John Calvin Commentary Psalms 28:4

"Give them according to their work, and according to the wickedness of their doings: Give them after the operation of their hands; Render to them their desert." — Psalms 28:4 (ASV)

Give them according to their works. Having thus requested God to consider his innocence, the Psalmist thunders forth a curse against his enemies. And the accumulation of words shows that he had groaned long and grievously under the burden before he broke forth to desire such vengeance.

He intimates that the wicked of whom he speaks had transgressed not once, nor for a short time, nor in one way, but that they had proceeded so far in their constant evil doings, that their audacity could no longer be endured. We know how troublesome and grievous a temptation it is to see the ungodly proceeding without measure or end, as if God were overlooking their wickedness.

David, therefore, wearied as it were with continual forbearance, and fainting under the burden, implores God, at last, to restrain the wantonness of his enemies, who recently did not cease to heap wickedness upon wickedness. Thus we perceive that there is nothing superfluous in this verse, when to works he adds the wickedness of their doings, and the work of their hands, and petitions three times that they may receive the reward which they have deserved.

Furthermore, he at the same time testifies to his own faith, a testimony that boasting hypocrites often compel God's children to make, while by their deceit and quibbles, they mislead the judgments of the world. We see how men who are marked by wickedness, not content with their own impunity, cannot refrain from oppressing the innocent with false accusations, just as the wolf, wanting to prey on the lambs, according to the common proverb, accused them of muddying the water.

David is therefore compelled by this urgent need to call upon God for protection. Here again the difficult question arises about praying for vengeance, which, however, I will address briefly, as I have discussed it elsewhere.

1. First, then, it is unquestionable that if the flesh moves us to seek revenge, the desire is wicked in God's sight. He not only forbids us to call down evil upon our enemies in revenge for private injuries, but it must be that all desires springing from hatred are disordered. David’s example, therefore, must not be cited by those who are driven by their own uncontrolled passion to seek vengeance. The holy prophet is not inflamed here by his own private sorrow to devote his enemies to destruction; but laying aside the desire of the flesh, he pronounces judgment on the matter itself. Before a man can, therefore, pronounce vengeance against the wicked, he must first shake himself free from all improper feelings in his own mind.

2. Second, prudence must be exercised, so that the heinousness of the evils that offend us does not drive us to uncontrolled zeal. This happened even to Christ’s disciples when they desired that fire might be brought from heaven to consume those who refused to welcome their Master (Luke 9:54). They claimed, it is true, to act according to the example of Elijah; but Christ severely rebuked them and told them that they did not know by what spirit they were motivated. In particular, we must observe this general rule: that we heartily desire and labor for the welfare of the whole human race. Thus it will happen that we will not only make room for the exercise of God’s mercy but will also wish for the conversion of those who seem obstinately to rush upon their own destruction.

In short, David, being free from every evil passion and also endowed with the spirit of discretion and judgment, pleads here not so much his own cause as God's cause. And by this prayer, he further reminds both himself and the faithful that although the wicked may give themselves free rein in committing every kind of vice with impunity for a time, they must at last stand before the judgment seat of God.