Psalm 109

What is it in man that makes him only care about himself? What is it in man that makes him hate those who are different from himself? What is it that makes him falsely accuse others and deceive himself? The answer is sin, sin came into the world with Adam and Eve and has taken up residence in the hearts of men. May God's mercy and compassion shown to us cause us to extend mercy and compassion to all of His creation. God is the protector of those that cannot protect themselves.

1 Do not keep silent,

O God of my praise!

2 For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful

Have opened against me;

They have spoken against me with a lying tongue.

3 They have also surrounded me with words of hatred,

And fought against me without a cause.

4 In return for my love they are my accusers,

But I give myself to prayer.

5 Thus they have rewarded me evil for good,

And hatred for my love.

16 Because he did not remember to show 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 to him;

As he did not delight in blessing, so let it be far from him.

18 As he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment,

So let it enter his body like water,

And like oil into his bones.

20 Let this be the Lord's reward to my accusers,

And to those who speak evil against my person.

21 But You, O God the Lord,

Deal with me for Your name's sake;

Because Your mercy is good, deliver me.

22 For I am poor and needy,

And my heart is wounded within me.

26 Help me, O Lord my God!

Oh, save me according to Your mercy,

27 That they may know that this is Your hand—

That You, Lord, have done it!

28 Let them curse, but You bless;

When they arise, let them be ashamed,

But let Your servant rejoice.

29 Let my accusers be clothed with shame,

And let them cover themselves with their own disgrace as with a mantle.

30 I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth;

Yes, I will praise Him among the multitude.

31 For He shall stand at the right hand of the poor,

To save him from those who condemn him.

The NKJV Study Bible says this: The psalmist declares his innocence and insists that his enemies have rewarded his prayers with evil, his love with hatred. Although the psalmist's words may seem extremely hostile, he is simply asking that his enemy's evil actions be judged. The poor are not those without wealth so much as those without protection or defenders. Even in the psalmist's intense emotional state, he wants to see the name of God defended, proclaimed, and honored. The Psalms always lead to the praise of God, even from the depths of desperate circumstances.