Anyone who diligently studies the Acts of the Apostles can discern that this Psalm holds a prophecy regarding Christ. It is clear that the phrase, “let his days be short, and let another take his office,” refers to Judas, the one who betrayed Christ. While Peter had a significant standing among the disciples, the context here is somewhat ambiguous unless it pertains to the Church, which he symbolically represented due to his leadership role. As it is written, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 16:19, among other similar passages). Conversely, Judas symbolizes those Jewish adversaries of Christ who despised Him during His time and continue to embody this enmity through their descendants. This allows us to comprehend not only the explicit intentions reflected in this Psalm but also the more straightforward truths about Judas himself.
The Psalm opens with a plea: “O God, be not silent to my praise; for the mouth of the wicked, yea, the mouth of the wicked, is opened against me” (Psalm 107:1). From this, it follows that the reproach from deceitful individuals is baseless, and the praise granted by God is genuine. God is indeed truthful, while every man is a liar (Romans 3:4). Only those in whom God speaks can be considered truly honest. The utmost praise belongs to the only begotten Son of God, who is revealed as exactly that. This truth was obscured until His weakness became apparent, hidden when the deceitful spoke against Him. Thus, His mouth was opened as a result of the concealed nature of His virtue; and the deceitful voices arose from a hatred disguised by pretense.
“They have spoken against me with lying tongues” (Psalms 108:2) chiefly reflects their flattery, which they used when they falsely praised Him as a good Teacher. It is said in another verse, “And they that praise me together swear against me.” This deceitful praise culminated in their shouts of “Crucify Him, crucify Him” (John 19:6), as they surrounded Him with words of animosity. Those who cunningly spoke words of feigned affection instead of true hatred encircled Him with open hostility, waging a groundless battle against Him. Just as the righteous love Christ unreservedly, so too do the wicked hate Him freely; for while the finest individuals seek truth solely for its own sake, the most wretched aggressively pursue what is evil. Thus, secular authors describe a truly vile man as being wicked and cruel without cause.
Instead of expressing love, he says, “stole from me” (Psalm 107:3). There are six discernible actions that are easy to remember: (1) responding with good to evil, (2) refraining from reciprocating evil with evil, (3) returning good for good, (4) reciprocating evil with evil, (5) failing to respond to good with good, and (6) returning evil for good. The first two belong to the righteous, with the first being the more commendable; the last two belong to the wicked, with the last being the most reprehensible; the middle two are attributed to intermediates, though the first leans toward the good while the second leans toward the bad. This principle is evident in Scripture. Our Lord exemplified this by returning good for evil, justifying the ungodly (Romans 4:5), and even while being crucified, He prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).
But after stating, “Instead of loving me, they belittled me,” what does He add? “But I gave myself to prayer.” He does not specify what He prayed for, but it can be inferred to refer to those who belittled Him. They mocked the One they crucified as though they had defeated Him, yet from the Cross, He proclaimed, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” While they returned evil for good from a place of deep malice, He, from His supreme goodness, returned good for evil. The divine words teach us through the example of our Lord that when we feel unappreciated by others—not just in terms of receiving no good in return but also facing evil in response to good—we ought to pray. Indeed, He stands with those who rebel against Him, whether in sorrow or in trials of faith. However, we must focus first on ourselves, seeking by the grace and aid of God to triumph over our own inclinations to seek vengeance when we feel wronged.
He continues, “Thus have I been repaid evil for good” (Psalm 107:4). When we inquire about what constitutes this evil, it is rooted in hatred towards my goodwill. This encapsulates their grave offense. How could they harm Him who willingly laid down His life? The animosity itself represents the most significant wrongdoing of the persecutors, even though it is the voluntary suffering of the victim. The preceding phrases, “Instead of love to me,” encompass a duty of love they ought to have fulfilled in return for His affection. This love is referenced in the Gospel, where He lamented, “How often have I gathered your children together, and you would not!” (Matthew 23:37).
Next, He begins to foretell the punishment they will receive for their profound wickedness, describing their fate as though he relished the thought of retribution. Some, misunderstanding this prophetic style, assume that malice engenders malice, and evil results from evil will; yet, in reality, it is rare for someone to comprehend how the wicked’s punishment serves the accuser, who longs for vengeance, contrasting with how the judge, possessing a righteous spirit, punishes sin. The former takes revenge by returning evil for evil, whereas the judge, in dispensing justice, does not reciprocate evil because he administers equitable retribution to the unrighteous; such justice is inherently good. Hence, the judge punishes not out of joy for another’s misfortune but out of a love for what is just, which turns evil into good.
“Set the wicked ruler over him; and let Satan be at his right hand” (Psalm 108:5). While the previous text spoke of many adversaries, now the Psalm focuses on one individual. Here, it refers to the traitor Judas, who, as noted in the Acts of the Apostles, was destined to receive appropriate punishment (Acts 1:20)—indicating that a wicked man should govern him, in addition to the one referenced in the following verse with the mention of Satan at his side. Thus, one who refused to submit to Christ warranted being subjected to the devil, becoming his servant. This extends to those who, choosing the fleeting pleasures of this world over God, recognized as blessed those who possess worldly gain, sealing their fate as subjects of iniquity.
“When he is judged, let him be condemned, and let his prayer be turned into sin” (Psalm 107:6). Prayer can only be considered righteous through Christ, who was sold in his grievous sin. A petition offered outside of Christ neither absolves sin nor transforms into righteousness but becomes itself sin. One might wonder how Judas could pray in such a manner that his prayers were counted as sinful. It seems likely that before betraying the Lord, as he contemplated the betrayal, he could no longer offer prayers through Christ. After the betrayal, if he had prayed through Christ, he would have sought forgiveness; if he had genuinely sought forgiveness, he would have embraced hope; with hope, he would have awaited mercy; and in seeking mercy, he would not have succumbed to despair by taking his own life.
“Let his days be short” (Psalm 108:7). By “days,” he refers to the brief duration of Judas's apostleship, which concluded with his treachery and demise before the Passion of our Lord. One might question the fate of the sacred count of twelve, which the Lord intentionally established for His first apostles. The response follows: “Let another take his office,” meaning let him receive punishment befitting his actions, while allowing the count of apostles to increase.
“Let his children be orphans, and his wife a widow” (Psalm 108:8). Following his death, both his offspring were left without a father, and his spouse bereaved. “Let his children be wanderers, and be driven away, and ask for their bread” (Psalm 107:9) indicates those who are lost, devoid of guidance. He elaborates on this, stating, “Let them be driven from their dwellings,” elucidating the prior claim that they should be “carried away.” The ensuing verses reveal how this fate befell his family.
“Let the extortioner search all his possessions, and let strangers spoil his labor” (Psalm 108:10). “Let there be no one to help him” (Psalm 107:11)—indicating that there would be no one to protect his children, thus they would receive no pity. Even if orphans grapple with hardship and scarcity without a guardian, he pronounces, “Let his posterity be destroyed; let the next generation let his name be removed” (Psalm 108:12)—indicating that what he fathered would cease to bear fruit and quickly vanish.
Then he adds, “Let the wickedness of his fathers be remembered before the eyes of the Lord, and let the sin of his mother not be blotted out” (Psalm 108:13). Should this imply that even the sins of his ancestors will be held against him? Those transformed in Christ are not judged for their ancestry but must also refrain from imitating their deeds (Ezekiel 18:4, 20). The directive, “I will punish the sins of the fathers upon the children” (Exodus 20:5), pertains only to those who hate Me; that is, they mirror their fathers’ hatred toward God. Thus, as the act of emulating goodness obliterates even one’s own transgressions, the imitation of evil inflicts suffering not just for one’s own actions but also for the actions of others.
“Let them always be against the Lord” (Psalm 108:14). “Against the Lord” indicates in the presence of the Lord; this line has alternative interpretations as “Let them always be in the sight of the Lord” or “Let them always be before the Lord.” This signifies that such significant transgressions remain unforgiven, both now and in what is to come. “Let the memory of them,” referring to his mother and father, “vanish from the earth” reflects the idea that such remnants will disappear from history. Judging by his prophecy, his descendants, serving as reminders of his lineage, faced destruction within a single generation.
This fate resonates because “he remembered not to show mercy” (Psalm 108:15)—whether of Judah or the people as a whole. However, “remembered not” seems to pertain more to the people; if they had slain Christ, they might have recalled their actions in repentance and shown mercy to those members of His body whom they relentlessly pursued. Thus, it states, “And they persecuted the poor and the needy” (Psalm 108:16). This could also refer to Judas, for Christ, rich in His glory, embraced poverty to enrich us through His sacrifice (2 Corinthians 8:9). How else can we interpret the term “beggar,” other than Christ’s appeal to the Samaritan woman, “Give Me a drink” (John 4:7), and His exclamation on the Cross about His thirst (John 19:28)? It is challenging not to see the Savior of His body, who Judas persecuted, in the mention of the “poor man and the beggar.” When it states, “to kill,” it signifies the intent to destroy Him, which reflects Judas’ treachery, often associated with the remorse of past sins and the sorrow of repentance, echoing the remorse of those who confronted the Apostles after witnessing Christ’s ascension.
THEOSIS