A Call For God to Judge The Wicked
November 3, 2019
Commentary
In today’s passage, David continues his imprecatory (cursing) prayer, in full confidence that God will destroy his enemies (vv. 11-15). He prayed that his enemies would be made poor by an extortioner and plunderer (v. 11) and that he and his children would be pitted by no one (v. 12). He prayed that their prosperity would be cut off (v. 13) and that the sins of his enemies’ ancestors would be remembered by the Lord (v. 14-15). Finally, he prayed that the very name of his enemy might be forgotten on the earth (v. 15). To have your name erased from memory was regarded as the greatest of misfortunes.
After 10 verses of David requesting curses from God for his enemies (vv. 6-15), David returns to his reasoning for the curses rooted in his enemy’s sinful actions (vv. 16-20). David’s enemy had committed the very sins that he accused David of. David was simply recalling the sins of his enemy and asking God to repay him in kind, sin for sin. His enemy had not shown kindness but had instead pursued the most vulnerable “the poor and needy and the brokenhearted” even killing them (v. 16). He had delighted in cursing others (v. 17), so why should he be blessed? This individual was so well known for cursing others that curses might as well have been what his clothing was made of (v. 18a). He apparently took great pride in his knack for cursing others, but David asked God to turn his pride into shame (vs. 18a-19). As James says, “From the same mouth comes blessing, and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so” (James 3:10).
In response David didn’t answer curse for curse. Instead, he referred the whole matter to the Lord (v. 20). He was not taking vengeance into his own hands but was asking God to be swift in His judgment of evil people. He simply told the Lord that this was a case for the exercise of His justice.
Application
I must love everyone, even those who may try to do evil against me because God loves them. It is never right to get revenge. Bringing justice and judgment is not my job but God’s and it is important that I not interfere.
Psalms 109:11– 20 (NET)
11 May the creditor seize all he owns. May strangers loot his property.
12 May no one show him kindness. May no one have compassion on his fatherless children.
13 May his descendants be cut off. May the memory of them be wiped out by the time the next generation arrives.
14 May his ancestors’ sins be remembered by the Lord. May his mother’s sin not be forgotten.
15 May the Lord be constantly aware of them, and cut off the memory of his children from the earth.
16 For he never bothered to show kindness; he harassed the oppressed and needy, and killed the disheartened.
17 He loved to curse others, so those curses have come upon him. He had no desire to bless anyone, so he has experienced no blessings.
18 He made cursing a way of life, so curses poured into his stomach like water and seeped into his bones like oil.
19 May a curse attach itself to him, like a garment one puts on, or a belt one wears continually.
20 May the Lord repay my accusers in this way, those who say evil things about me.