Fathers

Psalms 109

Tap a verse to read the Fathers. Press and hold, then drag, to make a card.

God of my praise, don’t remain silent, for they have opened the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of deceit against me. They have spoken to me with a lying tongue. They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause. In return for my love, they are my adversaries; but I am in prayer. They have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love. Set a wicked man over him. Let an adversary stand at his right hand. When he is judged, let him come out guilty. Let his prayer be turned into sin. Let his days be few. Let another take his office. Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow. Let his children be wandering beggars. Let them be sought from their ruins. Let the creditor seize all that he has. Let strangers plunder the fruit of his labor. Let there be no one to extend kindness to him, neither let there be anyone to have pity on his fatherless children. Let his posterity be cut off. In the generation following let their name be blotted out. Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered by Yahweh. Don’t let the sin of his mother be blotted out. Let them be before Yahweh continually, that he may cut off their memory from the earth; because he didn’t remember to show kindness, but persecuted the poor and needy man, the broken in heart, to kill them. Yes, he loved cursing, and it came to him. He didn’t delight in blessing, and it was far from him. He clothed himself also with cursing as with his garment. It came into his inward parts like water, like oil into his bones. Let it be to him as the clothing with which he covers himself, for the belt that is always around him. This is the reward of my adversaries from Yahweh, of those who speak evil against my soul. But deal with me, Yahweh the Lord, for your name’s sake, because your loving kindness is good, deliver me; for I am poor and needy. My heart is wounded within me. I fade away like an evening shadow. I am shaken off like a locust. My knees are weak through fasting. My body is thin and lacks fat. I have also become a reproach to them. When they see me, they shake their head. Help me, Yahweh, my God. Save me according to your loving kindness; that they may know that this is your hand; that you, Yahweh, have done it. They may curse, but you bless. When they arise, they will be shamed, but your servant shall rejoice. Let my adversaries be clothed with dishonor. Let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe. I will give great thanks to Yahweh with my mouth. Yes, I will praise him among the multitude. For he will stand at the right hand of the needy, to save him from those who judge his soul.

About · Privacy · Credits · Support VRSZ

What the Fathers say

Psalms 109:12

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

But as even orphans may, without one to help them, and without a guardian, nevertheless increase amid trouble and want, and preserve their race by descent; he next says, "Let his posterity be destroyed; and in the next generation let his name be clean put out" [Psalm 109:12]: that is, let what has been generated by him generate no more, and quickly pass away.

Exposition on Psalm 109 ↗

Jerome

Let there be no helper for him, nor let there be any who will pity his orphans. In that time the people of the Jews had no helper. Answer me, O Jews. You were in Babylon: there you had prophets, Daniel, Ezekiel: and indeed you were idolaters. For seventy years you were in captivity, and afterward you came back into your own land. Behold, now it is four hundred years: why has no prophet been sent to you? In that time you worshiped idols, and God had pity on you. But now you do not worship idols: why has the Lord forsaken you? …

Homily 35, on Psalm 108 ↗