This Psalm opens with the plea, "O God, do not hold Your peace" (Psalm 107:1), indicating that the criticism from the deceitful is baseless, whereas the praise that comes from God is genuine. God is inherently truthful, while every human falls short of truth (Romans 3:4). The ultimate acknowledgment of truth belongs to the only begotten Son, who is clearly revealed as who He truly is. However, this truth was obscured when His suffering was made apparent, and the wicked raised their voices against Him. This is why the deceitful spoke against Him: their hostility was cloaked in falsehood.
"They have spoken against me with lying tongues" (Psalms 108:2) embodies this especially well, particularly when they praised Him with insincere compliments as a good Teacher. Another passage notes, "And they that praise me together swear against me." When they clamored for His crucifixion (John 19:6), it added, "They also surrounded me with words of hatred." Those who used treachery disguised as affection truly aimed to harm Him without any justification, while godly hearts cherish Christ unreservedly, and the wicked harbor hatred just as freely. Just as the pursuit of truth is sincere among the righteous, so is the pursuit of evil among the unrighteous. Even secular writers have spoken of the wicked, describing them as cruel for no righteous cause.
Instead of showing me love, I was wronged (Psalm 107:3). There are six notable responses in this context that are easy to remember: (1) returning good for evil, (2) not responding evil for evil, (3) returning good for good, (4) responding evil for evil, (5) not responding good for good, and (6) returning evil for good. The first two belong to the righteous, with the first being the superior response. The last two concern the wicked, with the final one being the worst. The two sequences between them represent a middle ground, yet the first edges closer to the good, while the second leans toward the bad. This distinction is significant in Scripture. Our Lord exemplifies returning good for evil by offering justification to sinners (Romans 4:5), as He was crucified and cried out, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34).
After stating, "Instead of loving me, they belittled me," He continued, "But I gave myself to prayer." He does not specify what He prayed for, yet we can infer that it concerned His own state. They diminished the One they ultimately crucified, mocking Him as if they had triumphed. From the Cross, He uttered, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do," showcasing that, while they repaid good with evil in their maliciousness, He repaid evil with good from the heights of His mercy. This divine example instructs us that when we encounter the ungratefulness of others—who repay not just indifference but active wrongdoing for our goodness—we ought to pray fervently. He advocates for those caught in rebellion, whether sorrowful or fearful in faith, reminding us above all to seek our own redress through God's grace. This guidance helps us overcome our inclinations for vengeance, especially when we are wronged, whether directly in person or from afar.
He continues, "Thus have I been repaid evil for good" (Psalm 107:4). One might ask: what is this evil? He explains it as hatred received for benevolence. This epitomizes their great iniquity. How could they harm the One who chose to die willingly? The essence of the persecutor's contempt lies in their unyielding hatred, despite the voluntary suffering of the Lord. He explicates further by emphasizing their obligation to love Him—not merely as a duty but in response to His love—citing further, "for my good will." This love is what the Gospel references when it states, "How often have I gathered your children together, and you were unwilling!" (Matthew 23:37).
The Psalm then begins to foretell the consequences of such wickedness, outlining their fate, as if it were conveyed from an inclination for vengeance. Some, failing to grasp this prophetic method, assume that hostility begets hostility, and an evil will simply returns evil, forgetting how the righteous judge finds pleasure not in the downfall of the wicked but in delivering just recompense for sins. For the former settles scores out of spite whereas the divine judge dispenses justice with love for righteousness, transforming further afflictions into good outcomes.
"Set the wicked ruler over him; and let Satan be at his right hand" (Psalm 108:5). The discussion once addressed many subjects, but here it narrows to one—the traitor Judas, whose inevitable punishment, as noted in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 1:20), serves as a declaration: appoint a wicked man over him, coupled with the command for Satan to sit by his side. Thus, the one who rejected Christ earned the consequence of being subject to the devil.
"Let his days be short" (Psalm 108:7) signifies the swift conclusion of his discipleship, which ended in treachery and death well before the Resurrection. Of the sacred number twelve, desired by Christ to encapsulate His selected Apostles, the Psalm provides resolution, stating, "Let another take his office." Thus, let him suffer according to the merits of his actions, while another is appointed in his stead.
"Let his children be orphans, and his wife a widow" (Psalm 108:8). In the wake of his death, Judas' children were left fatherless, and his wife bereft of a husband. They would become wanderers, devoid of guidance, left to ask for sustenance (Psalm 107:9). To be a wanderer refers to those lost, lacking direction and assistance. The subsequent verses illustrate the plight of his family, detailing their abandonment.
"Let the extortioner search all his possessions, and let strangers spoil his labor" (Psalm 108:10). There should be no benevolent aid extended to him (Psalm 107:11), meaning that the bereaved children should not find solace in sympathy. Yet even orphans might endure hardship and continue their lineage; hence, the lament proceeds, "Let his posterity be destroyed" (Psalm 108:12), indicating that whatever descended from him should cease to exist and swiftly fade.
He adds, "Let the wickedness of his fathers be remembered before the Lord, and let the sin of his mother not be blotted out" (Psalm 108:13). Should it mean that the sins of his forebears will bear consequences for him? For those transformed in Christ are free from such retribution and cease to be associated with wickedness unless they replicate similar behaviors. The words proclaim punishment for those who rebel against God, indicated by the statement about their hatred mirroring that of their fathers.
"Let them always be against the Lord" (Psalm 108:14) reflects how their failings are evident in divine sight, pointing to a state without reprieve—both in this life and the next. The intent here is that the legacy of his family—the memory of both father and mother—will vanish from society, as prophesied, due to the absence of progeny to carry forth their name.
"And because he remembered not to show mercy" (Psalm 108:15) either alludes to Judas personally or pertains to the collective populace. If they had slain Christ, they certainly should have reflected on their actions in repentance and shown compassion to those who endured persecution. "And they persecuted the poor and the needy" (Psalm 108:16) could also refer to Judas; for the Lord willingly embraced poverty so that through His lack, we might be enriched (2 Corinthians 8:9). To understand the term "beggar," one recalls His plea to the Samaritan woman for water (John 4:7) and His declaration of thirst on the Cross (John 19:28). The eternal nature of this suffering uniquely identifies Christ as the One persecuted by Judas and others whose actions led to His ultimate sacrifice.
The Psalm continues, "He enjoyed cursing, and it will happen to him" (Psalm 108:17). Even while Judas reveled in deceit and betrayal, the crowds proclaimed, "His blood be upon us and our children" (Matthew 27:25). Thus, as he rejected the blessing found in Christ—the source of eternal blessing—so too did his people. Donning a curse as attire implies a conscious choice to embrace iniquity. The cursing penetrates his very being, manifesting both externally and internally, as he stands judged by the One who holds authority over body and soul (Matthew 10:28). The reference to oil in the bones conveys delight in sinful pursuits, amassing the condemnation that leads to eternal separation—a curse, for these are the fates assigned by God.
"Let it be to him as a cloak covering him" (Psalm 108:18). The repetition of the cloak signifies the depth of his transgressions. The garment and attire portray one's exposed iniquities before others. The girdle signifies readiness for labor, and thus, one who is girded with curses embodies purposeful planning for wicked acts, indicative of someone consistently poised to do evil.
"This is the case of those who slander me before the Lord" (Psalm 108:19). The Psalmist did not specify 'their reward' but rather 'their work,' illustrating the many actions leading to eternal condemnation. Thus, not just Judas but many engage in such deeds, as it is said, "This is the work of them that slander me before the Lord." The plural could easily represent the multitude who malign Christ by denying His prophetic fulfillment. Similarly, those who reject His power, claiming He could not rise at will, find the stark rebuke in His own words, "I have power to lay down my life and take it up again" (John 10:18).
"But do Thou with me, O Lord God" (Psalm 108:20). While some have proposed understanding this plea as an appeal for mercy, the best manuscripts affirm, "But do Thou with me, O Lord God, for Thy Name’s sake." We must not misconstrue the significance of His address to the Father; "Do this to me" echoes the inseparability of their works—Father and Son acting in unity to shape the vessels of mercy (Romans 9:23). "Work with me" can be interpreted as carrying the sense of providing help, reputable in our everyday tongue when reflecting on pursuits that yield benefit. The Father aids the Son, just as the divinity emboldens the humanity borne by Him. In that divine image, the Son does not require assistance for He shares the fullness of power with the Father. When He implores, "Work with Me," the phrase underscores a plea for cooperative grace.
"Deliver me, for I am poor and needy" (Psalm 108:21) acknowledges the source of His weakness—the conditions that led to the crucifixion (2 Corinthians 13:4). "And my heart was troubled within me" recalls His lament as His suffering drew near: "My soul is troubled even to death" (Matthew 26:38).
THEOSIS