Salmos 109
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Salmos 109
CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS The psalmist feels that he has been unfairly treated by those he loved (first strophe, Ps. 109:1-5). their words wicked, Ps. 109:2 deceitful, Ps. 109:2 lying, Ps. 109:2 words of hatred, Ps. 109:3 accuse, Ps. 109:4 their acts fought against me without cause, Ps. 109:3 repaid evil for good, Ps. 109:5 repaid hatred for love, Ps. 109:5 this may reflect a court scene where the psalmist is falsely accused (cf. Ps. 109:6-7) He prays a series of judgments (JUSSIVES) on his adversaries (second and third strophe, Ps. 109:6-13, 14-20). let an accuser stand at his right hand, Ps. 109:6 ‒ BDB 763, KB 840, Qal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense let him come forth guilty, Ps. 109:7 ‒ BDB 422, KB 425, Qal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense let his prayer become sin, Ps. 109:7 ‒ BDB 224, KB 243, Qal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense let his days be few, Ps. 109:8 ‒ same form as #3 let another take his office, Ps. 109:8 ‒ BDB 542, KB 534, Qal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense let his children be fatherless, Ps. 109:9 ‒ same as #3 let his wife be a widow, Ps. 109:9 ‒ same as #3 let his children wander about, Ps. 109:10 ‒ this is an INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and an IMPERFECT VERB from the same root (BDB 631, KB 681), which was a grammatical way to show intensity beg ‒ BDB 981, KB 1371, Piel PERFECT seek sustenance ‒ BDB 205, KB 233, Qal PERFECT The NASB translates the PERFECTS of Ps. 109:10 as JUSSIVES (i.e., "let. . ."). let the creditor seize all he has, Ps. 109:11 ‒ BDB 669, KB 723, Piel IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense let strangers plunder the product of his labor, Ps. 109:11 ‒ BDB 102, KB 117, Qal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense let there be none to extend lovingkindness to him, Ps. 109:12 ‒ BDB 224, KB 243, Qal JUSSIVE let there not be any to be gracious to his fatherless children, Ps. 109:12 ‒ same as #11 let his posterity be cut off, Ps. 109:13 ‒ same as #11 let their name be blotted out, Ps. 109:13 ‒ BDB 562, KB 567, Niphal JUSSIVE let the iniquity of his father be remembered, Ps. 109:14 - BDB 269, KB 269, Niphal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense do not let the sin of his mother be blotted out, Ps. 109:14 ‒ BDB 562, KB 567, Niphal JUSSIVE let them be before the Lord continually, Ps. 109:15 ‒ same as #3 let the Lord cut off their memory, Ps. 109:15 ‒ BDB 503, KB 500, Hiphil JUSSIVE let it be to him as a garment (i.e., cursing), Ps. 109:19 ‒ same as #11 NASB, NKJV, NJB translate Ps. 109:20a as another JUSSIVE but it is a Qal PARTICIPLE Psalm 109:16-18 lists the reasons why YHWH should judge him. he did not remember to show lovingkindness, Ps. 109:16 he persecuted the afflicted and needy man, Ps. 109:16 he loved cursing, Ps. 109:17 he clothed himself in cursing as a garment, Ps. 109:18 In Psalm 109:21-25 the psalmist describes his need and asks for help (note the contrasting CONJUNCTION, "but for You, O God"). deal kindly with me ‒ BDB 793, KB 889, Qal IMPERATIVE deliver me ‒ BDB 664, KB 717, Hiphil IMPERATIVE He bases his prayers on YHWH's name sake, Ps. 109:21 YHWH's lovingkindness, Ps. 6:4; 44:26; 09:21,26; 119:149 his need (1) I am afflicted and needy (2) my heart is wounded (3) I am passing like a shadow (4) I am shaken off like the locust (5) my knees are weak from fasting (6) my flesh has grown lean (7) I have become a reproach In Ps. 109:26-29 the psalmist continues his prayer and expresses his desire for YHWH's judgment on his adversaries. help me ‒ BDB 740, KB 810, Qal IMPERATIVE save me according to Your lovingkindness ‒ BDB 446, KB 448, Hiphil IMPERATIVE, cf. Ps. 109:21 he prays for YHWH to let them know their judgment is from Him ‒ BDB 393, KB 390, Qal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense let them curse, but do not bless ‒ BDB 886, KB 1103, Piel IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense, which draws a reaction from YHWH (i.e., not to bless) let them be ashamed ‒ BDB 101, KB 116, Qal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense (NKJV, NRSV), as there was a contrasting statement in Ps. 109:28a, so too, in 109:28c let my accusers be clothed with dishonor ‒ BDB 527, KB 519, Qal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense (NASB, NKJV, NRSV) let them cover themselves with their own shame ‒ BDB 741, KB 813, Qal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense (NASB, NKJV, NRSV)
Salmos 109:1-5
109:1 "O God of my praise" This phrase is found only here and in Deut. 10:21, but the concept is recurrent (i.e., Psalm 146-148). The LXX translates this phrase as "O God do not pass over my praise in silence." The title/name, "God," is Eloah, which is the SINGULAR for of Elohim. SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, C. ▣ "Do not be silent" This is a Hebrew idiom for YHWH to hear and respond to the prayer of a faithful follower (cf. Ps. 28:1; 35:22; 38:12; 83:1). The VERB (BDB 361 II, KB 357, Qal IMPERFECT) is used in a JUSSIVE sense. 109:2-3 There is power in words both for blessing and for hurting. Our words reveal our hearts! See SPECIAL TOPIC: HUMAN SPEECH. The AB (p. 100) sees these verses as imagery from vocabulary of animal attacks. mouth of attacking animals (cf. Ps. 22:13; Lam. 3:46-47) "speaking" (BDB 180) in sense of "pursuing" "surrounding" like a pack of animals 109:4-5 Being attacked is painful but being attacked by those you trusted and befriended is doubly painful (cf. Ps. 35:12; 38:20). 109:4b "But I am in prayer" "But I myself to prayer" "even while I make prayer for them" "though I have done nothing wrong" "all I can do is pray!" TEV, Peshitta "and have prayed for them" "but I, I would pray" "and I must stand judgment" The MT's meaning is uncertain, as you can tell from the variety of English translations. Literally, the Hebrew is "and I a prayer." 109:5a "they have repaid me evil for good" We live in a fallen and unfair world. This is not the world God intended it to be! The psalmist's sense of his friends'/family's hatred surprised him (cf. Ps. 35:12; 38:20; Jer. 18:20). This was also Jesus' experience!
Salmos 109:6-13
109:6-20 These two strophes sound so harsh to modern people. The psalmist is simply asking for the covenant curses (cf. Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 27-30) on faithless Israelites to become a reality to his enemies. He feels he is on YHWH's side; to attack him is to attack YHWH. The Jewish Study Bible (p. 1407) says this is the longest cursing section in the Psalter. It is so vivid and graphic that some commentators think it reflects what the enemies were saying against the psalmist (i.e., Jerome Bible commentary, NJB, and NIV footnote). However, this cannot be proven from the MT. The only evidence would be the SINGULAR form used in Ps. 109:6-19, which is probably a collective SINGULAR. 109:6 "an accuser" This is the Hebrew term (BDB 966, cf. Ps. 109:20,29) that came to be a title for personified evil, Satan. SPECIAL TOPIC: SATAN 109:8 "office" It is uncertain from the context what this word (BDB 824) means. It can refer to "stored provisions," cf. Isa. 15:7. The attacker had a place of prominence and power. This phrase (along with Ps. 69:25 from the LXX) is used in Acts 1:20 as referring to Judas Iscariot. Acts used the word "office" as relating to an election for Judas' replacement as an Apostle.
Salmos 109:14-20
109:14-15 This may be an allusion to the two books (i.e., the book of deeds and the book of life) which symbolize God's memory. SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TWO BOOKS OF GOD 109:14 This verse reflects the words of Exod. 20:5 and Deut. 5:9-10 (also note Jer. 32:18). The lifestyle and priorities of parents often affect the children. 109:17-19 The curses referred to prayers for God to punish. The psalmist is asking for his persecutor's prayer for vengeance to be turned back on themselves. In the OT if one is found to be a false witness in court, he bears the punishment of the one falsely accused. 109:20 This is a summary conclusion to Ps. 109:6-19. It could go with 109:6-19 (i.e., NASB, NKJV) the next strophe (cf. NRSV, TEV, NJB)
Salmos 109:21-25
109:21-25 See full note at Contextual Insights, D. 109:21 "O God, the Lord" Literally this is YHWH Adoni. SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, D. SPECIAL TOPIC: LORD (Adon and Kurios) In verse 26, another double name/title for Deity appears, "YHWH Eloah." Many of these combinations do not carry specific meaning but are poetic variety. ▣ "for Your name's sake" This is a recurrent theme (cf. Ps. 23:3; 25:11; 31:3; 79:9; 106:8). The name represents the person. SPECIAL TOPIC: "THE NAME" of YHWH ▣ "lovingkindness" See SPECIAL TOPIC: LOVINGKINDNESS 109:22b NASB, NKJV "my heart is wounded" NRSV, JPSOA "my heart is pierced" "my heart. . .is distraught" "my wounds go right to the heart" LXX, Peshitta "my heart is troubled" The MT has the VERB "stricken" (BDB 319 I, KB 320, Qal PERFECT). This VERB appears only here in the Qal stem. Because of this, some suggest an emendation to "tremble" (BDB 296 I). pierce ‒ חלל tremble ‒ חול (cf. Ps. 55:5) 109:23a The imagery of the transitoriness of a shadow is also used in Job 14:2; Ps. 102:11. Shadow is used in two senses. transitoriness ‒ here protection and care ‒ see SPECIAL TOPIC: SHADOW AS A METAPHOR FOR PROTECTION AND CARE 109:24 This verse can be interpreted in two ways (see UBS Handbook, p. 944). the psalmist has been voluntarily fasting the psalmist has had no good food olive oil for anointing 109:25 "they wag their head" This was a physical gesture of contempt (cf. 2 Kgs. 19:21; Job 16:4; Ps. 22:7; Isa. 37:22; Jer. 18:16; 48:27; Lam. 2:15; Matt. 27:39; Mark 15:29).
Salmos 109:26-29
109:26-29 This is a typical OT role reversal motif. The psalmist wants to be vindicated by YHWH in the presence of his enemies (cf. Ps. 23:5). This reflects a court scene. 109:28 "Your servant" The NOUN "servant" (BDB 713) can be used of a slave subjects of a king worshipers (cf. Deut. 32:36,43) Levite singers (cf. Ps. 113:1; 134:1; 135:1) Israel (cf. Isa. 41:8-9) BDB 714, #6, suggests the usage here is simply a polite address to God (cf. Ps. 19:11,13; 27:9; 31:16; 35:27; 69:17; 143:2) NASB Study Bible (p. 856) sees it as a reference to the Davidic Messiah (cf. Ps. 78:20; Isa. 42:1) special title for leaders Abraham ‒ Gen. 26:24 Isaac ‒ Gen. 24:14 Jacob ‒ Ezek. 28:25; 37:25 Moses ‒ Num. 12:7; Deut. 34:5 Joshua ‒ Josh. 24:29 (after his death) David ‒ 2 Sam. 3:18; 7:5,8,26 ▣ "ashamed" See SPECIAL TOPIC: SHAME
Salmos 109:30-31
109:30-31 The psalmist praises YHWH for His faithfulness and justice. I will give thanks abundantly to the Lord ‒ BDB 392, KB 389, Hiphil IMPERFECT used in a COHORTATIVE sense I will praise Him - BDB 237, KB 248, Piel IMPERFECT used in a COHORTATIVE sense Notice the different uses of the VOICE. the wicked, vv. 2-3,17,20 the righteous, vv. 1,30 109:30 This reflects temple worship. 109:31 "For He stands at the right hand of the needy" This is in direct contrast to the wicked accuser of Ps. 109:6. This same phrase is used of Satan in Zech. 3:1. YHWH is the defender of the needy, poor, socially outcast, and powerless!