The Lord Will

Psalms 109

Old Testament Β· King James Version

Psalm 109 is one of the Bible's strongest imprecatory psalms. The speaker reports deceit, hatred, and betrayal, voices severe judicial curses, then turns back to personal weakness, divine mercy, and praise. Its curses must be read as prayer entrusting judgment to God, not as permission for private retaliation or harm.

1

Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise;

2

For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue.

3

They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause.

4

For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer.

5

And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.

6

Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand.

7

When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer become sin.

8

Let his days be few; and let another take his office.

9

Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.

10

Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places.

11

Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil his labour.

12

Let there be none to extend mercy unto him: neither let there be any to favour his fatherless children.

13

Let his posterity be cut off; and in the generation following let their name be blotted out.

14

Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the Lord; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.

15

Let them be before the Lord continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.

16

Because that he remembered not to shew mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart.

17

As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.

18

As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones.

19

Let it be unto him as the garment which covereth him, and for a girdle wherewith he is girded continually.

20

Let this be the reward of mine adversaries from the Lord, and of them that speak evil against my soul.

21

But do thou for me, O God the Lord, for thy name’s sake: because thy mercy is good, deliver thou me.

22

For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.

23

I am gone like the shadow when it declineth: I am tossed up and down as the locust.

24

My knees are weak through fasting; and my flesh faileth of fatness.

25

I became also a reproach unto them: when they looked upon me they shaked their heads.

26

Help me, O Lord my God: O save me according to thy mercy:

27

That they may know that this is thy hand; that thou, Lord, hast done it.

28

Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice.

29

Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a mantle.

30

I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude.

31

For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those that condemn his soul.

Context

A Davidic prayer shaped by false accusation, betrayal, judicial appeal, personal vulnerability, and confidence that God stands beside the needy.

Themes & application

  • False accusation
  • Imprecatory prayer
  • Justice
  • Mercy
  • Prayer
  • Vulnerability
  • Vindication
  • Praise

Bring betrayal and anger honestly before God while refusing revenge, coercion, harassment, or harm. Seek justice through truthful, lawful, proportionate means and let the final movement toward mercy and praise govern application.

Key verses

Psalm 109:4

The speaker answers hostility by giving himself to prayer.

Psalm 109:21

The focus turns from cursing enemies to asking God for mercy.

Psalm 109:31

The psalm ends with God standing beside the poor against condemning accusers.

Common misreadings of Psalms 109

Misreading: Psalm 109 gives believers words to curse specific people or families today.

In context: Its imprecations are ancient judicial prayer entrusted to God, not instructions for private malediction, harassment, abuse, or violence.

Misreading: Verses 9–15 justify harming an enemy's spouse or children.

In context: They do not authorize collective punishment, inherited guilt, deprivation, or harm to relatives.

Misreading: Imprecatory prayer cancels due process or factual accountability.

In context: The psalm does not authorize false accusation, vigilantism, mob justice, or punishment without evidence.

Cross-references

  • Psalm 35 β€” Another prayer for justice amid false accusation.
  • Romans 12:19 β€” Later biblical teaching against personal vengeance.
  • Acts 1:20 β€” Psalm 109:8 is later cited in the New Testament.

Frequently asked questions about Psalms 109

May Christians pray Psalm 109 against a named enemy?
The psalm can give language for anger and appeal to divine justice, but it should not be used as an operational curse or authorization for retaliation, intimidation, or harm.
Why is Psalm 109 so severe?
It voices extreme judicial lament from within a world of accusation and betrayal. Its placement in Scripture allows rage and injustice to be spoken before God rather than enacted against others.

Sources & editorial notes

Translation
Commentary anchored in the public-domain Psalm 109 text used by the site (en).
Authorship
The heading attributes the psalm to David; the commentary does not claim a more specific historical incident than the text provides.
Editorial process
Synthesis checked against the psalm's three literary movements and safeguards around imprecation, family harm, accusation, due process, poverty, and revenge.

References

  • Psalm 109 β€” Primary text and literary structure.
  • Romans 12:19 β€” Canonical context for refusing personal vengeance.
  • Acts 1:20 β€” Later biblical reuse of Psalm 109:8.

Author: The Lord Will Editorial Team Β· Reviewed by: Ugo Candido Β· Updated: 2026-08-21