1.
Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise;
Title. A Psalm. Hebrew. mizmor. App-65 .
of David. See note on Psalms 108:1 (Title).
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .
of. Genitive of Relation : i.e. Whom I praise. Compare Deuteronomy 10:21 .
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.
the wicked = a lawless one. Hebrew. rasha'. App-44 .
They have spoken against me. See verses: Psalms 109:6-19 for what they spoke.
3.
They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause.
words of hatred. Written down in verses: Psalms 109:6-15 . Compare 2 Samuel 16:5-13 for the type.
without a cause. Compare John 15:25 .
4.
For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer.
I give myself unto prayer = I [am all] prayer. Compare Psalms 120:7 "I [am all] peace". As here in verses: Psalms 109:1-5 and verses: Psalms 109:21-27 .
5.
And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.
rewarded me = set or put against me. Syriac reads "returned me". Not the same word as in Psalms 109:20 , though the same thing is referred to.
evil. Hebrew. ra ' a' . App-44 .
for my love. Note here the Ellipsis of the verb "saying", emphasizing what is said rather than the saying of it. This verb has often to be thus supplied. See Genesis 26:7 . 1 Kings 20:34 .Psalms 2:2 ; Psalms 144:12 .Proverbs 1:21 .Isaiah 5:9 ; Isaiah 14:8 ; Isaiah 18:2 ; Isaiah 22:13 ; Isaiah 24:14 , Isaiah 24:15 ; Isaiah 28:9 . Jeremiah 9:19 ; Jeremiah 11:19 ; Jeremiah 50:5 .Lamentations 3:41 .Hosea 14:8 . Acts 9:6 ; Acts 10:15 ; Acts 14:22 , &c. See note on Psalms 144:12 .
6.
Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand.
Set Thou = "[saying] Set Thou", &c. See note above. Note the Parenthesis ( App-6 ), verses: Psalms 109:6-15 .
And let Satan = And then Satan will.
Satan = an adversary.
7.
When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer become sin.
sin. Hebrew. chata. App-44 .
8.
Let his days be few; and let another take his office.
let another, &c. Quoted, but not fulfilled in Acts 1:20 .
office = overseership.
9.
Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.
children = sons.
10.
Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places.
vagabonds = wanderers.
seek their bread also out. Septuagint and Vulg, read "driven out".
11.
Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil his labour.
catch = lay a snare for. Compare 1 Samuel 28:9 .
12.
Let there be none to extend mercy unto him: neither let there be any to favour his fatherless children.
mercy = kindness, or grace.
13.
Let his posterity be cut off; and in the generation following let their name be blotted out.
their name. Some codices, with Septuagint and Vulgate, read "His name".
14.
Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the LORD; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.
iniquity. Hebrew. 'avah. App-44 .
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
15.
Let them be before the LORD continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.
Let them be, &c. This verse is the end of the Parenthesis, which begins with Psalms 109:6 .
16.
Because that he remembered not to shew mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart.
Psalms 109:16 is a return to the subject of verses: Psalms 109:1-5 , and by the same speaker of verses: Psalms 109:1-5 .
the poor = an oppressed one (Psalms 109:22 ).
man. Hebrew ' i s h . App-14 .
the broken in heart = one broken in heart. Compare Psalms 109:22 ; Psalms 69:20 .
17.
As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.
18.
As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones.
19.
Let it be unto him as the garment which covereth him, and for a girdle wherewith he is girded continually.
20.
Let this be the reward of mine adversaries from the LORD, and of them that speak evil against my soul.
Let this be = This is. Psalms 109:16 is a return to the subject of verses: Psalms 109:1-5 , and by the same speaker of verses: Psalms 109:1-5 .
reward = work. Not the same word as in Psalms 109:5 .
from the LORD = from Jehovah. It was He Who permitted it. Compare Psalms 109:27 , "This is Thy hand; Thou, LORD, hast done it". See Psalms 22:15 ; Psalms 38:2 , Psalms 38:3 ; Psalms 39:9 , Psalms 39:10 . Compare 2 Samuel 16:11 , "the LORD hath bidden him".
speak evil. See verses: Psalms 109:6-19 for the evil spoken.
soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13 .
21.
But do thou for me, O GOD the Lord, for thy name's sake: because thy mercy is good, deliver thou me.
GOD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
the Lord. Hebrew Adonai. App-4 .
name's. See note on Psalms 20:1 .
22.
For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
poor = oppressed. Refers to Messiah. Compare Psalms 109:16 . See Psalms 40:17 ; Psalms 69:29 ; Psalms 70:5 ; Psalms 86:1 .
heart. Compare Psalms 109:16 .
23.
I am gone like the shadow when it declineth: I am tossed up and down as the locust.
24.
My knees are weak through fasting; and my flesh faileth of fatness.
25.
I became also a reproach unto them: when they looked upon me they shaked their heads.
26.
Help me, O LORD my God: O save me according to thy mercy:
27.
That they may know that this is thy hand; that thou, LORD, hast done it.
this is Thy hand. See note on "from the LORD", Psalms 109:20 . Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6 , for what is done by the hand.
Thou, LORD, hast done it. See note on Psalms 109:20 . The same is said of Messiah's exaltation. See Psalms 118:23 .
28.
Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice.
Let them curse. As in verses: Psalms 109:6-15
let Thy servant rejoice = Thy servant shall rejoice.
29.
Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a mantle.
Let mine, &c. Contrast this with the malignity of verses: Psalms 109:6-19 and characterized in verses: Psalms 109:16-19 .
30.
I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude.
31.
For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those that condemn his soul.
He shall stand, &c. Contrast this with Psalms 109:6 .
poor = needy. Not the same word as in Psalms 109:16 .
condemn his soul. Compare the Structure, Psalms 109:20 , with Psalms 109:31 .