Psalm 109:4

4 In return for my friendship they accuse me, but I am a man of prayer.

Psalm 109:4 in Other Translations

4 For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer.

4 In return for my love they accuse me, but I give myself to prayer.

4 I love them, but they try to destroy me with accusations even as I am praying for them!

4 I loved them and now they slander me - yes, me! - and treat my prayer like a crime;

4 For my love they are my adversaries: But I [give myself unto] prayer.

4 In return for my love, they accuse me, but I pray for them.

4 In return for my love they accuse me, but I continue to pray.

4 They bring charges against me, even though I love them and pray for them.

Psalm 109:4 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 109:4

For my love they are my adversaries
For the love that Christ showed to the Jews; to their bodies, in going about and healing all manner of diseases among them; to their souls, in preaching, the Gospel to them in each of their cities; and for the love he showed to mankind in coming into the world to save them, which should have commanded love again; but instead of this they became his implacable adversaries: they acted the part of Satan; they were as so many Satans to him, as the word signifies.

But I give myself unto prayer;
or "I am a man of prayer" ^F25; as Aben Ezra and Kimchi supply it; so he was in the days of his flesh, ( Hebrews 5:7 ) , he was constant at it, and fervent in it; sometimes a whole night together at it: his usual method was, when at Jerusalem, to teach in the temple in the daytime, and at night to go to the mount of Olives, and there abide and pray, ( Luke 6:12 ) ( 21:37 ) ( 22:44 ) . This was the armour he alone made use of against his enemies, when they fought against him, and acted the part of an adversary to him; he betook himself to nothing else but prayer; he did not return railing for railing, but committed himself in prayer to God, who judgeth righteously, ( 1 Peter 2:23 ) , yea, he prayed for those his adversaries: and so Aben Ezra and Kimchi interpret it, that he was a man of prayer for them, and prayed for them; as it is certain Christ did, when he was encompassed by his enemies, and they were venting all their spite and malice against him, ( Luke 23:34 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F25 (hlpt ynaw) "et ego vir orationis", Pagninus, Gejerus.

Psalm 109:4 In-Context

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.

6 Appoint someone evil to oppose my enemy; let an accuser stand at his right hand.

Cross References

• 1. Psalms 69:13; Psalms 141:5