Psalms 109:18

Psalms 109:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones.
• New International Version (NIV)He wore cursing as his garment; it entered into his body like water, into his bones like oil.
• English Standard Version (ESV)He clothed himself with cursing as his coat; may it soak into his body like water, like oil into his bones!
• New King James Version (NKJV)As he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment, So let it enter his body like water, And like oil into his bones.

Context of Psalms 109:18

16My enemy was never kind to anyone. He was cruel to poor, weak, and helpless people. He even caused them to die, 17He loved to curse people. Now may those curses happen to him! He never asked God to bless other people, so nobody will ask God to bless him! He always cursed others, as he always put on clothes. So those curses have become like his food and drink. May they go deep inside him, like olive oil that goes into his bones. 19Then curses will truly be his clothes. They will be like the belt that he wears every day. 20Yes, Lord, please punish all my enemies like that, because they say evil things to accuse me!

Psalms 109:18 word by word

וַיִּלְבַּ֥שׁ קְלָלָ֗ה כְּמַ֫דּ֥וֹ וַתָּבֹ֣א כַמַּ֣יִם בְּקִרְבּ֑וֹ וְ֝כַשֶּׁ֗מֶן בְּעַצְמוֹתָֽיו׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• As he clothedלָבֵשׁlâbash lâbêsh · to clotheH3847
• himself with cursingקְלָלָהqelâlâh · curseH7045
• like as with his garmentמַדmad mêd · garmentH4055
• so let it comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• into his bowelsקֶ֫רֶבqereb · entrails: inner partsH7130
• like waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
• and like oilשֶׁ֫מֶןshemen · oilH8081
• into his bonesעֶ֫צֶם‛etsem · boneH6106

Cross-references for Psalms 109:18

• Psalms 73:6Their pride is like their necklace. They like to be cruel, as they like to wear clothes.
• Job 29:14I always did what was right, like good clothes that I wore. I was fair and honest, like my coat and my hat.
• Colossians 3:8But now you must refuse to do all kinds of things like that. Do not become angry with people or shout at them. Do not do anything or say anything that will hurt other people. Do not speak any bad or disgusting words.
• 1 Peter 5:5I want to say the same thing to you who are young men. You must respect the authority of the leaders. All of you who are believers must respect one another. Do not think that you are more important than other people. The Bible says: ‘God is against proud people. But he is kind to humble people.’
• Numbers 5:22That will happen when you drink the bitter water.” The woman must say, “That should happen. I agree!”
• Job 20:12He enjoys the wicked things that he does. They are like something sweet in his mouth.
• Matthew 26:24The Son of Man must die in the way that the Bible says. But it will be very bad for the man who gives me to my enemies. It would be better for that man if he had not been born.’
• Matthew 27:3Judas heard that the Jewish leaders wanted the Roman rulers to kill Jesus. Judas was the man who had helped Jesus' enemies to take hold of him. Now he was very sorry about what he had done. So he took back the 30 silver coins to the leaders of the priests and the important Jews.
• Acts 1:18Judas received some money for the bad thing that he did. He bought a field with that money. But he fell down in that field and he died. His body broke open and the inside parts of his body poured out.

Commentaries on Psalms 109:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Let it come into his bowels like water - Houbigant thinks this is an allusion to the waters of jealousy; and he is probably right, - the bitter waters that produce the curse. See Numbers 5:18.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18As he clothed himself with cursing like as with a garment - Moral qualities are often compared with raiment - as that in which we “appear” to our fellow-men. See 1 Peter 5:5; Job 29:14. So let it come into his bowels like water - Margin, “within him.” Hebrew, “In his midst.” Let it penetrate him through and through. Let no part of him be unaffected by it. And like oil into his bones - As if oil flowed through all his bones, so let the effects of cursing…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-20Verses 6-20 The Lord Jesus may speak here as a Judge, denouncing sentence on some of his enemies, to warn others. When men reject the salvation of Christ, even their prayers are numbered among their sins. See what hurries some to shameful deaths, and brings the families and estates of others to ruin; makes them and theirs despicable and hateful, and brings poverty, shame, and misery upon their posterity: it is sin, that mischievous, destructive thing. And…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18Cursing is the accused person’s whole way of life.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 17-1917-19. Let his loved sin, cursing, come upon him in punishment (Psa 35:8), thoroughly fill him as water and oil, permeating to every part of his system (compare Nu 5:22-27), and become a garment and a girdle for a perpetual dress.Read the comment

Topics related to Psalms 109:18

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Malice
• Prayer
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Anoint
• Naboth
• God
• Oil
• Psalms, Book of

Commentaries on Psalms 109

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• The Treasury of David
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings