This page gives you Bible study questions for Psalm 109, with a leader’s answer or discussion note for each one. It works for a small group, a Sunday class, or personal study. The questions move from what the text says, to what it means, to how you might live it, so you can follow the order or pick the sets that fit your group.
Psalm 109 at a Glance
Psalm 109 is a prayer of David, written by someone who has been slandered and attacked without cause. The psalm falls into three movements. In verses 1 to 5 the writer complains to God about lies and hatred returned for love. In verses 6 to 20 the writer calls down strong curses on the person or people who have wronged him, and asks God to bring their own words and actions back on their heads. In verses 21 to 31 the tone turns. The writer pleads for help, describes his own weakness, and ends with a firm promise to give thanks to the Lord, who stands with the needy.
Many groups find the middle section the hardest to read, because it asks for judgment rather than forgiveness. The questions below give room to wrestle with that tension honestly.
Observation Questions
Use these questions first, before anyone offers an interpretation. Ask the group to point to the words on the page and to name what they see without explaining it yet. Let quiet moments stand, and invite people to read the verses again if the answers feel uncertain.
Psalm 109:1-5
1 God of my praise, don’t remain silent, 2 for they have opened the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of deceit against me. They have spoken to me with a lying tongue. 3 They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, and fought against me without a cause. 4 In return for my love, they are my adversaries; but I am in prayer. 5 They have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.
(WEB)
Reading this opening passage aloud sets the tone for the whole session. It names the injustice clearly and shows the psalmist bringing his complaint directly to God before anything else is said.
Psalm 109:16
Because he didn’t remember to show kindness, but persecuted the poor and needy man, the broken in heart, to kill them.
(WEB)
This single verse explains the reason behind the harsh requests that follow. Reading it aloud helps the group see that the judgment is tied to a pattern of cruelty toward the vulnerable.
Psalm 109:21-22
21 But deal with me, the LORD the Lord, for your name’s sake, because your loving kindness is good, deliver me; 22 for I am poor and needy. My heart is wounded within me.
(WEB)
Here the psalmist turns to God on the basis of God’s own name and loving kindness. Reading these lines helps the group notice the shift from accusation to humble, honest need.
Psalm 109:26-27
26 Help me, the LORD, my God. Save me according to your loving kindness; 27 that they may know that this is your hand; that you, the LORD, have done it.
(WEB)
These verses give a short, direct plea for help. Reading them aloud can open space for the group to pray the same words in their own situations.
Psalm 109:30-31
30 I will give great thanks to the LORD with my mouth. Yes, I will praise him among the multitude. 31 For he will stand at the right hand of the needy, to save him from those who judge his soul.
(WEB)
The psalm ends in thanksgiving and in the image of God standing at the needy person’s right hand. Reading this final passage aloud closes the session on a note of hope rooted in God’s faithfulness.
Memory Verse for Psalm 109
Psalm 109:31
For he will stand at the right hand of the needy, to save him from those who judge his soul.
(WEB)
This verse sums up the psalm’s movement from complaint to confidence. Memorizing it gives people a short reminder that God stands with those who are poor and needy, even when they feel surrounded by opposition.
A Closing Prayer for the Group
Father, we come to you with the same honesty this psalm shows us. We bring our hurts, our anger, and the people who have wronged us, and we ask you to deal with them according to your justice and your loving kindness. Teach us to pray instead of to plot. When we feel poor, needy, or broken in heart, remind us that you stand at the right hand of those who suffer. Help us to notice the needy around us and to stand with them this week. Give us hearts that can give thanks even while the struggle continues, trusting that you hear and that you will act. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
