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Psalm 109:3
They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause.
1For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. God of my praise, don’t remain silent,
2for they have opened the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of deceit against me. They have spoken to me with a lying tongue.
3They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause.
4In return for my love, they are my adversaries; but I am in prayer.
5They have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.
Notice
Words of hatred surround David like attackers, making this complaint about both the force of hostile speech and the injustice of being fought without cause.
Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.
What does the word “surrounded” suggest about the weight of the hatred David describes?
Write on thisWhen have you witnessed words become an attack on someone who had done no wrong?
Write on thisWhat would you want to say to God about that experience?
Write on thisConnect
Where else Scripture says this
12 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.
This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
John 15:25But this happened so that the word may be fulfilled which was written in their law, ‘They hated me without a cause.’Jesus quotes Scripture about being hated without a cause, the same unjust hatred David names in his complaint.
Psalm 25:3Yes, no one who waits for you will be shamed. They will be shamed who deal treacherously without cause.Both passages name hostility without cause: Psalm 109 describes an attack, while Psalm 25 speaks of treachery and shame.
Psalm 69:4Those who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head. Those who want to cut me off, being my enemies wrongfully, are mighty. I have to restore …Both speakers describe being hated without a cause, with surrounding hostility in Psalm 109 and countless enemies in Psalm 69.
Matthew 5:22But I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause will be in danger of the judgment. Whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ will be in …Both texts address hostility without cause and harmful speech; David describes suffering it, while Jesus warns those who practice it.
Psalm 35:7For without cause they have hidden their net in a pit for me. Without cause they have dug a pit for my soul.Both complaints repeat that the attack has no cause, using hateful words in one passage and a hidden trap in the other.
2 Samuel 15:31Someone told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” David said, “LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.”David faces opposition in both passages and turns to God, naming hateful attacks in the psalm and Ahithophel’s counsel in Samuel.
Psalm 119:78Let the proud be disappointed, for they have overthrown me wrongfully. I will meditate on your precepts.Both speakers protest unjust treatment, describing an attack without cause in Psalm 109 and wrongful overthrow in Psalm 119.
John 15:24–25If I hadn’t done among them the works which no one else did, they wouldn’t have had sin. But now they have seen and also hated both me and my Father.Hatred is explicit in both passages: David reports hatred directed at him, while Jesus names hatred toward himself and his Father.
1 Samuel 26:18He said, “Why does my lord pursue his servant? For what have I done? What evil is in my hand?The psalm declares that the attack lacks cause; the pursued servant in Samuel asks what evil could justify his pursuit.
2 Samuel 15:12Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. The conspiracy was strong, …Both passages describe opposition gathering strength, through surrounding hatred in the psalm and growing support for Absalom’s conspiracy in Samuel.
1 Samuel 19:4–5Jonathan spoke good of David to Saul his father, and said to him, “Don’t let the king sin against his servant, against David; because he has not sinned against …David describes an attack without cause, while Jonathan tells Saul that David has done him no wrong.
2 Samuel 16:7–8Shimei said when he cursed, “Be gone, be gone, you man of blood, and wicked fellow!Both passages feature hostile words: the psalm names hatred, while Shimei’s curse accuses its target of bloodshed and wickedness.
Where this verse fits
Injustice and anger. work conflict. broken friendship.
One step
Something small to carry out of this verse
Encouragement
David brings the hatred surrounding him to the God he praises. His complaint remains unresolved here, yet his prayer names the wrong without softening its force.
Now put it in your words.
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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).