Psalm 109
Geneva Study Bible
<> Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise;
<> Hold not thy peace, O God of my {a} praise;

(a) Though all the world condemn me, yet you will approve my innocence and that is sufficient praise to me.

For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue.
For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue.
They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause.
They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause.
For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer.
For my love they are my adversaries: {b} but I give myself unto prayer.

(b) To declare that I had no other refuge, but you, in whom my conscience was at rest.

And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.
And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.
Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand.
{c} Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand.

(c) Whether it was Doeg or Saul, or some familiar friend that had betrayed him, he prays not for private affection, but moved by God's Spirit, that God would take vengeance on him.

When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer become sin.
When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his {d} prayer become sin.

(d) As to the elect all things turn to their profit, so to the reprobate, even those things that are good, turn to their damnation.

Let his days be few; and let another take his office.
Let his days be few; and let another take his {e} office.

(e) This was chiefly accomplished in Judas, Ac 1:20.

Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.
Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.
Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places.
Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places.
Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil his labour.
Let {f} the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil his labour.

(f) He declares that the curse of God lies on the extortioners, who thinking to enrich their children by their unlawfully gotten goods, are by God's just judgment deprived of all.

Let there be none to extend mercy unto him: neither let there be any to favour his fatherless children.
Let there be none to extend mercy unto him: neither let there be any to favour his fatherless children.
Let his posterity be cut off; and in the generation following let their name be blotted out.
Let his posterity be cut off; and in the generation following let their name be blotted out.
Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the LORD; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.
{g} Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the LORD; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.

(g) Thus the Lord punishes to the third and fourth generation the wickedness of the parents in their wicked children.

Let them be before the LORD continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.
Let them be before the LORD continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.
Because that he remembered not to shew mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart.
Because that {h} he remembered not to shew mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart.

(h) He shows that God plagues them in a strange way who show themselves cruel toward others.

As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.
As he loved cursing, {i} so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.

(i) Thus the Lord gives to every man the thing in which he delights so that the reprobate cannot accuse God of wrong, when they are given up to their lusts and reprobate minds.

As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones.
As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones.
Let it be unto him as the garment which covereth him, and for a girdle wherewith he is girded continually.
Let it be unto him as the garment which covereth him, and for a girdle wherewith he is girded continually.
Let this be the reward of mine adversaries from the LORD, and of them that speak evil against my soul.
Let this be the reward of mine adversaries {k} from the LORD, and of them that speak evil against my soul.

(k) For being destitute of man's help, he fully trusted in the Lord, that he would deliver him.

But do thou for me, O GOD the Lord, for thy name's sake: because thy mercy is good, deliver thou me.
But do thou for me, O GOD the Lord, for thy {l} name's sake: because thy mercy is good, deliver thou me.

(l) As you are named merciful, gracious and long suffering, so show yourself in effect.

For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
I am gone like the shadow when it declineth: I am tossed up and down as the locust.
I am gone like the shadow when it declineth: I am tossed up and down as the {m} locust.

(m) Meaning that he has no stay or assurance in this world.

My knees are weak through fasting; and my flesh faileth of fatness.
My knees are weak through fasting; and my flesh {n} faileth of fatness.

(n) For hunger that came from sorrow, he was lean and his natural moisture failed him.

I became also a reproach unto them: when they looked upon me they shaked their heads.
I became also a reproach unto them: when they looked upon me they shaked their heads.
Help me, O LORD my God: O save me according to thy mercy:
Help me, O LORD my God: O {o} save me according to thy mercy:

(o) The more grievously Satan assailed him, the more earnest and instant was he in prayer.

That they may know that this is thy hand; that thou, LORD, hast done it.
That they may know that this is thy hand; that thou, LORD, hast done it.
Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice.
Let them {p} curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice.

(p) They will gain nothing by cursing me.

Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a mantle.
Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a mantle.
I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude.
I will greatly praise the LORD with my {q} mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude.

(q) Not only in confessing it secretly in myself but also in declaring it before all the congregation.

For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those that condemn his soul.
For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those that {r} condemn his soul.

(r) By this he shows that he had nothing to do with them who were of little power, but with the judges and princes of the world.

The Geneva Bible Translation Notes [1599]

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