Psalm 109 (108):23Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Illustrates the power of the deceit employed by the wrongdoers, their boundless wickedness, and the conduct he himself demonstrated amidst such challenges.

Anyone who diligently studies the Acts of the Apostles will discern that this Psalm prophesies about Christ; it is clear that the words ‘let his days be short, and let another take his office’ refer to Judas, the betrayer of Christ. Peter’s reference may appear unclear, except as it pertains to the Church, which he symbolically represented due to his leadership among the disciples, as indicated by the promise, ‘I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven’ (Matthew 16:19, and other similar passages): thus, Judas embodies those Jews who opposed Christ, who despised Him then and continue in such malice now. From these individuals and this nation, we can comprehend not only the clearer aspects of this psalm but also the explicit denunciation of Judas himself.

The psalm begins with the plea, O God, do not be silent regarding my praise; for the mouth of the wicked, indeed, the mouth of the wicked has opened against me (Psalm 107:1). This reveals that accusations from the deceitful and wicked are false, while true praise is bestowed by God. For God is true, but every man is a liar (Romans 3:4); no man is truthfully so except in whom God speaks. The highest honor is that of the only begotten Son of God, who is affirmed as He truly is, the only begotten Son of God. However, this was obscured until His suffering was manifested, hidden away while the wicked launched their attacks against Him; hence, His mouth was opened because His inner goodness was concealed: the vile spoke against Him, their hatred cloaked in deceit, bursting forth from their lips.

They have spoken against me with lying tongues (Psalms 108:2): this was particularly evident when they lauded Him as a good Teacher, using flattering deceit. It is stated elsewhere, And they who praise me together swear against me. Moreover, when they shouted, Crucify Him, crucify Him (John 19:6), He added: ‘They surrounded me with words of hatred.’ Those who used treachery disguised as love to defame me did so insidiously, surrounding me with words that were not merely falsehoods but explicit hatred, waging an unprovoked battle against me. Just as the godly love Christ genuinely, the wicked harbor unrestrained hatred towards Him; as virtuous individuals pursue truth selflessly, so the corrupt pursue evil. Therefore, secular writers remark on a thoroughly wicked man, one who was cruel without justification.

Instead of expressing love, they belittled me (Psalm 107:3). There are several distinct actions in this category that are memorable: (1) responding with good to evil, (2) not returning evil for evil, (3) responding with good to good, (4) retaliating evil for evil, (5) disregarding good for good, and (6) answering evil with good. The first two correspond to the righteous, with the first being superior; the last two pertain to the wicked, and the latter is the worst; the middle two involve individuals of a mixed nature, with the first leaning towards good and the second towards evil. This distinction should be noted in Scripture. Our Lord exemplifies repaying good for evil, justifying the ungodly (Romans 4:5), who while being crucified declared, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34).

After stating, Instead of loving me, they belittled me, he next affirms: But I gave myself to prayer. He did not specify what he prayed for, leaving us to discern it as referring to themselves. They belittled Him greatly as they crucified Him, mocking Him as if they had conquered Him; while from His Cross, He said, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Thus, while they reciprocated evil for good in their deep malice, He responded with good for evil in His boundless kindness. The divine words illustrate, through our Lord’s example, that when confronted with ingratitude—both in the absence of reward for good and the return of evil for good—we should resort to prayer; indeed, He intercedes for those who rebel against Him, whether in sorrow or faith amid peril; yet we first advocate for ourselves, seeking through God’s grace and aid to overcome our own inclinations to retaliate when humiliated by others, whether present or not.

He states: ‘I have been repaid evil for good’ (Psalm 107:4). We might inquire: What constitutes this evil? For what purpose? He cites hatred, for my goodwill. This encapsulates their profound guilt. How could those who persecuted Him inflict harm upon Him who willingly suffered, not under duress? This very animosity signifies the greatest offense of the persecutors, even as it represents the voluntary sacrifice of the sufferer. The explanation of the words ‘Instead of love to me’ unfolds here, as they were obliged to love Him not only as a basic virtue but also in response to His affection: here He also notes my goodwill. This love He references in the Gospel when He lamented, ‘How often I have desired to gather your children together, and you would not’ (Matthew 23:37).

He begins to foretell the repercussions of such wickedness, outlining their fate as if seeking revenge. Some, misunderstanding this prophetic approach, theorize that hatred breeds hatred, correlating the evil intent of one with that of another. Truly, few possess the insight to recognize how the punishment of the wicked satisfies the accuser, whose desire is to quell hatred, and how differently it satisfies the judge, who with righteousness administers justice. The former exacts evil for evil; yet the judge, in his enforcement of penalty, does not reciprocate evil for evil, but rather restores justice to the unjust, and righteousness is inherently good. Therefore, divine retribution is not enacted out of spite for another’s misfortunes, which would be evil for evil, but from a love for justice, which embodies goodness.

Set a wicked overseer over him, and let Satan stand at his right hand (Psalm 108:5). Although the previous complaint pertained to many, the Psalm now focuses singularly on one. It refers to the traitor Judas, who, as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, was to suffer the penalty he deserved (Acts 1:20), implying, appoint a wicked man over him, and in the subsequent verse he names this evil figure when he states, And let Satan stand at his right hand. Thus, one who rejected Christ earned the right to have the devil rule over him, meaning he was subject to evil. This is also why it is noted about those who prioritized worldly pleasures over God, who falsely deemed themselves blessed, seeing the riches of this world; indeed, their right hand manifests iniquity.

When judged, let him be condemned, and let his prayer be counted as sin (Psalm 107:6). Prayer is righteous only when offered through Christ, whom he betrayed in grievous sin; yet prayer not made through Christ cannot rectify sin and instead becomes sin itself. One might question how could Judas possibly pray such that his prayer turned into sin? Perhaps before he betrayed the Lord, while contemplating that betrayal; for he could no longer pray through Christ. Following his betrayal, had he sought forgiveness through Christ, he would have had the hope of mercy; if he had sought mercy, he would not have succumbed to despair by taking his life.

Let his days be few (Psalm 108:7). By "days," he referred to the brevity of Judas’ apostleship, which concluded in his treachery and death prior to our Lord’s Passion. And should one ask what becomes of the sacred number twelve, which our Lord intended to uphold for His original apostles, the psalm continues: ‘Let another take his office.’ This signifies he deserves punishment commensurate with his actions, and let his number of Apostles grow.

Let his children be orphans, and his wife a widow (Psalm 108:8). After his death, both his children were left fatherless, and his wife became a widow. Let his children wander, seeking bread (Psalm 107:9). By “wanderers,” we refer to those who do not know where to go, deprived of all support. Let them be cast out from their homes. Here the psalm illustrates how what was previously mentioned, ‘Let them be carried away,’ came about. The subsequent verses clarify how all this befell his wife and offspring.

Let the extortioner seize all his possessions, and let strangers plunder his labor (Psalm 108:10). Let no one be available to protect him (Psalm 107:11), signifying that no one would show compassion towards his bereaved children. Yet, even orphans, despite lacking support and guardianship, might still endure hardship and preserve their lineage; thus, he states, ‘Let his lineage perish’ (Psalm 108:12), or more specifically, let those born of him bear no offspring and quickly vanish.

What further words are added? Let the iniquity of his fathers be preserved before the Lord, and let the sin of his mother not be erased (Psalm 108:13). Is it understood that even the transgressions of his forebears will be accounted against him? For those transformed in Christ, who refrains from the actions of the wicked, do not inherit their deeds (Ezekiel 18:4, 20). This aligns with the statement, I will punish the iniquities of the fathers upon the children (Exodus 20:5), denoting them that hate Me; they emulate the hatred of their fathers. Thus, the imitation of the good obliterates even personal sins, while the imitation of the wicked burdens individuals with both their own faults and those of others they emulate.

Let them ever stand against the Lord (Psalm 108:14). "Against the Lord" refers to being in the Lord’s sight; for this line has been interpreted by others as being always in the Lord’s presence; as stated elsewhere, Thou hast shown our trespasses before Thee. By “always,” he signifies that this grievous offense shall remain unpardonable, both in this life and the next. May their memory—the remembrance of his father and mother—fade from the earth. The memory refers to that which persists through future generations: this, as prophesied, shall disappear from the earth, for Judah himself and his lineage, as called to mind by his parents, were eradicated in a short span of one generation.

This is because he failed to show mercy (Psalm 108:15), either referring to Judah or the people themselves. Yet ‘failed to show’ applies better to the people: for even though they killed Christ, they could have repented and remembered their actions, demonstrating mercy towards those whom they relentlessly persecuted. Thus, it states, ‘And they persecuted the poor and the needy’ (Psalm 108:16). This also relates to Judas; for the Lord’s willingness to embrace poverty while rich, allows us to be enriched by His poverty (2 Corinthians 8:9). As for the term ‘beggar,’ it is evident because He said to the Samaritan woman, ‘Give Me a drink’ (John 4:7), and on the Cross, He declared, ‘I thirst’ (John 19:28). Regarding the subsequent phrase, it seems clear that it pertains to our Head, the Savior of His body, whom Judas tormented. By stating, ‘persecuted the poor and the beggar,’ he implies a desire to kill, as some translations have rendered it—inflicting harm on one who is wounded in heart. This phrase applies generally to the pangs of past misdeeds and sorrowful repentance, fitting also those who, upon hearing the Apostles after our Lord’s Ascension, were compelled in heart, even those who crucified the Lord.

I exist like a fleeting shadow; when it is shifted, I vanish. Just as a shadow fades, I approached the conclusion of my existence, living my days like a locust swept along by the breeze, without a city, a village, or a dwelling, wandering from location to location, seeking refuge in the mountains and at times in the wilderness.

When I arrived to redeem My people, I cried out: ‘Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone them, how often have I longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings’ (Matthew 23:37). I came to My flock like a nurturing hen, yet they seized Me with intense animosity. I approached them in a motherly manner, but they treated Me as if I were a drain on their very lives. ‘Shaking.’ What does this signify? They pursued Me, scorned Me. I was expelled from Nazareth, then journeyed to Capernaum, where they rejected Me again, and so I went to Bethsaida. Yet even there, they forced Me out. I made My way to Jerusalem, unwilling to be separated from My people. They drove Me away, and I felt as if I were a plague among them. But what was My response? Did I become wrathful, seek vengeance, or curse them and abandon them? None of that. Instead, I prayed for them.

In this way, he symbolized death; he embraced the conclusion of his earthly existence as a shadow that had drifted away and vanished. He existed like a reed, tossed back and forth by the wind, without a city, village, or home, moving from one place to another, at times ascending the mountains or retreating into the wilderness.

As a shadow, when the sun dips toward the west and sets, I declare, I am quickly brought to an end and vanish, just as the shadow fades when the sun inclines westward and sinks. This implies that for the benefits I bestowed upon the Jews, I was brought to death by them. Like locusts that swiftly jump and are tossed from place to place by the wind, I, too, am moved by death out of this existence. Theodoret observes that, like locusts tossed about by the winds and scattered in various directions, I have spent my life without a city, village, or home, frequently wandering through mountains and deserts.

These two representations are highly relevant to David. In the first instance, we have previously mentioned in Psalm 101:12 that the person in mourning, resembling someone half alive, is likened to the evening shadow. When the sun is at its zenith, the transformations of shadows are less perceptible; however, as the sun descends towards the west, we observe that the shadows shift continuously. Another analogy illustrates the transitory nature of human existence. Just as friends often move from one location to another, David expresses his anguish over the restlessness of his life, where relentless adversaries pursue him, denying him a place of peace—similar to how an Indian describes being compelled to flee from spot to spot, like a bird caught in the nets of fishermen (Psalm 10:1).

At the culmination of the law, which finds its fulfillment in Christ the Lord (Rom. 10:4), this psalm was divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit through David. In it, he invokes God's assistance against his fierce adversaries amid profound anguish and distress, condemning them with harsh words. These foes symbolize the ultimate enemy and traitor of Christ the Savior—the treacherous Judas, along with other ungrateful Jews and all those who persecute Christ and His Church, to whom the prophet foretells severe judgment. The suffering of Christ is extolled, during which He Himself cried out to God the Father, "Now glorify Me, Father." The words spoken by the wicked—the mouth of the adversary—echo the deceit of Judas as he betrays the innocent Christ to death.