Psalm 109: complete, commentary


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CommentPsalm 109 speaks of a man deeply wounded in the heart, made the subject of accusations at the moment he is praying. He asks God that hatred does not triumph over him but that divine revenge is unleashed against those who have conspired against him. Because of this imprecatory expression of the author, this canticle is excluded from Christian recitation, as no one should ever be cursed as a basic principle.


Psalm 109 complete

[1] To the choir master. Di Davide. Psalm. God of my praise, do not be silent,

[2] since the mouth of the wicked and the man of fraud opened against me; they speak to me in a language of lies.


[3] They invest me with words of hatred, they fight me for no reason.

[4] In exchange for my love I am accused, while I am in prayer.

[5] They make me bad for good and I hate in exchange for love.


[6] He raises an impious man against him and an accuser stands on his right.

[7] Sued, you are found guilty and your appeal is resolved in conviction.

[8] Few his days and his place occupy another.


[9] His children remain orphaned and his wife is widowed.

[10] Let his children wander, begging, be expelled from their ruined houses.

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[11] The moneylender devours all his possessions and strangers are prey to his work.

[12] Nobody uses him mercy, nobody takes pity on his orphans.

[13] His descendants are doomed to extermination, in the following generation his name is erased.

[14] The iniquity of his fathers is remembered to the Lord, the sin of his mother is never canceled.

[15] May they be before the Lord always and he will scatter their memory from the earth.

[16] Because he refused to use mercy and persecuted the wretched and the destitute, to make those who are heartbroken die.

[17] He loved the curse: fall on him! He did not want the blessing: turn away from him!


[18] He has wrapped himself in a curse like a cloak: he has penetrated like water in his underwear and like oil in his bones.

[19] Both for him as a dress that wraps him, as a belt that always surrounds him.

[20] May this be from the Lord the reward for those who accuse me, for those who say badly against my life.

[21] But you, Lord God, act with me according to your name: save me, because your grace is good.

[22] I am poor and unhappy and my heart is deeply hurt.

[23] I disappear like the declining shadow, I am slammed like a locust.


[24] My knees waver from fasting, my body is gaunt and wasting away.

[25] I have become their object of ridicule, when they see me they shake their heads.

[26] Help me, my Lord God, save me for your love.

[27] Know that your hand is here: You, Lord, have done this.

[28] They curse them, but you bless me; rise up and blush, but your servant be in joy.

[29] Let those who accuse me be covered with infamy and be wrapped in shame like a cloak.

[30] High praise of the Lord upon my lips, I will exalt him in a great assembly;

[31] for he went to the poor man's right to save his life from the judges.

Psalm 109 (Kevin Click) (March 2024)


Tags: Biblical psalms
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