Psalm 109 (108):9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He requests that he should experience an untimely demise, saying, "let his sons be fatherless." To understand the significance of this pronouncement, one may refer to the interpretation provided in Psalms 108:6. However, if the psalmist seeks punishment for his offspring as well, dear ones, do not be disheartened; those referred to as children are understood to be individuals who share in the vices of the one cursed. Scripture frequently designates as children those who are linked by natural ties and are complicit in wickedness, even if they are not biological offspring. For instance, it states, "your father is the devil" (John 8:44). The Jews were not inherently children of the devil—how could those encased in flesh be offspring of the incorporeal? (John 8:44).

Those who diligently engage with the Acts of the Apostles will discern that this Psalm serves as 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 traitor of Christ. While Peter's interpretations may carry obscure implications, they are understood more clearly in the context of the Church, which he symbolically represents due to his leadership among the apostles. As stated, "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 16:19 and similar passages). Judas embodies the Jewish adversaries of Christ, those who despised Him then and continue to do so in their lineage. From these individuals and this nation, we can grasp not only the straightforward meaning found in this psalm but also the more evident commentary concerning Judah himself.

Thus, the psalm opens with the 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). This highlights that the slanderous accusations of the deceitful are baseless, while the divine approbation from God is genuine. Indeed, "For God is true, but every man is a liar" (Romans 3:4), for truth only resides in those through whom God speaks. The highest form of praise comes from the only begotten Son of God, revealing His true identity as such. This truth was obscured until His weakness was made manifest, as the wicked who opposed Him opened their lips in deceitful malice; hence, He says, "The mouth of the deceitful was opened," as hatred veiled in lies poured forth from their tongues.

"They have spoken against me with lying tongues" (Psalms 108:2) is especially true when they extolled Him falsely as a good Teacher through insincere flattery. Therefore, it is noted, "And they that praise me together swear against me." Their outcries, "Crucify Him, crucify Him" (John 19:6), led to His isolation, for He was encircled by words of animosity. Those who spoke against Him were disingenuous, portraying love while secretly harboring hatred, waging unjust war against Him. The righteous love Christ freely, just as the wicked hate him without cause; as virtuous individuals seek the truth selflessly, so do the vile pursue evil without compunction.

Instead of offering love, they "stole from me" (Psalm 107:3). There are six categories of responses in this regard, which are memorable: (1) responding with good to evil, (2) not answering evil with evil, (3) responding with good to good, (4) responding with evil to evil, (5) not responding good to good, and (6) responding with evil to good. The first two belong to the virtuous, with the first being superior; the last two are characteristic of the wicked, with the last being the most egregious. The middle pair may apply to those intermediate in nature, with the first leaning toward the good and the second toward the bad. This principle is evident in scripture. Our Lord returned good for evil, justifying the ungodly (Romans 4:5), and even while crucified, He prayed, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34).

Having stated, "Instead of loving me, they belittled me," He continues, "But I gave myself to prayer." While He does not specify what He prayed for, the implication is clear, focused on their actions. They deeply belittled Him whom they crucified, mocking Him as one they believed they had overcome. From the Cross, He echoed, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do," exemplifying that while they maliciously returned evil for good, He graciously reciprocated good for evil. The divine words exemplify a lesson for us; when we feel others are ungrateful, not only for failing to reward our good actions but also for repaying kindness with malice, we ought to pray. He intercedes on behalf of those who rebel against Him, whether in sorrow or in peril, but primarily for ourselves, so that, by God's grace, we can prevail over our own urge for revenge in response to humiliation, whether observed or unobserved.

He adds, "Thus have I been repaid evil for good" (Psalm 107:4). This raises the question of what constitutes the evil done to Him. He notes that hatred is directed toward His goodwill. This encapsulates their profound transgression. How could His persecutors inflict harm on One who willingly surrendered Himself and did not succumb by compulsion? Their animosity constitutes the greatest offense, even as the suffering is a voluntary act of atonement on His part. The phrase "instead of love to me" underscores that they owed Him love not just as a common duty but in acknowledgment of His love for them; He further emphasizes this in the Gospel, lamenting, "How often have I gathered your children together, and you would not" (Matthew 23:37).

He proceeds to pronounce the consequences of their profound wickedness, detailing the punishment that awaits them, articulating their fate as if he wishes divine retribution upon them. Some, misunderstanding the nature of prophetic utterances, mistakenly believe that hatred begets hatred and that evil will ultimately meet with evil. Few possess the discernment to realize how the wicked's punishment satisfies the accuser's desire to extinguish enmity, distinct from how a righteous judge administers justice with a virtuous heart. The accuser repays evil with evil, while the judge, in enacting justice, brings forth righteousness to the unrighteous—what is just must inherently be good. Thus, His punishment flows not from a wish to see another suffer but from a devotion to justice, which is inherently good against that which is evil.

"Set the wicked ruler over him; and let Satan be at his right hand" (Psalm 108:5). While the accusation began against many, the psalm now addresses one individual. This clearly points to the traitor Judas, who, as noted in the Acts of the Apostles, was due punishment for his actions (Acts 1:20). This indicates that a wicked individual is to be appointed over him, along with the specific mention of Satan being at his right hand. The one who refused to yield to Christ made himself deserving of the adversary's dominion.

For those who, choosing worldly pleasures over God, call the prosperous blessed—those who possess wealth and abundance—"their right hand is the right hand 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 righteous through Christ, whom Judas betrayed in his grievous sin; thus, a prayer not made through Christ cannot atone for sin but becomes sin itself. One may wonder, in what scenario could Judas pray in such a manner that his plea became sinful? Perhaps he contemplated betrayal before he committed it, rendering his ability to pray through Christ void. After his betrayal and his subsequent remorse, had he sought forgiveness through Christ, he would have had hope for mercy. Without hope, he succumbed to despair and took his own life.

"Let his days be short" (Psalm 108:7). Here, "his days" refer to the brief period of his apostleship, which concluded with his offense and demise before the Lord's Passion. When asked about the sacred number twelve, which was deliberately limited by our Lord for the first apostles, it follows that "Let another take his office" implies that he ought to be punished according to his deeds, which should also lead to the increase of their number.

"Let his children be orphans, and his wife a widow" (Psalm 108:8). Following his demise, both his offspring were bereft of a father, and his wife was left without her husband. "Let his children be wanderers, and be led away, and ask for their bread" (Psalm 107:9). Those referred to as wanderers are those bereft of direction and devoid of all support. They are to be cast out from their homes, elucidating what it means to be "carried away." The next verses explain the plight his family endured.

"Let the extortioner search all his possessions, and let strangers spoil his labor" (Psalm 108:10). "Let there be no man to help him" (Psalm 107:11) refers to any protector for his descendants; consequently, his orphaned children shall lack compassion. However, since it is possible for orphans to grow amidst hardship and maintain their lineage, it is then stated, "Let his posterity be destroyed; and let his name be cut off" (Psalm 108:12), which suggests that his progeny will not continue and will swiftly vanish.

What follows is, "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). This seems to imply that even the sins of his ancestors will be imputed to him, yet those who have been transformed in Christ are not subjected to such judgment, as they cease to emulate the wicked. "For I will punish the sins of the fathers upon the children" (Exodus 20:5) is a declaration linked to those who harbor animosity toward God — evidenced by their actions mirroring their forebears' hatred. In contrast, the imitation of the virtuous leads to the expungement of one's own faults, while mimicking the sinful leads individuals to suffer for both personal deeds and the offenses of those whom they follow.

"Let them always be against the Lord" (Psalm 108:14) indicates a perpetual opposition to the Lord in His sight; though some interpreters render it, "Let them always be in the sight of the Lord," the meaning encompasses an enduring state of offense without pardon in both this life and the next. "Let the memory of them vanish from the face of the earth." Here, "memory" refers to the legacy preserved by successive generations; this prophecy indicates that their legacy shall dissolve because Judah and his descendants — reminders of his lineage — were eradicated in the span of one generation.

"This is because he remembered not to show mercy" (Psalm 108:15), which likely pertains either to Judah or to the populace at large. The phrase "remembered not" seems more fitting in reference to the people, as if they had recalled their actions against Christ and repented, they would have shown compassion toward His afflicted members. Consequently, "And they persecuted the poor and the needy" (Psalm 108:16) may refer to Judas specifically. The Lord, who forsook His riches to embrace poverty, did so that we might be enriched through His humility (2 Corinthians 8:9). As for the reference to "beggar," it echoes His words to the Samaritan woman asking for a drink (John 4:7) and His declaration of thirst upon the Cross (John 19:28). Furthermore, the continuation about "the poor man and the beggar" addresses the Saviour, whom Judas sought to extinguish. "Persecuted the poor man and the beggar" indicates their intent to eliminate Him, suggesting that He was wounded in heart. This terminology is typically associated with sorrowful recollections of one's transgressions and subsequent repentance, reminiscent of those who, upon hearing the apostles post-ascension, were deeply moved in heart, even those responsible for the Lord's death.

The psalm continues, "He enjoyed cursing, and it will happen to him" (Psalm 107:17). Judas thrived on deceit, both through misappropriation of funds and through his betrayal of the Lord; however, those who openly declared, "His blood be upon us and our children" (Matthew 27:25), demonstrated a profound love for perjury. Having forsaken the blessing, it shall be removed from him. Judas, in his rejection of Christ as the source of eternal blessing, exemplified the Jewish people's resolute aversion to salvation, as illustrated when the enlightened one among them questioned, "Will you also become His disciples?" (John 9:27). He adorned himself with curses, akin to a garment, signifying their deep-rooted and visceral nature. It enveloped him—exteriorly like a garment, and interiorly like water—portraying the extent of his darkness within, as he stood before the judgment of the One who holds the power to destroy both body and soul in hell (Matthew 10:28).

Let his offspring become progenitors. The ‘offspring’ represent his ideas, which have gained strength after turning away from the grace of Christ. The ‘wife’ symbolizes his soul, as she too has become bereft, having strayed from Christ due to lawlessness.

Observe the revelations that have been proclaimed. Who do you identify as the sons of Judah? The Jewish people. It is noted that these Jews are not descendants of the saintly Judas, but rather of the traitor. From that saint, we, the spiritual Jews, derive our identity, while they, the Jews of the flesh, come from the betrayer. In total, two apostles carried this name. The eleventh was known as Judas, son of James, and the twelfth, the less prominent, was Judas Iscariot. We are called Jews through Judas, son of James, while they are identified through Iscariot. Our ancestor, Judas, son of James, is referred to as the son of Jacob, which signifies him as the son of the one who stammered: we have asserted the identity of the people of Judah and embraced their heritage.

This was realized not just in the case of Judas but also among all the faithless Jews. Within a few years following the crucifixion, the entire lineage faced devastation; many were slain, and their families were taken into captivity. These events were anticipated by the prophetic word in prayer.

The following words and those that ensue cannot be applied to Judas, as the Scriptures do not provide any mention of Judas' spouse or offspring. Thus, Chrysostom suggests that David is prophesying about a different individual who conspired against the priests after the return of the Jews from Babylon to Jerusalem, and this was unmistakably fulfilled in that context. Chrysostom also remarks that those well-versed in history recognize this (though the precise writings are unclear). Eusebius notes that this was accurately and clearly realized in simple terms through the traitor's demise, as he took his own life, resulting in his children becoming orphans and his wife enduring widowhood. Another perspective offers that there is a different type of orphanhood that serves a purpose.

Despite the numerous trials we encounter in this life, they serve as indicators of God's favor. The Lord often assures us of our continued existence as evidence of His love, not due to our focus on it, but because in experiencing it, we partake in the paternal affection of the all-good Creator, who leads us from our earthly journey toward the promise of eternal life. Conversely, the fleeting nature of life can be seen as a marker of condemnation. God, by seemingly removing the wicked from the earth, illustrates their unworthiness to share in the common breath of life.

At the culmination of the law, which is fulfilled in Christ our Lord (Rom. 10:4), this psalm was inspired by the Holy Spirit for David. Within it, he expresses his anguish and intense distress, invoking God's assistance against his adversaries, who attack him with harsh oaths. These foes symbolize the ultimate enemy and traitor to Christ the Savior—Judas, the wicked one, along with the other ungrateful Jews and all who oppose Christ and His Church, to whom the prophet foretells severe punishment (Chrysostom, Athanasius, Theodoret).