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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Cursing is as natural to him as his clothing, or the water he drinks, or the rich food he eats.

Context of Psalms 109:18

16For he never thought of doing a kindness, but hounded to death the poor and the needy and the brokenhearted. 17He loved to pronounce a curse— may it come back on him. He found no pleasure in blessing— may it be far from him. He wore cursing as his garment; it entered into his body like water, into his bones like oil. 19May it be like a cloak wrapped about him, like a belt tied forever around him. 20May this be the Lord’s payment to my accusers, to those who speak evil of 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 73:6Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence.
• Job 29:14I put on righteousness as my clothing; justice was my robe and my turban.
• Colossians 3:8But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
• 1 Peter 5:5In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
• Numbers 5:22May this water that brings a curse enter your body so that your abdomen swells or your womb miscarries.” “ ‘Then the woman is to say, “Amen. So be it.”
• Job 20:12“Though evil is sweet in his mouth and he hides it under his tongue,
• Matthew 26:24The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”
• Matthew 27:3When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders.
• Acts 1:18(With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled 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