Psalms 109:17-18
He loved to curse; let curses come upon him! He did not delight in blessing; may it be far from him! He clothed himself with cursing as his coat; may it soak into his body like water, like oil into his bones!
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse isn't just a wish for bad things to happen; it's a stark picture of cause and effect. The enemy "loved to curse," meaning his very nature and actions were steeped in negativity, and the psalm is saying that such a heart will naturally attract and receive that very negativity back. His refusal to delight in blessing shows a complete rejection of God's life-giving way, so that goodness is destined to remain absent from his life.
This passage is part of a psalm of imprecation, where the psalmist calls down curses on his enemies who have deeply wronged him. He's describing the wicked character of his persecutors, detailing how they actively reveled in malice and actively avoided any good wishes or positive deeds towards others. The verses that follow will continue this theme, envisioning the just, and devastating, consequences that will fall upon these individuals for their hateful actions.
Have you ever noticed how easily negative attitudes can become our default? This verse points to a deep-seated choice.
This verse reveals a stark contrast in the enemy's heart: a love for cursing and a dislike for blessing. It's not just about occasional harsh words, but a cultivated preference.
What Does it Mean to 'Love Cursing'?
This isn't just about uttering curses. It implies a disposition:
This isn't about simply being grumpy; it's about a heart that has chosen a path of destruction over construction, of negativity over goodwill.
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The psalm doesn't just describe a heart; it predicts a future. What happens when a heart leans so heavily towards curses?
The second part of the verse, 'let curses come upon him! ...may it be far from him!' speaks powerfully about the consequences of such a heart.
The Principle of Reciprocity
There's a profound sense in which our choices echo back to us.
This isn't a simple tit-for-tat, but a spiritual reality: a life consumed by negativity will eventually be consumed by the negativity it cultivates. Conversely, a life that shuns blessing will find itself devoid of it.
Understand the original words
qelalah · Hebrew Noun
To invoke divine judgment, calamity, or evil upon someone. It is the opposite of a blessing and is often associated with the consequences of breaking God's law or hardened rebellion against Him.
berakah · Hebrew Noun
To invoke God’s favor, empowerment, or presence upon someone. It signifies the bestowal of spiritual or physical well-being and is central to the covenant relationship between God and His people.
This Psalm vividly portrays the natural, terrifying consequence of choosing malice over good. Whether it's David facing enemies like Shimei, or the crowd calling for Christ's blood, the principle remains: the curses we embrace often become the very judgment we face.
c. 1000 BC
King David's Reign
The Psalms are traditionally attributed to various authors, with many connected to King David's life, including periods of persecution and betrayal by enemies and even his own son Absalom.
c. 925 BC— this verse
Shimei Curses David
During David's flight from Absalom, Shimei openly curses and throws stones at David, embodying the malicious cursing described in the Psalm. This event is a vivid, historical example of someone delighting in cursing.
c. 700 BC
Prophetic Warnings Against Idolatry
Prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah warned the people of Judah against straying from God, prophesying judgment for those who rejected blessings and embraced destructive paths.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Exile
The Babylonian conquest led to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, scattering many Jews. This national crisis reinforced the consequences of rejecting God's blessings.
c. AD 30-33
Crucifixion of Jesus
During Jesus' crucifixion, the crowd famously cried out, 'His blood be on us and on our children!' This is seen by many as a profound fulfillment of the principle that curses come upon those who reject blessing.
c. AD 70
Destruction of Jerusalem by Rome
The Roman destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple brought immense suffering to the Jewish people, seen by some as a further consequence of rejecting God's appointed Messiah.
This passage echoes the theme of divine judgment where God's kindness leads to cutting off those who don't remain. It highlights how rejecting what is good can lead to its removal from one's life, mirroring the Psalm's lament about the absence of blessing.
Matthew 23:35-36Jesus speaks of the blood of the righteous being avenged on the generation, directly relating to the idea in the Psalm that the curses or negative actions of individuals will ultimately return upon them.
2 Samuel 16:10-12This narrative shows Shimei cursing David, illustrating the 'love of cursing' mentioned in the Psalm, and David's response that the curse might be righteous. It provides a real-life example of the destructive nature of curses and the potential for them to fall on the curser.
Galatians 6:7This verse clearly states the principle of reaping what you sow. It connects directly to the Psalm's idea that the 'love of cursing' and 'delight in blessing' have consequences that will be experienced by the individual.
pulpitPsalms 109:17: "As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him."
Verse 17. - As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him; rather, so it came upon him (Revised Version), or so it shall come upon him (LXX., Cheyne). The one of David's enemies who "loved cursing" most was Shimei (2 Samuel 16:5-12). As he de lighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him; rather, so it was, or so it will be, far from him.
clarkePsalms 109:17: "As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him."
As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him - The Jews said, when crucifying our Lord, His blood be upon us and our children! Never was an imprecation more dreadfully fulfilled.
This verse isn't just a wish for bad things to happen; it's a stark picture of cause and effect. The enemy "loved to curse," meaning his very nature and actions were steeped in negativity, and the psalm is saying that such a heart will naturally attract and receive that very negativity back. His refusal to delight in blessing shows a complete rejection of God's life-giving way, so that goodness is destined to remain absent from his life.
This passage is part of a psalm of imprecation, where the psalmist calls down curses on his enemies who have deeply wronged him. He's describing the wicked character of his persecutors, detailing how they actively reveled in malice and actively avoided any good wishes or positive deeds towards others. The verses that follow will continue this theme, envisioning the just, and devastating, consequences that will fall upon these individuals for their hateful actions.
This passage is part of a psalm of imprecation, where the psalmist calls down curses on his enemies who have deeply wronged him. He's describing the wicked character of his persecutors, detailing how they actively reveled in malice and actively avoided any good wishes or positive deeds towards others. The verses that follow will continue this theme, envisioning the just, and devastating, consequences that will fall upon these individuals for their hateful actions.
"He loved to curse; let curses come upon him! He did not delight in blessing; may it be far from him! He clothed himself with cursing as his coat; may it soak into his body like water, like oil into his bones!" — This verse isn't just a wish for bad things to happen; it's a stark picture of cause and effect. The enemy "loved to curse," meaning his very nature and actions were steeped in negativity, and the ps…
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