John Calvin Commentary Psalms 109:6

"Set thou a wicked man over him; And let an adversary stand at his right hand." — Psalms 109:6 (ASV)

Set thou over him a wicked person. Until now he poured out his complaint against a vast number of persons; now he seems to direct it against a single individual. Probably he speaks of each of them individually. It is, however, equally probable that he refers in very marked terms to some one in particular among these wicked persons, the most notorious transgressor of any of them.

Some conjecture, and not without reason, that Doeg is the person here aimed at, who, by his treason and revolt, sought to bring ruin, not only upon David, but also upon all the holy priests; and we know that this psalm is applied by Peter to Judas (Acts 1:20). But with equal propriety, and certainly not less forcibly, may this complaint be considered as applicable to some most intimate and particular friend of the Psalmist.

Regarding the imprecations contained in this psalm, it will be proper to keep in mind what I have said elsewhere: that when David forms such maledictions, or expresses his desires for them, he is not instigated by any immoderate carnal propensity, nor is he actuated by zeal without knowledge, nor is he influenced by any private personal considerations.

These three matters must be carefully weighed, for in proportion to the amount of self-esteem a man possesses, he is so enamored with his own interests as to rush headlong into revenge. Hence it happens that the more a person is devoted to selfishness, the more immoderately addicted he will be to advancing his own individual interests.

This desire for the promotion of personal interest gives birth to another kind of vice. For no one wishes to be avenged on his enemies because such a thing would be right and equitable, but because it is the means of gratifying his own spiteful propensity. Some, indeed, make a pretext of righteousness and equity in the matter, but the spirit of malignity, by which they are inflamed, erases every trace of justice and blinds their minds.

When these two vices, selfishness and carnality, are corrected, there is still another thing demanding correction: repressing the ardor of foolish zeal, so that we may follow the Spirit of God as our guide.

Should anyone, under the influence of perverse zeal, present David as an example of it, that would not be a relevant example; for to such a person the answer Christ returned to his disciples may be very aptly applied: Ye know not what spirit ye are of. (Luke 9:55). How detestable a piece of sacrilege it is on the part of the monks, and especially the Franciscan friars, to pervert this psalm by employing it to support the most nefarious purposes! If a man harbors malice against a neighbor, it is quite a common thing for him to engage one of these wicked wretches to curse him, which he would do by daily repeating this psalm. I know a lady in France who hired a group of these friars to curse her own and only son in these words.

But I return to David, who, free from all inordinate passion, breathed out his prayers under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

Then, as to the ungodly, who live as those who despise God, and who are constantly plotting the overthrow of the unsuspecting and the good, casting off all restraint, so that neither modesty nor honesty restrains them, surely they are deserving of the punishment of having a wicked person set over them. And since, by means of intrigue and perfidy, they are constantly aiming at the extermination of the good, they are most justly punished by God, who raises up against them an adversary that should never depart from their side.

Only let believers be on their guard, lest they betray too much haste in their prayers, and let them rather leave room for the grace of God to manifest itself on their behalf; because it may turn out that the man who today bears a deadly enmity toward us may, by tomorrow, through that grace, become our friend.