Psalm 109:3

They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

109:1-5. It is the unspeakable comfort of all believers, that whoever is against them, God is for them; and to him they may apply as to one pleased to concern himself for them. David's enemies laughed at him for his devotion, but they could not laugh him out of it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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 no way - 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 Psalm 35:7; Psalm 69:4. Compare John 15:25.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

3. (Compare Ps 35:7; 69:4).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Words of hatred; which, though covered with specious pretences, proceeded from deep malice and hatred, and were designed to work my destruction.

Without a cause; without any just provocation given them by me.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

They compassed me about also with words of hatred,.... They surrounded him as he hung on the cross, and expressed their malice and hatred against him; then was he enclosed with these spiteful snarling dogs, and encompassed by them as with so many bees, who everyone left their sting in him, Psalm 22:16.

And fought against me without a cause: they were of an hostile spirit, enemies and enmity itself against him; fought against him both with words and blows, with their tongues and with their fists; sought his life, and at length took it away; he was attacked by the body of the Jewish nation, and by the whole posse of devils; and all this without any cause or just reason: he gave them no occasion for this enmity and malice, and opposition to him; and it was in the issue without effect, it was in vain and to no purpose; for though they gained their point in putting him to death, yet he rose again a triumphant Conqueror over them all.

Geneva Study Bible

They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

3. Yea, with words of hatred have they surrounded me,

And fought against me without cause.

Cp. Psalm 35:7; Psalm 35:19-20; Psalm 69:4; Proverbs 1:11.

“Come and let us smite him with the tongue” was the cry of Jeremiah’s opponents (Jeremiah 18:18). “Denounce, yea, let us denounce him” (Jeremiah 20:10).

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 3. - They compassed me about also with words of hatred. The hatred of the wicked for the good is a plain fact of history, and quite indisputable. "Words of hatred" are less patent, since they are often restrained from prudential considerations. But sometimes free vent is given to them (see 2 Samuel 16:5-8). And fought against me without a cause (comp. Psalm 35:7, 19; Psalm 69:4; Psalm 119:161). Saul's hatred towards David was markedly of this character - un-provoked by either act or word from its object. Psalm 109:3

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

A sign for help and complaints of ungrateful persecutors form the beginning of the Psalm. "God of my praise" is equivalent to God, who art my praise, Jeremiah 17:14, cf. Deuteronomy 10:21. The God whom the Psalmist has hitherto had reason to praise will also now show Himself to him as worthy to be praised. Upon this faith he bases the prayer: be not silent (Psalm 28:1; Psalm 35:22)! A mouth such as belongs to the "wicked," a mouth out of which comes "deceit," have they opened against him; they have spoken with him a tongue (accusative, vid., on Psalm 64:6), i.e., a language, of falsehood. דּברי of things and utterances as in Psalm 35:20. It would be capricious to take the suffix of אהבתי in Psalm 109:4 as genit. object. (love which they owe me), and in Psalm 109:5 as genit. subject.; from Psalm 38:21 it may be seen that the love which he has shown to them is also meant in Psalm 109:4. The assertion that he is "prayer" is intended to say that he, repudiating all revenges of himself, takes refuge in God in prayer and commits his cause into His hands. They have loaded him with evil for good, and hatred for the love he has shown to them. Twice he lays emphasis on the fact that it is love which they have requited to him with its opposite. Perfects alternate with aorists: it is no enmity of yesterday; the imprecations that follow presuppose an inflexible obduracy on the side of the enemies.