Psalm 109
In this psalm we are brought back to the earthly life of Jesus, to consider again His lonely path of rejection, the enemies who daily sought to destroy Him, and His dependence upon His God as He passed as the obedient man through a scene of man’s guilt and Satan’s triumph.
Evidently, too, as in earlier psalms, those Israelites who should become His disciples and taste His rejection, —the “remnant” of Scripture—are included in the language of Psalm 109. Peter in Acts 1 quoted from this psalm regarding Judas, the betrayer of his Master; and in Matthew 10:16-26 and other scriptures, the Lord points to a path of suffering, after the pattern of His own, for His followers, particularly among the Jews.
Matthew 26:47-68 conies before us as we read verses 2-5. All the power of Satan in deceived, willful and guilty man, full of malignity and scorn, came out in the closing scenes of our blessed Lord’s life here below. How much He suffered from His creatures (and far more God-ward as the Sin Bearer during the second three hours on the cross) we shall never fully measure, but not the least of His suffering was that His love was met with hatred (verse 5); for it they were His adversaries (verse 4).
Christians, instructed in the New Testament to love their enemies, to bless when cursed, are apt to wonder at the calls for vengeance upon the wicked which are found in the Psalms. We are apt to forget that the judgment of the wicked will take place upon earth at the appearing and kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the answer to the suffering of His earthly people is not translation to heaven with Him as is the Christian’s hope, but the setting up of a rule of righteousness, with sin curbed and glory displayed on earth.
Verse 27 looks forward to the day when it will he seen that God was on the side I! is afflicted ones, as verse 26 looks to I lint for help and deliverance.
ML 09/27/1931