Psalms 109:25

"My knees are weak through fasting. My body is thin and lacks fat."

Key Reflection

In first-century Israel, physical weakness often symbolized spiritual vulnerability and moral failure. When Psalms 109:25 states that the knees are weak through fasting and the body is thin and lacks fat, it vividly depicts a state of extreme debilitation—a condition that would have deeply impacted one's ability to perform daily tasks and maintain social standing. This description underscores the severe nature of the fast being endured, highlighting both the physical toll and the intense personal struggle or trial experienced by the psalmist.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

I became also a reproach unto them -They reproached or reviled me as a bad man. Compare the notes atPsalms 22:6. The plural here - “unto them” - shows that there were more than one to whom the psalm had reference, though one of them was so prominent that a considerable part of the psalm might properly be spoken of him alone. When they looked upon me, they shaked their heads -In contempt. SeePsalms 22:7. CompareMatthew 27:39.

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