Psalms 109:28

(28-31) It is impossible not to notice the anti-climax in these verses, if they are spoken by the same person as Psa_109:16-20, and directed against the same enemies, of whom the one there singled out is the prominent figure. It is not only that the effect is weakened by the change back to the plural number, but the same imprecations are repeated in a diluted and modified form. But perhaps in Psa_109:28 we should drop the optative, and read, “they will curse, but thou dost bless.”

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Psa 109:28 Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice.

Ver. 28. Let them curse, but bless thou] Yea, the rather, as 2Sa 16:12; and I wot well that those whom thou blessest shall be blessed, as Isaac once said of his son Jacob, Gen 27:33.

When they arise] To plead their own cause, causa excidant.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

28. (Psa 109:28) They will curse, and thou wilt bless; they have risen up, and shall be shamed, and thy servant shall be glad. The first clause, expressed in our idiom, would be, they may curse, but thou wilt bless. Risen up, i.e. against me, a favourite expression in the Psalms. Shamed, in the pregnant sense of being disappointed, defeated, confounded. Thy servant, i.e. I, as such, in that capacity or character.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Psalms Translated and Explained (1850) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

109:28 The Lord’s servant demonstrates loyalty and obedience.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

They shall gain nothing by cursing me.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 28. Let them curse, but bless thou] See on Ps 109:20: Of the mode of interpretation recommended there, this verse gives additional proof.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

28. They shall curse. Interpreters are divided in their opinions about the meaning of these words. One class would render them as expressive of a desire or wish: Let them curse, provided that thou bless: let them arise, and be clothed with confusion Another class, and with them I readily agree, adopt the future tense of the indicative mood, They shall curse, etc. Should any prefer to understand the passage as indicating, on the part of the Psalmist, his resolution to suffer and submit to the curses of his enemies, I do not oppose their interpretation. In my opinion, however, those who view the words as a prayer, misinterpret them; because David, having already presented his petitions to God, and being secure in his favor, seems now rather to boast that their cursing will do him no harm; for Thou, says he, wilt bless me. By this means, he proves how little and how lightly he regarded the menaces of his enemies, though they might assail him by the poison of the tongue, and the power of the sword. From the example of David, let us learn to form the resolution of engaging God on our side, who can baffle all the designs of our enemies, and inspire us with courage to set at defiance their malice, wickedness, audacity, power, and fury.

And then, indeed, it is that the loving-kindness of God appears, when it banishes from our minds the fears which we entertain of the threatenings of the world. Therefore, relying upon the grace of God, boldly setting at nought the machinations and attacks of his enemies, believing that they could not prevail against God’s blessing, David raises the shout of triumph even in the midst of the battle. This truth is still more impressively inculcated in the succeeding clause of the verse: Though they arise, yet shall they be put to shame. By these words it is obviously his design to intimate that the ungovernable violence of his enemies is not yet subdued, but that he can endure all their fury and foam so long as the hand of God is stretched forth to maintain and defend him; and thus he animates and fortifies himself against all the pride of the world, and, at the same time, by his example emboldens all the faithful, so that they do not feel dejected even when the perverseness of their enemies seems to get the advantage over them, and to menace them with instant destruction. Cherishing such a hope, he trusts that, for the future, he shall be delivered from all his sorrows. Whence let us learn to bear patiently and meekly our trials, until the fit season and the full time, which God hath appointed, arrive for turning our weeping into joy. In the following verse he proceeds in the same strain of exultation, because, though he beholds the ungodly assuming a lofty air, yet, looking beyond the present state of things with the eye of faith, he entertains no doubt that God will frustrate all their designs, and pour contempt upon all their schemes.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

28. They may curse, but thou wilt bless:

They arise and are put to shame, but thy servant shall rejoice.

They and thou are emphatically contrasted.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame,.... This is only explanative of what is said before,

And let them cover themselves with their own confusion as with a mantle: the Arabic version is, "as with a breastplate." Some understand it as a petition of Christ, that they might be brought to repentance for their sins, and so to shame for them; which is an instance of his wondrous grace and goodness; and it is certain he prayed for the forgiveness of his enemies when on the cross, Luk 23:34.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Let them curse, but bless thou - See Psa 109:17. Let them continue to curse me, provided thou wilt bless me. I am willing to bear all these reproaches, if I may have thy favor. That favor I value infinitely more than I do theirs; and it is a small matter that I am reviled and cursed by people, if I may secure the favor and friendship of God.

When they arise - When they rise up against me; when they attempt to persecute me.

Let them be ashamed ... - Let them be disappointed; let them not be successful in their designs against me. On the word “ashamed,” see Job 6:20, note; Psa 25:2-3, note.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Let them curse; I can patiently bear their curses, as being causeless, and fully compensated by thy blessing. Or, they do and will curse, I expect nothing else from them.

Arise, i.e. bestir themselves against me. Both God and men are oft said to arise when they enter upon any undertaking, as Jos 24:9; Jdg 8:21; 2Ch 13:6; 21:4, &c.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Ver. 28. Let them curse, but bless thou, or, they will curse and thou wilt bless. Their cursing will then be of such little consequence that it will not matter a straw. One blessing from the Lord will take the poison out of ten thousand curses of men.

When they arise, let them be ashamed. They lift up themselves to deal out another blow, to utter another falsehood, and to watch for its injurious effects upon their victim, but they see their own defeat and are filled with shame.

But let thy servant rejoice. Not merely as a man protected and rescued, but as God's servant in whom his master's goodness and glory are displayed when he is saved from his foes. It ought to be our greatest joy that the Lord is honoured in our experience; the mercy itself ought not so much to rejoice us as the glory which is thereby brought to him who so graciously bestows it.

Ver. 28. Let them curse, but bless thou. Fear not thou, who art a saint, their imprecations; this is but like false fire in the pan of an uncharged gun, it gives a crack, but hurts not; God's blessings will cover thee from their curse. William Gurnall.

Ver. 28. (first clause). Men's curses are impotent, God's blessings are omnipotent. Matthew Henry.

Ver. 28. The divine cure for human ill will; and the saint's temper when he trusts therein"let thy servant rejoice."

Psalms 109:29*

Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

28. Let them curse, but bless thou—Hebrew, They will curse and thou wilt bless. The idea is, though they curse thou wilt bless, as 2Sa_16:12, “It may be the Lord will requite me good for his cursing.”

When they arise—Namely, for hostile purposes.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Let them curse, but bless thou; i.e. "Let them curse, if they will. What matters it? Provided only that thou blessest." When they arise. When they attempt to put their malevolent designs in act. Let them be ashamed; or, "they shall be ashamed" (Revised Version); i.e. they shall fail so utterly, that they shall be covered with shame. But let thy servant rejoice; rather, but thy servant shall rejoice. "Thy servant" is the psalmist himself. (comp. Psa_69:17) He will rejoice at their failure, which secures his safety.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Though they curse me

The word "they" refers to the people who accuse David and say bad things about him.

may they be put to shame

This can be stated in active form. AT: "may they be ashamed" or "let them be ashamed" (See: Active or Passive)

but may your servant rejoice

"but may I, your servant, rejoice" or "I am your servant, let me rejoice." David uses the phrase "your servant" to refer to himself.

May my adversaries be clothed ... may they wear

These two phrase have them same meaning and are used together for emphasize how greatly he wishes for them to be ashamed. (See: Parallelism)

be clothed with shame

Here David speaks of them being ashamed as if were clothing they wore. AT: "be very ashamed" (See: Metaphor)

may they wear their shame like a robe

David speaks of them being ashamed as if it were a robe that they wore. AT: "may their shame cover them just like their robe is wrapped around them" (See: Simile)

translationWords

curse

bless

shame

servant

joy

adversary

clothe

robe

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.