Psalm 109
This psalm was actually composed long after the events in view. David had been falsely accused and tried in a biased and unfriendly court, had been found guilty, but had been delivered by means of God's utter destruction of his enemies. Written much later, then, this song was to be sung as a witness to God's blessed salvation of those who suffer unjustly.
David tells us that his accuser had "spoken against me with lying tongue and surrounded me with words of hatred" - even after David had extended only kindness to him. His accuser "did not remember to show mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart."
But David knew where to turn for help! He called on God. His prayer was, "But You, O God the Lord, deal with me for Your Name's sake; because Your mercy is good, deliver me . . . Help me, O Lord my God! Oh save me according to Your mercy, that they may know that this is Your hand - that You, Lord have done it!" The fact that we have this psalm, written long afterwards, makes it clear that God really did hear and answer him.
David intended the song, as a permanent reminder of God's faithfulness not only to the people of his own day but for all time. It should be carefully noted, in fact, that David's concern is not only for himself but for the reputation of his just and holy God. He prays, "let justice and righteousness be done," and he calls for terrible curses upon the accuser and the accuser's family. But he asks for these thing not merely because in a vengeful spirit, but because of the accuser's wickedness before God and for the sake of God's perfect justice.
The principles involved here also extend to our Lord Jesus Christ and His earthly experiences. In fact, the curses of this psalm are quoted relative to Judas when he became our Lord's betrayer (Acts 1:20). Judas, too, had repaid love and kindness with hate and wickedness.
Our Lord's experience should be in our minds as we think about this psalm. He too was "hated without cause," and He too was dealt with treacherously – on our behalf. So as we consider David's greater Son, we can also see the wickedness and treachery as it really is. It's actually the rebellion of the Devil himself against God – in the way he treated the best and most holy Person Who ever lived!
May we respond by, leaving our hurts at His feet - at the feet of Him Who suffered in our place. We need to remember what Paul quotes from Deuteronomy 32:25. He says, "Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord." May we leave all our troubles to Jesus Christ, the One Who suffered all for us – and far more unjustly than we can ever suffer. He is coming again to judge the living and the dead.
We were certainly blessed today, Alan by the reading of this Psalm.
Just a couple of notes you might want to look at...
"Then, later on, this song was to be sung as a witness to God's blessed salvation of those who suffer unjustly." In the file you sent to us, this sentence starts with "Written". Which is the latest version?
Typo? "Our Lord's experience should be in our minds as we think about this pslam."
How come I never see these "bloopers"? But I'm thankful that you've seen them. Fixed. What you now have here is the latest version.