Psalm 109: Lessons From David for Seeking Deliverance from Evil, and His Warning of 14 Curses for Those Who Embrace Evil
Introduction: David was a man after God’s heart (Act 13:22). Thus, many are troubled that David would pray in Psalm 109 for God to curse his enemies. But David’s words should be interpreted as prophetic warnings for those who repay good with evil: “It is fair to note that the tone of these curses are generally in the form of prophecies rather than immediate curses. David predicted the righteous judgment to come rather than pronouncing it – though, he certainly wished for this judgment. 1 (David Guzik on Ps. 109) (emphasis in original). This reading is confirmed by the fact that the Apostle Peter quotes from Psalm 109 to apply it to Judas Iscariot (Ps. 109:6; Acts 1:20). “This psalm refers to Judas, for so Peter quoted it; but to ascribe its bitter denunciations to our Lord in the hour of his sufferings is more than we dare to do.” (Charles Spurgeon on Ps. 109).2 Although Christians should not pray for curses, they can and should pray for God’s discipline to lead sinners to repent. “The visitation of God’s justice leads some to repentance, and they are saved through judgment.” (James Hamilton on Ps. 109).3 In this context, Psalm 109 reveals David’s seven lessons for responding to evil. These include: (1) prayer, (2) love, (3) trust in God’s discipline to avenge wrongs and correct sinners, (4) seeking God’s mercy, (5) seeking God’s restoration, (6) seeking for God to be glorified, and (7) praise.
First, when faced with enemies who slandered David without a valid reason, David prayed for God to deliver him. God does not want you to take justice into your own hands. Instead, He wants you to turn to Him for your deliverance. Second, David showed love to his enemies. But his enemies repaid his love with evil. God also wants you to show love to those who persecute you. If they respond with evil, they bring judgment upon themselves. Third, David prayed for God to impose 14 types of curses for those who repay good with evil. Judas fulfilled one of these curses when he hung himself, and the disciples replaced him. God wants you to pray for those who have placed themselves under a curse to repent and turn back to Him. Fourth, David prayed for God to show him mercy in delivering him. David knew that he was a sinner as well. He had no right to deliverance based upon his own merit. God also wants you to pray for mercy because all have sinned and fallen short. Fifth, David cried out when he felt afflicted and needy because of the enemy’s attacks. When your enemies cause you harm, God also wants you to turn to Him for restoration. Sixth, David prayed for God to be glorified in helping him. God also wants you to pray for your suffering to fulfill His greater purposes and for non-believers to be reconciled with Him. Finally, David proclaimed that he would praise God before others. He had the faith to know that God would respond to his prayers and praise God even before He delivered him. God also wants you to respond to any trial that you experience by praising Him. This causes you to take your eyes off yourself. It allows God to strengthen you. It also allows for non-believers to see His light of hope and love within you when they experience a curse.
1. Prayer: When Faced with Evil, Pray for Your Deliverance. Ps. 109:1-3.
David petitioned God for deliverance from his enemies. Instead of taking justice into his own hands or seeking revenge, David cried out for God to stop his enemies from slandering him without a valid reason: “For the music director. A Psalm of David. 1 God of my praise, do not be silent! 2 For they have opened a wicked and deceitful mouth against me; they have spoken against me with a lying tongue. 3 They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, and have fought against me without cause.” (Ps. 109:1-3). “Whether David penned this psalm when he was persecuted by Saul, or when his son Absalom rebelled against him, or upon occasion of some other trouble that was given him, is uncertain; and whether the particular enemy he prays against was Saul, or Doeg, or Ahithophel, or some other not mentioned in the story, we cannot determine; but it is certain that in penning it he had an eye to Christ, his sufferings and his persecutors, for that imprecation (ver 8) is applied to Judas, Acts 1:20.” (Matthew Henry on Ps. 109).4
David repeatedly cried out for deliverance. Whenever he was under attack, David cried out for God to deliver him: “Arise, LORD; save me, my God! For You have struck all my enemies on the cheek; You have shattered the teeth of the wicked.” (Ps. 3:7). “Return, LORD, rescue my soul; save me because of Your mercy.” (Ps. 6:4). “Arise, Lord, in Your anger; raise Yourself against the rage of my enemies, and stir Yourself for me; You have ordered judgment. Let the assembly of the peoples encompass You, and return on high over it.” (Ps. 7:6-7). “Arise, LORD, confront him, make him bow down; save my soul from the wicked with Your sword,” (Ps. 17:13). “Stir Yourself, and awake to my right and to my cause, my God and my Lord.” (Ps. 35:23). “Wake Yourself up, why do You sleep, Lord? Awake, do not reject us forever.” (Ps. 44:23). “For no guilt of mine, they run and take their stand against me. Stir Yourself to help me, and see!” (Ps. 59:4). “O give us help against the adversary, for deliverance by man is in vain.” (Ps. 60:11). If you need deliverance, cry out to God. It shows your trust in Him to save you.
David’s requests for deliverance included slander. Slander was one of the many forms of attacks that David gave over to God: “His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression; under his tongue is harm and injustice.” (Ps. 10:7). “Let me not be put to shame, O LORD, for I call upon You; let the wicked be put to shame, let them be silent in Sheol. Let the lying lips be mute, which speak arrogantly against the righteous with pride and contempt.” (Ps. 31:17-18). “You love all words that devour, You deceitful tongue.” (Ps. 52:4). “The arrogant have forged a lie against me; with all my heart I will comply with Your precepts.” (Ps. 119:69). “Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.” (Ps. 120:2). If you are being slandered, let God defend you. He does not want you to take matters into your own hands by responding to evil with evil.
David’s enemies frequently slandered him5
Like David, Jesus’ enemies hated and slandered Him without a valid reason. David was a sinner. But he lamented that the charges against him on this occasion had no merit: “They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, and have fought against me without cause.” (Ps. 109:3). “For they hid their net for me without cause; without cause they dug a pit for my soul . . . Do not let those who are wrongfully my enemies rejoice over me; nor let those who hate me for no reason wink maliciously.” (Ps. 35:7, 19). “Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head; those who would destroy me are powerful, those who oppose me with lies; what I did not steal, I then have to restore.” (Ps. 69:4). Jesus later quoted from David to reveal that He was also hated without a valid reason: “But this has happened so that the word that is written in their Law will be fulfilled: ‘They hated Me for no reason.’” (Jo. 15:25). Thus, when you suffer, you can rest assured that Jesus knows your pain when you cry out to Him.
When others attack you, cry out to God for protection. David always turned to God in prayer when his enemies conspired against him: “For the choir director; on stringed instruments. A Maskil of David. Give ear to my prayer, O God; and do not hide Yourself from my supplication. Give heed to me and answer me; I am restless in my complaint and am surely distracted, because of the voice of the enemy, because of the pressure of the wicked; for they bring down trouble upon me and in anger they bear a grudge against me.” (Ps. 55:1-3). “Deliver me from all my transgressions; make me not the reproach of the foolish. I have become mute, I do not open my mouth, because it is You who have done it.” (Ps. 39:8-9). “Let them curse, but You bless; when they arise, they shall be ashamed, but Your servant shall be glad.” (Ps. 109:28). Like David, will you seek God’s protection when others attack you?
2. Love: When Faced With Evil, Love Your Enemies. Ps. 109:4-5.
David turned to God after his enemies responded to his love with evil. As a man of God, David showed love to his attackers. But they responded to his love with evil acts. David then placed his burdens before God: “4 In return for my love they act as my accusers; but I am in prayer. 5 So they have repaid me evil for good, and hatred for my love.” (Ps. 109:4-5). Jesus also showed love for His enemies by dying for their sins (Jo. 3:16). He also forgave them: “But Jesus was saying, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they cast lots, dividing His garments among themselves.” (Lk. 23:34). He also wants you to respond to your enemies with love (Matt. 5:44).
David showed love even though his attackers frequently responded with evil. David frequently complained when others repaid his good acts with evil ones (Ps. 109:4-5). “They repay me evil for good, to the bereavement of my soul.” (Ps. 35:12). “And those who repay evil for good, they become my enemies, because I follow what is good.” (Ps. 38:20). David experienced many examples of this. As one example, Saul repeatedly tried to kill him (e.g., 1 Sam. 18:24-30; 19:1-15). But even when he had opportunities to kill Saul, David refused to do so (e.g., 1 Sam. 24:3-7; 26:9-12). On one of these occasions, Saul repented: “And he [Saul] said to David, ‘You are more righteous than I; for you have dealt well with me, while I have dealt maliciously with you.”’ (1 Sam. 24:17). But Saul then continued to try to kill David. As another example, Absalom killed his brother, and David sparred his life. But Absalom then told lies about David in an effort to usurp his power: “Then Absalom would say to him, ‘See, your claims are good and right, but you have no one to listen to you on the part of the king.”’ (2 Sam. 15:3). David forgave Absalom and ordered his soldiers to avoid causing Absalom harm (2 Sam. 14:33). But Absalom continued with his coup attempt until he died. But David’s love and mercy sometimes bore fruit. Shimei once cursed and slandered David by falsely blaming him for Saul’s death (2 Sam. 16:5-6). David responded by showing Shimei forgiveness in the hopes that God would also forgive and restore him (2 Sam. 16:12). Shimei later repented of his sins, and David forgave him (2 Sam. 19:16-23). God wants you to follow David’s example by always showing love to those who attack you. Those who reject your overtures of love and forgiveness only bring judgment upon themselves.
David also once showed love to a captured enemy servant. On another occasion, David and his men were in a hurry to free their captured families from the Amalekites. But David stopped his men to help a dying Egyptian who served his enemy. (1 Sam. 30:11-15). David’s men most likely pleaded with David not to stop. They wanted to rescue their families. But David obeyed God’s calling to care for a stranger in need. God responded to David’s faith-led obedience by blessing him and his men’s families.
Show love to your attackers. Like David, Jesus encouraged believers to love and pray for their enemies: “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” (Matt. 5:44; Lk. 6:27-28; Ro. 12:12). “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head (Ro. 12:20). Not everyone will respond. But some will see God’s love through your kindness. When you are attacked, will you respond with God’s love?
Show God’s love to those who seek to cause you harm6
Do not fight evil with evil. It is easy to cry out to God when you have sinned. It is harder to surrender your right to fight back when you are innocent. This requires that you surrender your pride. God never wants you to respond to evil with evil (1 Pet. 3:9).
3. Trust: When Faced With Evil, Trust in God’s Discipline. Ps. 109:6-13.
David placed his trust in God’s divine justice. Instead of picking up a sword to avenge himself, David prophetically prayed for God’s justice for those who repay good with evil: “6 Appoint a wicked person over him, and may an accuser stand at his right hand. 7 When he is judged, may he come out guilty, and may his prayer become sin. 8 May his days be few; may another take his office. 9 May his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow. 10 May his children wander about and beg; and may they seek sustenance far from their ruined homes. 11 May the creditor seize everything that he has, and may strangers plunder the product of his labor. 12 May there be none to extend kindness to him, nor any to be gracious to his fatherless children. 13 May his descendants be eliminated; may their name be wiped out in a following generation. 14 May the guilt of his fathers be remembered before the Lord, and do not let the sin of his mother be wiped out. 15 May they be before the Lord continually, so that He may eliminate their memory from the earth; 16 because he did not remember to show mercy, but persecuted the afflicted and needy person, and the despondent in heart, to put them to death. 17 He also loved cursing, so it came to him; and he did not delight in blessing, so it was far from him. 18 But he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment, and it entered his body like water, and like oil into his bones. 19 May it be to him as a garment with which he covers himself, and as a belt which he constantly wears around himself. 20 May this be the reward of my accusers from the Lord, and of those who speak evil against my soul.” (Ps. 109:6-20). Although God wants to bless all mankind because He loves us, He may turn a blessing into a curse in order to humble a sinner and cause that person to repent: ‘“If you do not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My name,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have cursed them already, because you are not taking it to heart.”’ (Mal. 2:2).
Pray for those who face a potential curse to repent and turn back to God. Those who repay a good act with an evil act face a potential curse: “One who returns evil for good, evil will not depart from his house.” (Prov. 17:13). This also applied to David. He experienced a curse when he committed adultery with Bathsheba and then murdered her husband Uriah to conceal his sins: “Now then, the sword shall never leave your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.” (2 Sam. 12:10). But David’s pain led him to repentance and to cling to the Lord. When God is forced to discipline sinners, He also wants you to pray for them to repent.
1) Defeat and oppression. For those who are spiritually blind to the evil ruling over their hearts, God may allow their sins to become manifest in the form of an evil ruler: “6 Appoint a wicked person over him,” (Ps. 109:6b). To allow sinners to realize that they are in spiritual bondage, God sometimes allows believers to experience oppression so that they will turn back to Him: “25 The Lord shall cause you to be defeated before your enemies; you will go out one way against them, but you will flee seven ways before them, and you will be an example of terror to all the kingdoms of the earth.” (Dt. 28:25). “I will set My face against you so that you will be struck down before your enemies; and those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee when no one is pursuing you.” (Lev. 26:17). “His own iniquities will capture the wicked, and he will be held with the cords of his sin.” (Prov. 5:22). David summed up the suffering caused by a life of sin: “The cords of death encompassed me and the terrors of Sheol came upon me; I found distress and sorrow.” (Ps. 116:3). “For evils beyond number have surrounded me; my iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to see; they are more numerous than the hairs of my head, and my heart has failed me.” (Ps. 40:12). If you see someone in spiritual bondage, pray for them to repent and turn back to God.
2) Slander. Those who slander others can be placed under Satan’s subjugation: “and may an accuser stand at his right hand.” (Ps. 109:6). Other verses make clear that the “accuser” is Satan, “Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right to accuse him.” (Zech. 3:1). “[F]or the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down,” (Rev. 12:10). For those who are under Satan’s control, God again wants you to pray for their repentance and release.
3) Guilt. Unrepentant sinners will also be declared guilty under God’s Law: “7 When he is judged, may he come out guilty, . . .” (Ps. 109:7a). “One who is steadfast in righteousness attains life, but one who pursues evil attains his own death.” (Prov. 11:19). Without Jesus to atone for a person’s sins, breaking just one of God’s laws brings the judgment for breaking all of them: “For whoever keeps the whole Law, yet stumbles in one point, has become guilty of all.” (Jam. 2:10). “For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Ro. 6:23). Unless sinners see their need for a Savior, they are highly unlikely to turn to Jesus.
4) Unanswered prayers. God may also ignore evil prayers: “7 . . and may his prayer become sin.” (Ps. 109:7). Solomon also warned that God will ignore the wicked’s prayers: “One who turns his ear away from listening to the Law, even his prayer is an abomination.” (Prov. 28:9). Isaiah also repeated God’s warning: “So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; Yes, even though you offer many prayers, I will not be listening. Your hands are covered with blood.” (Is. 1:15). Jesus also repeated this warning for unrepentant sinners: “We know that God does not listen to sinners; but if someone is God-fearing and does His will, He listens to him.” (Jo. 9:31).
5) Chaos and instability. Sin can also lead to political chaos: “May his days be few; may another take his office.” (Ps. 29:8). The Apostle Peter reveals that this verse prophesied about Judas’ replacement: “For it is written in the book of Psalms: ‘May his residence be made desolate, and may there be made desolate, and may there be none living in it’; and, ‘may another take his office.”’ (Act 1:20). “This verse is well known to those who read the New Testament carefully. Judas Iscariot had betrayed the Lord and in the end hanged himself, thus becoming a curse. The apostles decided to find a replacement for him, and this passage which laid out imprecations on the adversaries confirmed that his office should be given to another (See Acts 1:20).” (Allen Ross on Ps. 109:6).7
6) Fatherless families. Among the many consequences of unrepentant evil, families can be left without fathers. “May his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.” (Ps. 109:9). Other Bible verses contain similar warnings: “and My anger will be kindled, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.” (Ex. 22:24). “Therefore, give their children over to famine and turn them over to the power of the sword; and let their wives become childless and widowed. Let their men also be slaughtered to death, their young men struck and killed by the sword in battle.” (Jer. 18:21). If sin has caused a family to fracture, pray for repentance and for the family to be reunited under Jesus’ authority as head of the family.
7) Poverty. Unrepentant sin can also place children into poverty: “May his children wander about and beg; and may they seek sustenance far from their ruined homes.” (Ps. 109:10). The Bible is filled with similar warnings: “I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging for bread.” (Ps. 37:25). “Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.” (Dt. 28:17). This is the reverse of God’s fourth blessing regarding food (Dt. 28:5). “You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes.” (Hagg. 1:6). Addiction, divorce, and other sins can bring curses upon children. When a family is broken and children suffer, pray for repentance and Jesus to mend the hearts of the brokenhearted.
8) Economic loss. Those who embrace sin also risk becoming the victims of economic loss: “May the creditor seize everything that he has, and may strangers plunder the product of his labor.” (Ps. 109:11). Other Bible verses contain similar warnings: “Your land is desolate, Your cities are burned with fire; as for your fields, strangers are devouring them in front of you; it is desolation, as overthrown by strangers.” (Is. 1:7). “Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our houses to foreigners.” (Lam. 5:2). “Their wealth will become plunder, and their houses desolate; yes, they will build houses but not inhabit them, and plant vineyards but not drink their wine.” (Zeph. 1:13). “you shall build a house, but you will not live in it; you shall plant a vineyard, but you will not use its fruit.” 31 Your ox shall be slaughtered before your eyes, but you will not eat of it; your donkey shall be torn away from you, and will not be restored to you; your sheep shall be given to your enemies, and you will have none to save you. . . . 33 A people whom you do not know shall eat up the produce of your ground and all your labors, ” (Dt. 28:30(b)-31, 33(a)). “[Y]ou will sow your seed uselessly, for your enemies will eat it up.” (Lev. 26:16(c)). “They will devour your harvest and your food; . . They will devour your flocks and your herds; they will devour your vines and your fig trees; . .” (Jer. 5:17(a)(c); Neh. 9:37; Ezek. 25:4). If God has been forced to discipline a sinner through economic hardship or loss, pray for their repentance and restoration.
9) Cruelty. Those who are cruel to others may also experience cruelty: “May there be none to extend kindness to him, nor any to be gracious to his fatherless children.” Ps. 109:12). Other Bible passages contain similar warnings: “33 . . . and you will never be anything but oppressed and crushed continually.” (Dt. 28:33(b)). “His sons are far from safety, they are also oppressed at the gate, and there is no one to save them.” (Job 5:4). When sinners are suffering, pray for God to use their suffering to lead to repentance.
10) Childless families. Serious sins can also lead to family descendants being wiped out: “May his descendants be eliminated; may their name be wiped out in a following generation.” (Ps. 109:13). “You will eliminate their descendants from the earth, and their children from among the sons of mankind.” (Ps. 21:10). “For the LORD loves justice and does not abandon His godly ones; they are protected forever, but the descendants of the wicked will be eliminated.” (Ps. 37:28b). “18 Cursed shall be the offspring of your body and the produce of your ground, the increase of your herd and the young of your flock . . . Your sons and your daughters shall be given to another people, while your eyes look on and yearn for them continually; but there will be nothing you can do.” (Dt. 28:18, 32, 41). “The LORD is righteous; for I have rebelled against His command; hear now, all peoples, and behold my pain; My virgins and my young men have gone into captivity.” (Lam. 1:18). “My tent is destroyed, and all my ropes are broken; my sons have gone from me and are no more. There is no one to stretch out my tent again or to set up my curtains.” (Jer. 10:20). When such tragedy occurs, pray for the victims to turn to God to find His restoration and comfort.
11) Generational curses. Serious sins can also result in generational curses. “May the guilt of his fathers be remembered before the LORD, and do not let the sin of his mother be wiped out.” (Ps. 109:14). “You shall not worship them nor serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, inflicting the punishment of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me,” (Ex. 20:5; 34:7; Nu. 14:18; Dt. 5:9). But God can restore a family when it repents and returns to Him.
12) Forgotten legacies. Unrepentant sinners can further die with any worldly legacy that they may have developed being quickly forgotten: “15 May they be before the Lord continually, so that He may eliminate their memory from the earth; 16 because he did not remember to show mercy, but persecuted the afflicted and needy person, and the despondent in heart, to put them to death.” (Ps. 109:15-16). “The face of the LORD is against evildoers, to eliminate the memory of them from the earth.” (Ps. 34:16). “The memory of him perishes from the earth, and he has no name abroad.” (Job 18:17). For those who accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, their memory will never be forgotten.
13) Permanent curses. For those who delight in evil and refuse to repent, they also face permanent curses: “17 He also loved cursing, so it came to him; and he did not delight in blessing, so it was far from him. 18 But he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment, and it entered his body like water, and like oil into his bones. 19 May it be to him as a garment with which he covers himself, and as a belt which he constantly wears around himself.” (Ps. 109:17-19). “For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.” (Matt. 7:2). “33 . . . and you will never be anything but oppressed and crushed continually . . . 45 So all these curses shall come on you and pursue you and overtake you until you are destroyed, because you would not obey the Lord your God by keeping His commandments and His statutes which He commanded you. 46 They shall become a sign and a wonder on you and your descendants forever. . . “58 If you are not careful to observe all the words of this law which are written in this book, to fear this honored and awesome name, the Lord your God, 59 then the Lord will bring extraordinary plagues on you and your descendants, even severe and lasting plagues,. . .” (Dt. 28:33(b), 45-6, 58-59(a)). But none of these curses are permanent for those who repent and turn back to God.
14) Reaping the evil that the sinner has sown. David warned his enemies that they could bear the consequences of their actions: “20 May this be the reward of my accusers from the Lord, and of those who speak evil against my soul.” (Ps. 109:20; 7:15-16). This warning is repeated throughout the Bible: “You have plowed wickedness, you have harvested injustice, you have eaten the fruit of lies.” (Hos. 10:13a). “One who sows injustice will reap disaster, and the rod of his fury will perish.” (Prov. 22:8). “Woe to the wicked! It will go badly for him, for what he deserves will be done to him.” (Is. 3:11). “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a person sows, this he will also reap.” (Gal. 6:7). But God may delay punishment to give sinners the chance to repent.
Trust God to be just and fair. The psalms are also filled with praises for God’s just and fair character in judging good and evil: “And He will judge the world in righteousness; He will execute judgment for the peoples fairly.” (Ps. 9:8). “Your throne, God, is forever and ever; the scepter of Your kingdom is a scepter of justice.” (Ps. 45:6). “May the nations be glad and sing for joy; for You will judge the peoples with fairness and guide the nations on the earth. Selah” (Ps. 67:4). “Say among the nations, ‘The LORD reigns; indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved; He will judge the peoples fairly.’ . . . Before the LORD, for He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in His faithfulness.” (Ps. 96:10, 13). “Before the LORD, for He is coming to judge the earth; He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with fairness.” (Ps. 98:9). “[B]ecause He has set a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all people by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:31). Even though evil may at times appear to be ramped, God will ultimately judge every evil act. But you need to have patience for God to act in His timing, not yours.
Trust God to avenge any wrongs against you. David trusted God to avenge him of any wrongs against him. David later wrote in a psalm “A Psalm of David. Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me.” (Ps. 35:1). God wants you to follow in David’s example. “You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD.” (Lev. 19:18). “Do not say, ‘I will repay evil’; wait for the LORD, and He will save you.” (Prov. 20:22; 24:29). “But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.” (Matt. 5:39; Lk. 6:29). “Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men.” (Ro. 12:17). “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘vengeance is mine, I will repay’ says the Lord.” (Ro. 12:19). Do you leave your vengeance to God? Or, do you right the wrongs against you?
4. Mercy: When Faced With Evil, Be Merciful to Receive Mercy. Ps. 109:21.
David prayed for God to show him mercy. Because David knew that he was a sinner, He prayed for God to be merciful in withholding judgment and delivering him: “21 But You, God, the Lord, deal kindly with me for the sake of Your name; because Your mercy is good, rescue me;” (Ps. 109:21). David knew that he was a sinner. Without the means for atonement that God provided, he knew that he faced the same curses.
Seek Jesus’ mercy for your sins, and show mercy to those who harm you8
Praise God for His everlasting love and mercy. The psalms are filled with praise for God’s everlasting love and mercy: “Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy is everlasting.” (Ps. 106:1). Other psalmists offered similar praises to God: “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His faithfulness is everlasting.” (1 Chr. 16:34). “But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting for those who fear Him, . . . ” (Ps. 103:17a). Every person has fallen short because of their sins (Ro. 3:23-24). Thus, God is owed praise for His mercy. But in order to receive God’s mercy, God also expects you to be merciful to others (Matt. 6:15).
David frequently prayed for God’s mercy. As our example, David repeatedly repented and cried out to God for mercy and deliverance: “Save me from all my wrongdoings; do not make me an object of reproach for the foolish.” (Ps. 39:8). “Save me from the guilt of bloodshed, God, the God of my salvation; Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.” (Ps. 51:14). “Help us, God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name; and save us and forgive our sins for the sake of Your name.” (Ps. 79:9). If you repent of your sins, Jesus is faithful to show you mercy: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 Jo. 1:9).
Seek God’s mercy because He is just and will one day judge evil. Because God is just, He will one day judge evil: “If I have sharpened My flashing sword, and My hand has taken hold of justice, I will return vengeance on My adversaries, and I will repay those who hate Me.” (Dt. 32:41). “But the LORD of hosts will be exalted in judgment, and the holy God will show Himself holy in righteousness.” (Is. 5:16). “He does not keep the wicked alive, but gives justice to the afflicted.” (Job 36:6). “He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the lovingkindness of the LORD.” (Ps. 33:5). “For the LORD loves justice and does not forsake His godly ones; they are preserved forever, but the descendants of the wicked will be cut off.” (Ps. 37:28). “The LORD is exalted, for He dwells on high; He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.” (Is. 33:5). Thus, every person should take sin seriously and their need to immediately repent of their sins.
5. Restoration: When Faced With Evil, Seek God’s Restoration. Ps. 109:22-25.
David prayed for God to restore him. Because he had suffered greatly, David turned to God for his restoration: “22 for I am afflicted and needy, and my heart is wounded within me. 23 I am passing like a shadow when it lengthens; I am shaken off like the locust. 24 My knees are weak from fasting, and my flesh has grown lean, without fatness. 25 I also have become a disgrace to them; when they see me, they shake their head.” (Ps. 109:22-25). “For I am poor and needy (comp. ver. 16). David was ‘poor and needy’ both when hunted upon the mountains by Saul, and when forced to flee from Absalom. And my heart is wounded within me. The wound to David’s heart was, on the former occasion, from the malignity of Saul; on the latter, especially from the desertion of his ‘own familiar friend whom he trusted.”’ (Pulpit Commentary on Ps. 109:22).9
Turn to God when you are in need. As our example, David pleaded for God’s help: “22 for I am afflicted and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.” (Ps. 109:22). He made many similar cries for God to restore him: “But I am afflicted and needy; may the Lord be mindful of me. You are my help and my savior; do not delay, my God.” (Ps. 40:17). “But I am afflicted and in pain; May Your salvation, God, set me safely on high.” (Ps. 69:29). “But I am afflicted and needy; hurry to me, God! You are my help and my savior; LORD, do not delay.” (Ps. 70:5). If you are in need, turn to God.
God can restore you when you turn to Him. When others shamed him, David proclaimed that God was “the One who lifts my head.” (Ps. 3:3). He then praised God for his restoration: “He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for the sake of His name.” (Ps. 23:3). “The Law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.” (Ps. 19:7). “He rescues me from my enemies; You indeed lift me above those who rise up against me; You rescue me from a violent man.” (Ps. 18:48). “Therefore He will lift up His head.” (Ps. 110:7b). Sinners can inflict great damage. But God can restore anyone who turns to Him.
Do not delay in seeking God’s restoration. David pleaded for God to act quickly in restoring him because his days were short: “23 I am passing like a shadow when it lengthens; I am shaken off like the locust.” (Ps. 109:23). “My days are like a lengthened shadow, and I wither away like grass.” (Ps. 102:11). “Man is like the breath; his days are like a passing shadow.” (Ps. 144:4). “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. For you are just a vapor that appears for a little while, and then vanishes away.” (Jam. 4:14). God also does not want you to delay in seeking His restoration.
6. God’s Glory: In the Face of Evil, Pray for God to be Glorified. Ps. 109:26-29.
David prayed that others would see God’s hand in his deliverance. As a man of faith, David asked that God would be glorified when He saved him: “26 Help me, Lord my God; save me according to Your mercy. 27 And may they know that this is Your hand; You, Lord, have done it. 28 They will curse, but You bless; when they arise, they will be ashamed, but Your servant will be glad. 29 May my accusers be clothed with dishonor, and may they cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe.” (Ps. 109:26-29). When you have faith, you will come to see that God is fully in control. All of your suffering can serve a greater purpose in either drawing you or others to Him (Ro. 8:28).
Pray for God to be glorified in all circumstances. Like David, you should always seek to share your testimony when God delivers you: “27 And may they know that this is Your hand; You, Lord, have done it.” (Ps. 109:27). “All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will worship before You.” (Ps. 22:27). “All the earth will worship You, and will sing praises to You; they will sing praises to Your name. Selah” (Ps. 66:4). “May the nations be glad and sing for joy; for You will judge the peoples with fairness and guide the nations on the earth. Selah” (Ps. 67:4). “Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth, sing praises to the Lord, Selah” (Ps. 68:32). “Praise the LORD, all nations; Sing His praises, all peoples!” (Ps. 117:1). Your testimony may encourage someone else who is suffering. It also boosts your faith.
Respond with joy when you see how God has turned a hardship into a blessing. When your suffering causes you to return to God, it is a blessing that deserves your praise: “28 They will curse, but You bless; when they arise, they will be ashamed, but Your servant will be glad.” (Ps. 109:28). “I will rejoice and be jubilant in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.” (Ps. 9:2). ‘“All the earth will worship You, and will sing praises to You; they will sing praises to Your name.’ Selah” (Ps. 66:4). “Behold, My servants will shout joyfully with a glad heart, but you will cry out from a painful heart, and you will wail from a broken spirit.” (Is. 65:14). God also wants you to share with others when He uses your hardships to cause you to return to Him.
7. Praise: In the Face of Evil, Offer Grateful Praise to God. Ps. 109:30-31.
David gave thanks and sang praise for God. Because he was confident in his faith, David praised God in advance for his deliverance: “30 With my mouth I will give thanks abundantly to the Lord; and I will praise Him in the midst of many. 31 For He stands at the right hand of the needy, to save him from those who judge his soul.” (Ps. 109:30-31). “I will give thanks to the Lord according to His righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.” (Ps. 7:17). David knew that God would ultimately act out of His own righteousness. Thus, David gave thanks and praised God.
Praise Jesus for your deliverance. David prayed to the Messiah who stood at God’s right hand to save him: “31 For He stands at the right hand of the needy, to save him from those who judge his soul.” (Ps. 109:31). “I have set the LORD continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” (Ps. 16:8). “For David says of Him, ‘I saw the LORD continually before me, because He is at my right hand, so that I will not be shaken.”’ (Acts 2:25). “The Lord is at Your right hand; He will shatter kings in the day of His wrath.” (Ps. 110:5). Jesus is your deliverer. He is worthy of praise.
Praise Jesus before others. David sought to ensure that others heard his praise for God: “ . . . I will praise Him in the midst of many.” (Ps. 109:30b). “I will proclaim Your name to my brothers; in the midst of the assembly I will praise You.” (Ps. 22:22). “And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me, and I will offer sacrifices in His tent with shouts of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.” (Ps. 27:6). “I will give You thanks in the great congregation; I will praise You among a mighty people.” (Ps. 35:18). “Bless God in the congregations, even the LORD, you who are of the fountain of Israel.” (Ps. 68:26). “They shall also exalt Him in the congregation of the people, and praise Him at the seat of the elders.” (Ps. 107:32). “Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart, in the company of the upright and in the assembly.” (Ps. 111:1). “I will sing a new song to You, O God; upon a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You, who gives salvation to kings, who rescues David His servant from the evil sword.” (Ps. 144:9-10). “He rescues me from my enemies; You indeed lift me above those who rise up against me; You rescue me from a violent man . . . He gives great deliverance to His king, and shows lovingkindness to His anointed, to David and his descendants forever.” (Ps. 18:48, 50; 2 Sam. 22:51). “O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, You have covered my head in the day of battle.” (Ps. 140:7). “The LORD is their strength, and He is a saving defense to His anointed.” (Ps. 22:8). “Princes persecute me without cause, but my heart stands in awe of Your words.” (Ps. 119:161). “Many are my persecutors and my adversaries, yet I do not turn aside from Your testimonies.” (Ps. 119:157). “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” (2 Tim. 4:18). When God delivers you, do you also give Him the full credit?
James M. Hamilton Jr., Evangelical Bible Theology Commentary Psalms (Vol. II: Psalms 73-150) (Lexham Academic 2021) p. 289.↩︎
Image credit: Luke 6:28 - Bless Your Enemies - Redeeming God↩︎
Allen Ross, A Commentary of the Psalms: Volume 3(90-150), Kregel Academic (2016) p. 330.↩︎