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We are continuing our series of reflections on the Psalms. Each day we will upload a new reflection to the website. We hope and pray that you will find them helpful and that they bring hope during this season. Click on these buttons to read the text of the psalm or listen to a recording of it. You can also listen to the reflection using the audio player below. Read Psalm 109:16-31  Listen to Psalm 109:16-31 The last verse yesterday (verse 15) seems very harsh, but David sees that the persecutor’s failure to practice kindness to the poor and needy (verse 16) is a breach of covenant directions (Leviticus 19:18). He then continues in the same vein, telling God of the wrongs of his accuser and calling on him to exact judgement. Verses 21–25 describe David’s complete dependence on the Lord, where he may have been suffering from a serious affliction (verses 23-24) which makes him a further object of scorn, but his faith compels him to appeal to God for salvation (verse 26-29). What would we do (or have done) when faced with overwhelming disasters in our lives? David says that he will rejoice (verse 28) and he praises God for his salvation in the last two verses. It is interesting that he starts and finishes the psalm with praise to the Lord (verses 1, 30). What are we to think about such harsh statements against enemies and how can we, as Christians, reconcile these words with the New Testament command to “love your enemies”? Martin Luther actually said, “When the wicked persecute the Gospel this strikes at God and his cause. We are not to bless them when they do this.” Even Jesus in Matthew 10:14-15 warned, in quite harsh terms, of the consequences of rejecting the gospel! Lord, help us to love our enemies, not that they be blessed in the rejection of your gospel, but only that they may be richly blessed in repentance and acceptance of Jesus as their Saviour.