Praising God in the Trials- Part 2 - Example from David Psalm 109

In yesterday's reflection, I looked at a psalm of David filled with praise and remarked that David praised God even during difficult times, when he was being chased by King Saul... however I think it was a bit unfair that I didn't cite a psalm recounting one of those more difficult moments.  So today let's look at a psalm of a different tune- Psalm 109, one which is often more difficult (especially for pacifists) to read through, and try to understand how David is using this psalm and where his praise is.

According to Matthew Henry's commentary, it is unknown at what particular point of trouble David wrote this psalm (being chased by King Saul, trouble with Absalom, etc), but the trouble is quite clear even from the opening first 5 verses.

My God, whom I praise, 
    do not remain silent, 
² for people who are wicked and deceitful 
    have opened their mouths against me;
    they have spoken against me with lying tongues. 
³ With words of hatred they surround me;
    they attack me without cause. 
⁴ In return for my friendship they accuse me,
    but I am a man of prayer. 
⁵ They repay me evil for good, 
    and hatred for my friendship. (Psalm 109:1-5)


David opens with 'My God whom I praise' which is remarkable in itself in such a time of difficulty as this psalm would suggest David is facing.  Then in the next verses, he recounts the sins that his enemies have committed, which as sinful against God.  In verse 4, despite all of this and all his difficulties, he commits himself to prayer.


The next verses are the ones that are the most difficult to take, and commentary suggests that they refer mostly to one specific enemy and all that he has done, especially what he has done against David.

Appoint someone evil to oppose my enemy;
    let an accuser stand at his right hand.
⁷ When he is tried, let him be found guilty, 
    and may his prayers condemn him.
⁸ May his days be few; 
    may another take his place of leadership.
⁹ May his children be fatherless
    and his wife a widow. 
¹⁰ May his children be wandering beggars; 
    may they be driven^[a] from their ruined homes.
¹¹ May a creditor seize all he has;
    may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor. 
¹² May no one extend kindness to him
    or take pity on his fatherless children.
¹³ May his descendants be cut off, 
    their names blotted out from the next generation.
¹⁴ May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord;
    may the sin of his mother never be blotted out.
¹⁵ May their sins always remain before the Lord,
    that he may blot out their name from the earth.

¹⁶ For he never thought of doing a kindness,
    but hounded to death the poor
    and the needy and the brokenhearted. 
¹⁷ He loved to pronounce a curse—
    may it come back on him. 
He found no pleasure in blessing—
    may it be far from him.
¹⁸ He wore cursing as his garment;
    it entered into his body like water, 
    into his bones like oil.
¹⁹ May it be like a cloak wrapped about him,
    like a belt tied forever around him.
²⁰ May this be the Lord’s payment to my accusers,
    to those who speak evil of me.

After describing his troubles with this enemy, David remarks about his own needy state, which must've put him in a position from which he could be more easily harmed by these enemies.  He was poor and needy, unsettled (shaken like a locust), and weak... perhaps from fasting (although this may not have been planned and may be merely situational lack of food).

But you, Sovereign Lord,
    help me for your name’s sake; 
    out of the goodness of your love, deliver me. 
²² For I am poor and needy,
    and my heart is wounded within me.
²³ I fade away like an evening shadow; 
    I am shaken off like a locust.
²⁴ My knees give way from fasting; 
    my body is thin and gaunt. 
²⁵ I am an object of scorn to my accusers;
    when they see me, they shake their heads.


Finally, David calls out to God for help and praises God once again, remarking that he will continue to praise God... not only in secret but 'in the great throng of worshipers'.  And he asks God who is a God that stands by the needy to stand by him in his time of trouble.

Help me, Lord my God;
    save me according to your unfailing love.
²⁷ Let them know that it is your hand,
    that you, Lord, have done it.
²⁸ While they curse, may you bless;
    may those who attack me be put to shame,
    but may your servant rejoice. 
²⁹ May my accusers be clothed with disgrace
    and wrapped in shame as in a cloak.

³⁰ With my mouth I will greatly extol the Lord;
    in the great throng of worshipers I will praise him.
³¹ For he stands at the right hand of the needy,
    to save their lives from those who would condemn them.

I don't know if it helps everyone, but after reading through the entire psalm, understanding its different parts, and remembering the situation in which David finds himself, it helps me to understand what otherwise seems a very harsh psalm wishing evil on David's enemies.  Yes, that does exist... but it helps to remember the very difficult circumstances in which David finds himself.  To me, it is David describing the evils he sees and the injustice, asking God to stretch out his hand and extend justice.  

And even in such difficult times, we can clearly see David praising God for who He is- for His mercy, unfailing love, standing for the needy.  And we can see David committing himself to prayer.