Today’s reading is Psalm 109.
Let No one Be Kind to Him
David prays his false accuser will not only be punished, but “Let there be none to extend kindness to him, nor any to pity his fatherless children” (Psalm 109:12, ESV). Yikes! That’s harsh. Or is it?
The word translated “kindness” in vs. 12 is not the word for being nice to people. David isn’t praying no one will ever be nice to his false accusers. Rather, the word is “chesed,” the word for the covenant, lasting, loyal, faithful love and kindness God says He has in Exodus 34:6-7.
In vs. 16, David explains the false accuser “did not remember to show kindness (chesed), but pursued the poor and needy and the brokenhearted, to put them to death” (ESV). We are so used to hearing people talk about God’s unconditional love, we miss an important point. In a sense, chesed is unconditional. That is, God offers it to all without condition. However, chesed is covenant love. By its very nature, covenant love is reciprocal love. That is, when God (or anyone) shows chesed, the proper response in return is chesed. If one refuses to respond to chesed with chesed, he shows himself unworthy of chesed. Or, more accurately stated, if one refuses to respond to chesed with chesed, he is rejecting chesed.
In Job 6:14, the suffering man complains against his friends, “He who withholds kindness (chesed) from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty” (ESV). When the false accusers dismissed chesed and pursued the poor and needy to death, they weren’t just being mean to people, they forsook God. They rejected the Lord’s chesed when they refused to show chesed to the Lord’s people.
Thus, David declares no one should show them chesed. David isn’t asking out of spite. Rather, he recognizes natural consequences. They reject chesed, they should not receive it.
Let the Redeemed of the Lord Say So
Whatever was going on in David’s life prompting its original composition, the editors of the psalms put it to good use in Book V. This set of psalms, as we’ve already noted, meditates on the return, the redemption, the restoration of God’s people. The restoration after Babylonian exile was the fertile ground that produced this collection of songs, poems, prayers, and meditations.
The entire book began declaring, “Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love (chesed) endures forever!” (Psalm 107:1, ESV). In the four stories of redemption, the psalmist repeatedly declared, “Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love (chesed), for his wondrous works to the children of man!” (Psalm 107:8, 15, 21, 31, ESV). The entire psalm ended saying, “Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love (chesed) of the LORD” (Psalm 107:43, ESV). The redeemed must say so. And redemption comes from the chesed of the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Then in Psalm 108, the editors brought together the “redemption” portions of two earlier laments. Smack in the middle of this new composition, the psalm declares, “For your steadfast love (chesed) is great above the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the clouds” (Psalm 108:4, ESV). But understand, the chesed of the Lord can’t be demonstrated to the Lord’s people without Moab becoming the Lord’s washbasin, Edom becoming his doormat, and Philistia getting defeated. The Lord’s steadfast love, His chesed, is demonstrated to His people by bringing judgment on the people who curse and attack His people. That is, the nations who reject the Lord’s chesed will be defeated as the Lord displays His chesed for His people.
Finally, we get to Psalm 109. We meet false accusers who ignore, dismiss, repudiate chesed. So, David declares they shouldn’t receive any. But that is only half the equation. David’s main point is a contrast with the Lord. David’s friends ignore chesed, but the Lord will act on behalf of His name’s sake and “because your steadfast love (chesed) is good, deliver me!” (Psalm 109:21, ESV). He cries out again in vs. 26, “Help me, O LORD my God! Save me according to you steadfast love (chesed)!” (ESV). David knows he can rely on the very chesed God had promised to him when making a covenant with him (see 2 Samuel 7:15; 1 Chronicles 17:13). The kind of chesed men fail at, God always delivers.
Praise the Lord!
Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 109.
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