Psalms 109:20-30

20 That's what they'll get, those out to get me - an avalanche of just deserts from God.

21 Oh, God, my Lord, step in; work a miracle for me - you can do it! Get me out of here - your love is so great! -

22 I'm at the end of my rope, my life in ruins.

23 I'm fading away to nothing, passing away, my youth gone, old before my time.

24 I'm weak from hunger and can hardly stand up, my body a rack of skin and bones.

25 I'm a joke in poor taste to those who see me; they take one look and shake their heads.

26 Help me, oh help me, God, my God, save me through your wonderful love;

27 Then they'll know that your hand is in this, that you, God, have been at work.

28 Let them curse all they want; you do the blessing.

29 Let them be jeered by the crowd when they stand up, followed by cheers for me, your servant. Dress my accusers in clothes dirty with shame, discarded and humiliating old ragbag clothes.

30 My mouth's full of great praise for God, I'm singing his hallelujahs surrounded by crowds,

Psalms 109:20-30 Meaning and Commentary

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. This psalm was written by David, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, concerning Judas the betrayer of Christ, as is certain from Acts 1:16 hence it is used to be called by the ancients the Iscariotic psalm. Whether the occasion of it was the rebellion of Absalom, as some, or the persecution of Saul, as Kimchi; and whoever David might have in view particularly, whether Ahithophel, or Doeg the Edomite, as is most likely; yet it is evident that the Holy Ghost foresaw the sin of Judas, and prophesies of that, and of the ruin and misery that should come upon him; for the imprecations in this psalm are no other than predictions of future events, and so are not to be drawn into an example by men; nor do they breathe out anything contrary to the spirit of Christianity, but are proofs of it, since what is here predicted has been exactly accomplished. The title in the Syriac version is, "a psalm of David when they created Absalom king without his knowledge, and for this cause he was slain; but to us it expounds the sufferings of the Christ of God;" and indeed he is the person that is all along speaking in this psalm.