The Meaning of Psalms 109:18 Explained

Psalms 109:18

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.

YLT: And he putteth on reviling as his robe, And it cometh in as water into his midst, And as oil into his bones.

Darby: And he clothed himself with cursing like his vestment; so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones;

ASV: He clothed himself also with cursing as with his garment, And it came into his inward parts like water, And like oil into his bones.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Psalms 109:18 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalm 109:17-31 - The Deliverer Of The Needy
This psalm emphasizes the difference, indicated by our Lord, between His teaching and that addressed to "them of old time," especially on the point of forgiveness. It is in such teaching as this that the psalmist's mood is distinctly inferior to that which has now become the law for devout men. This at least may be said, that these ancient saints did not desire vengeance for private injuries, but that God's name and character might be vindicated. Devout men could not but long for the triumph of good and the defeat and destruction of its opposite.
The closing paragraph voices some of those lowly, sad petitions for help, which occur in so many of the psalms. This combination of devout meekness and trust with the fiery imprecations or predictions at the core of this psalm, substantiates what has been said above as to the spirit in which the psalm was conceived. It is not personal, but the voice of the Church asking God to make known the righteousness of His government. The psalm begins and ends with praise. It starts by picturing an adversary at the right hand of the wicked, Psalms 109:6, and closes with assurance that Jehovah stands at the right hand of His afflicted servant to deliver him. "I have set the Lord always before me: because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved," Psalms 16:8. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 109

1  David complains of his slanderous enemies
16  He shows their sin
21  Complaining of his own misery, he prays for help
29  He promises thankfulness

What do the individual words in Psalms 109:18 mean?

And as he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment so let it enter like water his body and like oil into his bones
וַיִּלְבַּ֥שׁ קְלָלָ֗ה כְּמַ֫דּ֥וֹ וַתָּבֹ֣א כַמַּ֣יִם בְּקִרְבּ֑וֹ וְ֝כַשֶּׁ֗מֶן בְּעַצְמוֹתָֽיו

וַיִּלְבַּ֥שׁ  And  as  he  clothed  himself 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: לָבַשׁ  
Sense: to dress, wear, clothe, put on clothing, be clothed.
קְלָלָ֗ה  with  cursing 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: קְלָלָה  
Sense: curse, vilification, execration.
כְּמַ֫דּ֥וֹ  as  with  his  garment 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מַד  
Sense: measure, cloth garment.
וַתָּבֹ֣א  so  let  it  enter 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
כַמַּ֣יִם  like  water 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
בְּקִרְבּ֑וֹ  his  body 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קֶרֶב  
Sense: midst, among, inner part, middle.
וְ֝כַשֶּׁ֗מֶן  and  like  oil 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁמֶן  
Sense: fat, oil.
בְּעַצְמוֹתָֽיו  into  his  bones 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֶצֶם 
Sense: bone, essence, substance.