May there be no one to extend kindness to him, and no one to favor his fatherless children. May there be noneThis phrase is a plea for complete absence of mercy or compassion towards the subject. In the Hebrew text, the word used here is "אַל" (al), which is a strong negation. The psalmist, David, is invoking divine justice against his enemies, reflecting a deep sense of betrayal and injustice. This imprecation is not a personal vendetta but a call for God's righteous judgment, emphasizing the severity of the wrongdoing faced. to extend kindness
The Hebrew word for "kindness" is "חֶסֶד" (chesed), which often denotes loving-kindness, mercy, or steadfast love. In the context of the Old Testament, chesed is a covenantal term, reflecting God's loyal love towards His people. Here, the psalmist is asking that such covenantal loyalty and mercy be withheld from his adversaries, highlighting the gravity of their transgressions against him. nor any
This phrase further emphasizes the totality of the request. The psalmist is not only asking for a lack of kindness but also for a complete absence of any form of favor or grace. The repetition underscores the depth of the psalmist's anguish and the seriousness of the offense committed against him. to favor
The Hebrew root "חָנַן" (chanan) means to show favor, be gracious, or to have pity. In biblical terms, favor is often associated with divine grace and blessing. The psalmist's request for the absence of favor indicates a desire for divine justice rather than human compassion, reflecting a belief in God's ultimate authority to judge rightly. his fatherless children
The mention of "fatherless children" is poignant, as orphans were among the most vulnerable in ancient Israelite society. The Hebrew word "יָתוֹם" (yatom) refers to an orphan, someone without a father to protect or provide. In a society where family lineage and protection were crucial, being fatherless was a significant disadvantage. The psalmist's invocation here is not a call for harm to innocents but rather a reflection of the cultural understanding that the sins of the father could impact the family, a concept seen throughout the Old Testament. This highlights the seriousness of the curse and the belief in the far-reaching consequences of sin. Persons / Places / Events 1. DavidTraditionally attributed as the author of Psalm 109, David is expressing a deep lament and imprecation against his enemies. 2. Enemies of DavidThe psalm is a plea for divine justice against those who have wronged David, possibly referring to specific adversaries during his reign. 3. Fatherless ChildrenRepresents the vulnerable and innocent who suffer as a consequence of their parents' actions or the curses pronounced upon them. Teaching Points Understanding Imprecatory PsalmsThese psalms express raw human emotions and a desire for justice. They remind us that we can bring our deepest hurts and desires for justice to God. The Consequences of SinSin can have far-reaching effects, impacting not just the sinner but also their family and community. This underscores the importance of living righteously. God's Justice and MercyWhile the psalm calls for harsh justice, it also points to the need for God's mercy. Believers are encouraged to seek a balance between justice and mercy in their own lives. Praying for EnemiesIn light of New Testament teachings, believers are called to pray for their enemies, seeking their repentance and transformation rather than their destruction. Caring for the VulnerableDespite the harshness of the curse, Scripture consistently calls believers to care for orphans and widows, reflecting God's heart for the vulnerable. Bible Study Questions 1. How does understanding the context of David's life help us interpret the imprecations in Psalm 109? 2. In what ways can we reconcile the harshness of Psalm 109:12 with Jesus' command to love our enemies? 3. How can we apply the principle of leaving vengeance to God in our daily interactions with those who wrong us? 4. What are practical ways we can support and care for the fatherless and vulnerable in our communities today? 5. How do the themes of justice and mercy in Psalm 109 challenge or affirm your current understanding of God's character? Connections to Other Scriptures Exodus 22:22-24This passage warns against mistreating widows and orphans, highlighting God's concern for the vulnerable, contrasting with the curse in Psalm 109:12. Matthew 5:44Jesus teaches to love and pray for enemies, offering a New Testament perspective on dealing with adversaries. Romans 12:19Paul advises believers to leave vengeance to God, aligning with the theme of seeking divine justice rather than personal retribution. People David, PsalmistPlaces JerusalemTopics Dead, Extend, Fatherless, Favor, Favour, Gracious, Kindness, Lovingkindness, Mercy, None, Orphans, Pity, ShowingDictionary of Bible Themes Psalm 109:12 5730 orphans Psalm 109:6-20 6040 sinners Psalm 109:8-14 5496 revenge, examples Library Psalm. Cix. 21. ; Micah, vi. 9
Psalm. cix. 21.; Micah, vi. 9. Sweet is Thy mercy, O my God! When humbled at Thy feet, I learn the lessons of Thy rod, Thy mercy, Lord, is sweet. For Thou dost not in wrath chastise, But when I go astray, "Return," a voice behind me cries, "Walk here;--this is the way." Impatient of Thine easy yoke, If heedless yet I roam, Some sharp affliction, with a stroke Of kindness, warns me home. That godly sorrow then I feel, Which nothing can control, Until the hand that wounded, heal, That bruised me, …
James Montgomery—Sacred Poems and HymnsIf Anyone Shall Say that Jesus as Man is Only Energized by the Word Of...
If anyone shall say that Jesus as man is only energized by the Word of God, and that the glory of the Only-begotten is attributed to him as something not properly his: let him be anathema. Notes. Nestorius. VII. If any one says that the man who was formed of the Virgin is the Only-begotten, who was born from the bosom of the Father, before the morning star was (Ps. cix., 3) [256] , and does not rather confess that he has obtained the designation of Only-begotten on account of his connection with …
Philip Schaff—The Seven Ecumenical Councils First Antiphon and Psalm
Third Tone (a ending) Chanter Dum esset rex Choir in accubitu suo, nardus mea dedit odorem suavitatis. Alleluia. Dixit Dominus (Psalm 109) 1. Dixit Dominus, Domino meo: Sede a dextris meis: 2. Donec ponam inimicos tuos, scabellum pedum tuorum. 3. Virgam virtutis tuae emitte Dominus ex Sion: dominare in medio inimicorum tuorem. 4. Tecum principium in die virtutis tuae in splendoribus sanctorum: ex utero ante luciferum genui te. 5. Juravit Dominus, et non paenitebit eum: Tu es sacerdos in aeternum …
Various—The St. Gregory Hymnal and Catholic Choir Book Prayer
But I give myself unto prayer.' Psa 109: 4. I shall not here expatiate upon prayer, as it will be considered more fully in the Lord's prayer. It is one thing to pray, and another thing to be given to prayer: he who prays frequently, is said to be given to prayer; as he who often distributes alms, is said to be given to charity. Prayer is a glorious ordinance, it is the soul's trading with heaven. God comes down to us by his Spirit, and we go up to him by prayer. What is prayer? It is an offering …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments Fourteenth Day. Endurance in Contradiction.
"Who endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself."-- Heb. xii. 3. What endurance was this! Perfect truth in the midst of error; perfect love in the midst of ingratitude and coldness; perfect rectitude in the midst of perjury, violence, fraud; perfect constancy in the midst of contumely and desertion; perfect innocence, confronting every debased form of depravity and guilt; perfect patience, encountering every species of gross provocation--"oppressed and afflicted, He opened not His mouth!" …
John R. Macduff—The Mind of Jesus Ninth Day for God's Spirit on Our Mission Work
WHAT TO PRAY.--For God's Spirit on our Mission Work "The evangelisation of the world depends first of all upon a revival of prayer. Deeper than the need for men--ay, deep down at the bottom of our spiritless life, is the need for the forgotten secret of prevailing, world-wide prayer." "As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate Me Barnabas and Saul. Then when they had fasted and prayed, they sent them away. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed."--ACTS …
Andrew Murray—The Ministry of Intercession Bunsen's Biblical Researches.
When geologists began to ask whether changes in the earth's structure might be explained by causes still in operation, they did not disprove the possibility of great convulsions, but they lessened necessity for imagining them. So, if a theologian has his eyes opened to the Divine energy as continuous and omnipresent, he lessens the sharp contrast of epochs in Revelation, but need not assume that the stream has never varied in its flow. Devotion raises time present into the sacredness of the past; …
Frederick Temple—Essays and Reviews: The Education of the World A Discourse of Mercifulness
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Matthew 5:7 These verses, like the stairs of Solomon's temple, cause our ascent to the holy of holies. We are now mounting up a step higher. Blessed are the merciful . . '. There was never more need to preach of mercifulness than in these unmerciful times wherein we live. It is reported in the life of Chrysostom that he preached much on this subject of mercifulness, and for his much pressing Christians to mercy, he was called of many, the alms-preacher, …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12 How Intent the Ruler Ought to be on Meditations in the Sacred Law.
But all this is duly executed by a ruler, if, inspired by the spirit of heavenly fear and love, he meditate daily on the precepts of Sacred Writ, that the words of Divine admonition may restore in him the power of solicitude and of provident circumspection with regard to the celestial life, which familiar intercourse with men continually destroys; and that one who is drawn to oldness of life by secular society may by the aspiration of compunction be ever renewed to love of the spiritual country. …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great The Water of Life;
OR, A DISCOURSE SHOWING THE RICHNESS AND GLORY OF THE GRACE AND SPIRIT OF THE GOSPEL, AS SET FORTH IN SCRIPTURE BY THIS TERM, THE WATER OF LIFE. BY JOHN BUNYAN. 'And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.'--Revelation 22:17 London: Printed for Nathanael Ponder, at the Peacock in the Poultry, 1688. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. Often, and in every age, the children of God have dared to doubt the sufficiency of divine grace; whether it was vast enough to reach their condition--to cleanse …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Travelling in Palestine --Roads, Inns, Hospitality, Custom-House Officers, Taxation, Publicans
It was the very busiest road in Palestine, on which the publican Levi Matthew sat at the receipt of "custom," when our Lord called him to the fellowship of the Gospel, and he then made that great feast to which he invited his fellow-publicans, that they also might see and hear Him in Whom he had found life and peace (Luke 5:29). For, it was the only truly international road of all those which passed through Palestine; indeed, it formed one of the great highways of the world's commerce. At the time …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Psalm 109:12 NIVPsalm 109:12 NLTPsalm 109:12 ESVPsalm 109:12 NASBPsalm 109:12 KJV
Psalm 109:12 Commentaries
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