After he had served Northampton Church for 24 years, the congregation voted to dismiss Jonathan Edwards from his ministry among them. He had endured years of theological wrangling, bitter opposition, rancorous slander, and malicious gossip. How would he respond as his tenure came to a close? One observer described his reaction in these memorable words:

That faithful witness received the shock, unshaken. I never saw the least symptoms of displeasure in his countenance the whole week, but he appeared like a man of God, whose happiness was out of the reach of his enemies and whose treasure was not only a future but a present good, overbalancing all imaginable ills of life, even to the astonishment of many who could not be at rest without his dismission [i.e., dismissal] (quoted in Iain Murray, Jonathan Edwards: A New Biography, 327).

Psalm 109 is about false, malicious accusations, the kind that come from a world hostile toward God, the kind launched at Christ and His people. What was it that enabled Edwards to maintain happiness “out of the reach of his enemies”? It’s all about having the right advocate.

Accused (vv. 1-5)

The mouths of the wicked have been active, so David calls on God to break His silence (v. 1). The setting is that of a courtroom. David the defendant is suffering blow after verbal blow from his accusers. He’s calling for an advocate to speak in his behalf. He trusts that His God will “not keep silent.” The Lord is his God. That’s why he’s able to do “good” and to “love” his enemies, knowing that vengeance belongs to the Lord, while we’re called to love our enemies (Matt. 5:44).

Appeal (vv. 6-29)

David appeals to God about his enemies, and then about himself. Verses 6-20 comprise one of the largest sections of imprecation in the Psalms. He is calling on the Lord to bring cursing upon these accusers. Such sections are difficult for many Christians to swallow, so a few comments are in order:

These are enemies of the Lord first and foremost. There are no personal vendettas here (v. 21).

These words are in keeping with an outlook of compassion and kindness toward unbelievers (vv. 4-5).

David’s prayer speaks of those who hate Christ, and will continue hating to the bitter end. The fact that verse 8 is quoted by Peter (Acts 1:20) in reference to Judas Iscariot gives us a clue about the kind of people envisioned.

It simply won’t do to claim that such sentiments reflect Old Testament religion only. Paul’s words to the Corinthians come to mind (1 Cor. 16:22), as does Jesus’ litany of “Woe to you”(Matt. 23).

These are words to be sung humbly. Judas, after all, was a member of the visible church! And these curses are nothing more than a description of what each sinner deserves, beginning in this life and carrying on into eternity future.

In the end, this is God’s word, and God’s revealed will concerning the wicked. And He has called us to pray and sing these words as a people who desire with all our hearts that His kingdom would come.

David then turns to appeal for himself for his Father’s help. He approaches God over firm ground: a humble trust in the Lord’s covenant love.

David’s own resources certainly won’t make a difference. He is “poor and needy,” “like a shadow,” “weak” and “feeble.” How often does a sanctified self-sufficiency rob us of our joy and fruitfulness? We think ourselves mature; we rely on a solid record in church work, or a “together” family, or status as a “pillar.” “Poor and needy” may still be mouthed in our prayers, but our self-reliance tells a different story.

Meanwhile, not once but twice, our psalmist appeals to God’s mercy—His steadfast covenant love. He needs the God who makes and keeps promises, even when it costs Him everything. He needs the God who loves him to death. There’s David’s comfort. But there is more.

Acquitted (vv. 30-31) It all depends on having the right advocate. In the ancient courts, if anyone in the room was your friend, it was the one you brought to stand at your right hand, to vouch for you, to serve as a witness. But who can the sinner call on as an advocate? His spouse? His best friend? They all know too much about him to vouch for his righteousness. An accuser stands at the right hand of the wicked (v. 6).

How happy we are to have Jesus Christ the righteous as our advocate (1 John 2:1), the one who was made sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21)!

John Bunyan, author of Pilgrim’s Progress, bore many years of intense temptation in the early years of his budding faith. He reported that sometimes the suggestions of Satan were so loud and clear that he would turn around expecting to see the devil in physical form. Every time he started to take hope, Bunyan was reminded of his sins. Whenever he tried to pray, the accuser of the brethren was there to chill his devotion. The breakthrough came as one day Bunyan was in a field, when the thought burst upon his consciousness: “My righteousness is in Heaven!” A good day didn’t make him more righteous, and a discouraging day didn’t make him less.

As we live in a world that’s not afraid to wrongly accuse God’s people, here is “happiness out of the reach of our enemies”!