1 Unto the end. A Psalm of David. 2 O God, do not be silent toward my praise, for the mouth of the sinner and the mouth of the deceitful one have been opened against me. 3 They have spoken against me with deceitful tongues, and they have surrounded me with hateful words, and they fought against me over nothing. 4 Instead of choosing to act on my behalf, they detracted me. But I gave myself to prayer. 5 And they set evil against me, instead of good, and hatred, in return for my love. 6 Establish the sinner over him, and let the devil stand at his right hand. 7 When he is judged, may he go forth in condemnation, and may his prayer be counted as sin. 8 May his days be few, and let another take his episcopate. 9 May his sons be orphans, and his wife a widow. 10 May his sons be carried by those who walk unsteadily, and may they go begging. And may they be cast out of their dwelling places. 11 May the money lenders scrutinize all his belongings, and let foreigners plunder his labors. 12 May there be no one to assist him, nor anyone to be compassionate to his orphaned children. 13 May his posterity be in utter ruin. In one generation, may his name be wiped away. 14 May the iniquity of his fathers return in memory before the sight of the Lord, and do not let the sin of his mother be wiped away. 15 May these be opposite the Lord always, but let their memory perish from the earth. 16 For certain things are not remembered about them, in order to be merciful. 17 And so the destitute man was pursued, with the beggar and the remorseful in heart, so as to be put to death. 18 And he loved a curse, and it came to him. And he was unwilling to have a blessing, and it went far from him. And he clothed himself with curses like a garment, and it entered his inner self like water, and it entered his bones like oil. 19 May it be to him like a garment that covers him, and like a belt that always cinches him. 20 This is the work of those who detract me with the Lord and who speak evils against my soul. 21 But as for you, Lord, O Lord: act on my behalf for your name’s sake. For your mercy is sweet. 22 Free me, for I am destitute and poor, and my heart has been disquieted within me. 23 I have been taken away like a shadow when it declines, and I have been shaken off like locusts. 24 My knees have been weakened by fasting, and my flesh has been replaced by oil. 25 And I have become a disgrace to them. They saw me, and they shook their heads. 26 Help me, O Lord, my God. Save me according to your mercy. 27 And let them know that this is your hand, and that you, O Lord, have done this. 28 They will curse, and you will bless. May those who rise up against me be confounded. But your servant will rejoice. 29 May those who detract me be clothed with shame, and may they be covered with their confusion, as if with a double cloak. 30 I will confess exceedingly to the Lord with my mouth. And I will praise him in the midst of the multitude. 31 For he stands at the right hand of the poor, in order to save my soul from persecutors.
Psalms · Catholic Public Domain Version
Psalm 108 (109) Catholic Public Domain Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · Psalm 109 · About the recordings
Notes on this text (4)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
- Psalms follow the Greek/Latin numbering, with the psalm titles counted as verse 1 (as in the Vulgate).
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
Cross references (31)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info. References use English (Hebrew-based) verse numbers; links open the passage in CPDV.
- 1 Psalm 28:1; Psalm 83:1; Deuteronomy 10:21; Psalm 35:22–23; Isaiah 42:14
- 2 Psalm 52:4; Psalm 120:2–3; Proverbs 6:17; Psalm 31:13; Proverbs 12:19
- 3 Psalm 69:4; Psalm 35:7; Psalm 35:20; John 15:24–25; Psalm 88:17
- 4 Psalm 38:20; Psalm 35:7; Luke 23:34; Psalm 69:12–13; Psalm 55:16–17
- 5 Psalm 38:20; Proverbs 17:13; Psalm 55:12–15; Genesis 44:4; 2 Samuel 15:31
- 6 Zechariah 3:1; Matthew 5:25; Matthew 27:4; John 13:2; John 13:27
- 7 Proverbs 28:9; Proverbs 21:27; Proverbs 15:8; Galatians 3:10; Matthew 23:13
- 8 Acts 1:16–26; Psalm 55:23; Matthew 27:5
- 9 Exodus 22:24; Jeremiah 18:21; Lamentations 5:3
- 10 Psalm 37:25; Genesis 4:12–14; Isaiah 16:2; 2 Kings 5:27; Psalm 59:15
- 11 Job 5:5; Deuteronomy 28:33–34; Deuteronomy 28:50–51; Deuteronomy 28:29; Job 18:9–19
- 12 Psalm 137:8–9; James 2:13; Matthew 27:25; Luke 6:38; Isaiah 27:11
- 13 Proverbs 10:7; Psalm 37:28; Job 18:19; 1 Samuel 2:31–33; Psalm 21:10
- 14 Exodus 20:5; Nehemiah 4:5; Jeremiah 18:23; Isaiah 43:25; 2 Samuel 3:29
- 15 Psalm 34:16; Job 18:17; Psalm 90:8; Psalm 51:9; Isaiah 65:15
- 16 Psalm 34:18; James 2:13; Matthew 18:33–35; Psalm 37:14; 2 Samuel 16:11–12
- 17 Matthew 7:2; Proverbs 14:14; Psalm 59:12–13; Ezekiel 35:6; Psalm 52:4–5
- 18 Psalm 73:6; Numbers 5:22; Colossians 3:12; Matthew 27:3–5; 1 Peter 5:5
- 19 Psalm 109:29; Psalm 35:26; Psalm 132:18; Psalm 109:18
- 20 2 Timothy 4:14; Psalm 94:23; 1 Kings 2:44; Matthew 11:19; Psalm 110:5–6
- 21 Psalm 31:3; Psalm 69:16; Psalm 79:9–10; Psalm 25:11; Psalm 63:3
- 22 Psalm 40:17; Psalm 86:1; Psalm 102:4; 2 Corinthians 8:9; Psalm 22:6
- 23 Exodus 10:19; Job 14:2; 1 Chronicles 29:15; Psalm 102:10–11; Psalm 144:4
- 24 Psalm 32:3–4; Matthew 4:2; Psalm 22:14; Hebrews 12:12; Psalm 35:13–14
- 25 Psalm 22:6–7; Romans 15:3; Psalm 69:19–20; Psalm 69:9–12; Job 16:4
- 26 Psalm 119:86; Psalm 57:1; Psalm 69:13; Hebrews 5:7; Psalm 40:12
- 27 Job 37:7; 1 Kings 18:36–37; Exodus 8:19; Acts 4:16; Psalm 126:2
- 28 Numbers 23:20; John 16:22; Psalm 109:17; Hebrews 12:2; Numbers 22:12
- 29 Psalm 35:26; Psalm 132:18; Job 8:22; Jeremiah 20:11; Psalm 109:17–19
- 30 Psalm 111:1; Psalm 35:18; Psalm 22:22–25; Psalm 138:1; Psalm 116:12–18
- 31 Psalm 121:5; Psalm 16:8; Psalm 140:12; Psalm 73:23; Isaiah 54:17
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations). Verse numbers below follow the Hebrew/English numbering: 109.
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
I have not thought that the CVIII^th Psalm required an exposition; since I have already expounded it in the LVII^th Psalm, and in the LX^th, of the last divisions of which this Psalm consisteth.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
… Judas to be, after being separated from her Enthymesis, was restored or recalled [to her former position]; but Judas was deprived [of his office], and cast out, while Matthias was ordained in his place, according to what is written, "And his bishopric let another take." They ought therefore to maintain that the twelfth Æon was cast out of the Pleroma, …
63. "I am poor and needy," yet better am I while in secret groanings I displease myself, and seek for Thy mercy, until what is lacking in me be renewed and made complete, even up to that peace of which the eye of the proud is ignorant.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
O God, pass not over My praise in silence; for the mouth of the wicked, and the mouth of the deceitful, are opened against Me; they have spoken against Me with a treacherous tongue, they have compassed Me about also with words of hatred.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein; and, His bishoprick let another take;" --thus leading to the completion of the apostles, according to the words spoken by David.