Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 109

Hold not thy peace — That is, Speak for my defense—as if God had looked with unconcern on the wrongs which were done to him. See the notes at Psalms 83:1.

O God of my praise — The God whom I praise; whom I worship and adore. It implies that he was accustomed to praise Him, and still desired to praise Him. He sought that God would interpose now that he might have new occasion for praise.

For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful - literally, “The mouth of wickedness, and the mouth of deceit.” This informs us about the nature of the wrong that had been done to him. It was slander; undeserved reproach.

Are opened against me - Margin, “have opened;” that is, they have opened themselves.

They have spoken against me with a lying tongue - They have accused me of things that are not true; they have made false charges against me. David, as has not been uncommon with good people, was called repeatedly to this trial.

They compassed me about also with words of hatred - They attacked me on every side; they assailed me, not merely in one form and direction, but in every form and in every direction. I could turn nowhere - I could go nowhere - where I did not encounter these slanderous reports.

And fought against me without a cause - Contended against me, or fought against me, with words. They sought to do me all the harm they could. The phrase without a cause means that he had given them no occasion for this conduct; he had not wronged them; it was mere malignity. See Psalms 35:7; Psalms 69:4. Compare John 15:25.

For my love ... - As a recompense for my love; or, this is the return which I get for all the expressions of my love to them. The enemies referred to were those whom he had treated kindly; to whom he had done good. This is not uncommon in the world. It was illustrated in an eminent degree in the life of the Saviour.

But I give myself to prayer - literally, “I - prayer;” that is, I am all prayer; I continually pray. This may mean, either, that he bore these trials with a meek spirit, and did not allow these things to disturb his devotions; or, more probably, that he prayed constantly “for them;” he desired their good, and sought it from above.

And they have rewarded me evil for good - literally, “They have placed against me.” They have put it in my way; it is what they had to set before me. See the notes at Psalms 35:12, where the same expression occurs.

And hatred for my love - Instead of loving me in return for my love, they have met me with the expressions of hatred. This often occurred in the life of David; it was constant in the life of the Saviour; it is habitually manifested by people toward God; it is often experienced by good men now; it “may” occur in the life of any man - and if it “does” occur to us, we should not think that any strange thing has happened to us.