess our own sins, and to cling with unwavering devotion to the perfect righteousness graciously imputed to us through Christ. While the New Testament unequivocally calls us to love our enemies and pray for their salvation, this psalm simultaneously affirms that God is indeed a perfectly just judge who will, in His sovereign and perfect timing, rectify all wrongs, ensuring that no iniquity goes unaddressed and that His perfect righteousness ultimately prevails over all unrighteousness.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Is it permissible for Christians to pray imprecatory prayers like Psalms 69:27 today?
Answer: While Psalms 69:27 reflects a legitimate and understandable Old Testament cry for divine justice against those who actively oppose God's people and His righteous order, New Testament teaching generally calls believers to a higher and transformative standard of love and forgiveness, even towards enemies. Jesus Himself commanded His followers to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them. The New Testament emphasis shifts profoundly from personal vindication to entrusting all judgment to God, recognizing that He alone will execute perfect justice in His own perfect timing (Romans 12:19). Therefore, while understanding the psalmist's deep longing for justice and the theological basis for such prayers in the Old Covenant, Christians are typically encouraged to pray for the repentance, transformation, and salvation of their adversaries, rather than their condemnation, trusting God to be the ultimate, righteous, and sovereign judge of all.
What does "Add iniquity unto their iniquity" truly mean in this context?
Answer: This phrase does not mean that the psalmist is asking God to actively cause his enemies to commit more sin or to tempt them into further transgression. Instead, it is a profound judicial request for God to fully account for, reckon, and bring to bear the cumulative weight of all their existing and future acts of wickedness. It essentially means, "pile up their guilt," or "let their iniquity be fully and justly reckoned against them." It's a plea for the full and compounding consequences of their unrighteous actions to be brought upon them, leading to a greater measure of condemnation and deserved punishment in God's divine court. It reflects a desire for their guilt to be unequivocally exposed and judged according to its full extent, rather than being overlooked, mitigated, or left unpunished.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 69:27, with its raw cry for divine justice and the terrifying prospect of exclusion from God's righteousness, finds its ultimate fulfillment and profound transformation in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The very "iniquity" that the psalmist prays to be added to his enemies' account is precisely what Christ, the sinless Son of God, bore in its entirety on the cross. He, "who knew no sin, became sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21). The profound desire for exclusion from God's righteousness, a terrifying and damning prospect in the psalm, is miraculously overcome by Christ's atoning work, which offers free, unmerited, and complete access to that very righteousness for all who believe (Romans 3:21-22). While the psalmist calls for judgment upon his enemies, Jesus Himself, though perfectly innocent, willingly took on the full weight of divine judgment for all humanity, becoming the "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). Thus, the ultimate "adding of iniquity" was not to humanity's account but to Christ, who bore the full wrath of God for sin, allowing those who trust in Him to "come into His righteousness" and escape the very condemnation the psalmist invokes. For those who persistently reject Christ and His atoning sacrifice, however, the imprecatory nature of this psalm finds its final, solemn echo in the ultimate judgment where all unrighteousness will be justly accounted for, leading to eternal separation from God's glorious presence (Matthew 25:41).