109:title music director See note on 4:title.

A psalm of David See note on 3:title.

109:3 They also surround The psalmist describes his enemies as surrounding him, perhaps like enemy soldiers.

109:4 they accuse The Hebrew word used here, satan, means “to be hostile toward” (see v. 6).

in prayer The Hebrew word used here, tephillah, refers to a prayer associated with a concern or need.

109:6 at his right hand A position of influence and honor. In court, both accusers and defenders are portrayed as standing at the right hand of a person. Compare v. 31.

109:8 Let his days be few Just as long life was viewed as a great blessing in the ancient Near East, short life was viewed as a great punishment.

his office The psalmist is talking about officials in power in this psalm.

109:10 ruins A picture of utter destitution.

109:11 the creditor The psalmist envisions complete financial collapse for his enemies’ surviving families. See note on vv. 6–15.

109:12 loyal love Compare v. 16.

109:13 his descendants For the memory and descendants of the psalmist’s enemies to be cut off, they would need to be destroyed.

the next generation The psalmist wants the family line of his enemies to end, which in the ancient Near East is the conceptual equivalent of having never lived.

109:14 the iniquity of his ancestors In Exod 34:6–7, Yahweh promised that He will not extend punishment for crimes from generation to generation. However, elsewhere sins are depicted as passing from generation to generation, suggesting that it was the effects of sin that did transmit from one generation to the next (e.g., Num 14:18).

109:16 to show loyal love Connected to the punishment in Ps 109:12.

poor or needy The Hebrew words used here, ani and evyon often occur together and are both associated with poverty and need in general. The word evyon might also include misery that comes from oppression. Compare vv. 22, 31.

to slay The psalmist portrays the crimes of his enemies in the starkest possible terms (compare 94:5–6, 21).

109:17 cursing The Hebrew word used here, qelalah, is used in a curse formula in which someone or something is declared to have bad things come upon it. The psalmist may be describing poetic justice: arrogant presumption meets a fitting end. Compare note on vv. 6–15.

blessing Though the Hebrew word used here, berakhah, can refer to a blessing that someone can seek and receive, it is also a formula for blessing (in contrast to cursing). See 103:1 and note.

109:18 his bones The psalmist is describing accursedness that sinks into his enemies as deep as possible.

109:20 from Yahweh The psalmist pleads for God to act. He never hints that he will take matters into his own hands.

109:21 for your name’s sake The psalmist frequently appeals to God for help on the basis that it would reveal the goodness of His character. See note on 91:14; note on 23:3.

109:23 a locust See note on 105:34.

109:24 from fasting The psalmist fasts in order to focus on appealing to God. He emphasizes the intensity of his fasting. See note on Ezra 8:21.

109:25 they shake their heads A gesture of derision. See note on Psa 22:7.

109:27 your hand A figure of speech for God’s power or action.

109:28 let them be put to shame Just as the psalmist’s complaint is located in his social context, this punishment needs a social context to have any force (see v. 25). Compare note on vv. 6–15.

109:30 with my mouth This contrasts with the wicked lies of the psalmist’s enemies (see vv. 2–4); the psalmist will express his confidence in Yahweh’s help.