Week 37: Psalms 109-111
Questions: Psalm 103-105
- One of the main themes of Psalm 109 is that blessing and curse comes from the Lord not from man. In this psalm, David asks the Lord for some rather harsh things for the wicked. In what way is this an expression of faith?
- Psalm 110 is interpreted in the New Testament as referring to Jesus Christ. How does this psalm relate his kingship and his priesthood? Why must he be both of these things?
- Hebrew poetry will often repeat a concept in a way that adds intensity and focus to the original idea. In Psalm 111, “I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart” is carried forward and filled out in what follows: “in the company of the upright, in the congregation” (111:1). In other words, the practical implication of “with my whole heart” is that he gives thanks in the presence of a gathering of God’s people. How are our hearts revealed and engaged when we are with God’s people in a way that they could not be when we are alone?
Devotion
In this psalm, David may be predicting the righteous judgment to come rather than pronouncing it. In either case, we should avoid two errors of interpretation; (a) Explain these scriptures away as not deserving anything but avoidance, or (b) Conclude that all this vindictive hatred must somehow be good and pious.
The first error can be set aside for we know that “All Scripture is God-breathed and useful” (2Tim 3:16). We are unable to justify this language as good and pious because correctives were already there in the Old Testament, as in Lev 19:17, “You shall not hate your fellow countryman in your heart; you may surely reprove your neighbor, but shall not incur sin because of him. [18] ‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD.”
CS Lewis suggests a vindication, “These poets lived in a world of savage punishments, of massacre and violence, of blood sacrifice in all countries and human sacrifice in many…Hatred did not need to be disguised for social decorum…The psalmist’s tendency to chew the cud over and over of some injury, to dwell in a kind of self-torture on every circumstance that aggravated it, most of us can recognize something we have met in ourselves. Their hatreds are a reaction to something. Such hatreds are the kind that cruelty and injustice, by a sort of natural law, produce.”
Psalm 109:4 “In return for my love they act as my accusers; but I am in prayer.”
“Accusers” is the same basic Hebrew word that we also translate Satan – the accuser...They satanically hate me. Boice says, “The Hebrew is more abrupt and therefore even stronger. It says literally, ‘But I prayer.’ That is, ‘I am all prayer or characterized by prayer. While my enemies are uttering false words about me to other people, trying to do me harm, I am speaking to God. I am praying to God always.’”
David’s outburst against his accuser finally turns to recognize his own need for God’s lovingkindness and forgiveness (verse 22) “For I am afflicted and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.” His kneeling in humility before the Lord in prayer is contrasted with the description of his adversary.
“The psalm began with addressing ‘the God of my praise’; it ends with the confidence and the vow that the singer will yet praise Him (verse 30) “With my mouth I will give thanks abundantly to the LORD; and in the midst of many I will praise Him.” It painted an adversary standing at the right hand of the wicked to condemn him; it ends with the assurance that Jehovah stands at the
right hand of His afflicted servant, as his advocate to protect him.” (Maclaren)
- Jim Yoder