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)
The verse paints a vivid picture of cursing becoming so ingrained in someone that it feels like a second skin, even more intimate than a favorite coat. It's not just about what someone says, but how their chosen actions and words become a deep, penetrating force within them, like water filling the gut or oil seeping into the very bones.
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)
The psalmist continues to recount the wicked deeds and words of his enemies, describing how they've made cursing their constant habit, like wearing a garment. This verse is a prayer that this ingrained habit of cursing would deeply and destructively permeate their entire being, from their insides to their very bones, bringing the same ruin they wished upon others. This detailed imprecation flows into the plea for divine justice and retribution against those who so actively sought the psalmist's downfall.
Imagine wearing the same outfit every single day, no matter the occasion. This verse paints a similar picture, but with something far more sinister.
The Psalmist describes his enemy as being 'clothed with cursing as with a garment.' This isn't just about saying mean words; it suggests that cursing has become the enemy's identity and constant companion.
A Deeply Ingrained Habit
Think about how we choose our clothes – they reflect our personality, our mood, and how we want to be seen. For this person, their outward expression is consistently one of malice and ill-wishing towards others. It's not an occasional slip-up, but a defining characteristic, worn as easily and habitually as any piece of clothing.
The Implication of Identity
When the verse says 'clothed himself with cursing,' it implies a willing adoption of this trait. It's a choice to embody bitterness and negativity. This habitual cursing isn't just external; it begins to define who they are in the eyes of God and others.
What happens when something negative sinks deeper than just skin deep? This verse uses powerful imagery to show the destructive reach of curses.
The Psalmist doesn't stop at describing cursing as an outward garment. He prays that it would penetrate the enemy's very being, comparing it to water and oil.
Like Water in the Gut
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'So let it come into his bowels like water.' This imagery is intense. Water can fill and overwhelm, and when it accumulates internally, it signifies deep distress and sickness. It suggests that the curses directed outward will flood the enemy's inner self, bringing internal turmoil and ruin.
Like Oil into the Bones
'And like oil into his bones!' Oil is often associated with penetration and permeation. Unlike water, which might be expelled, oil soaks in deeply. This comparison signifies that the effects of the curse will reach the deepest, most fundamental parts of the enemy's existence – their very bones, their core being. It speaks to a total, inescapable permeation of ruin and consequence.
This passage describes the 'water of jealousy,' a ritual for suspected infidelity where a curse was written and dissolved into water. The connection highlights the idea of a curse literally entering and affecting a person's body, echoing the imagery in Psalm 109:18.
Galatians 3:10Paul quotes Deuteronomy, stating 'Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them.' This verse underscores the pervasive and binding nature of a curse, much like the deep penetration described in Psalm 109:18.
Proverbs 26:27'Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will return on him who rolls it.' This proverb illustrates the principle of retribution, where the curses and malice intended for others return to the perpetrator, mirroring the deep, internalizing effect of the curse in Psalm 109:18.
Matthew 27:25After condemning Jesus, the crowd declared, 'His blood be on us and on our children!' This collective acceptance and internalization of a curse demonstrates a profound spiritual and physical entanglement with divine judgment, similar to the imagery of a curse soaking into bones and bowels.
pulpitPsalms 109:18: "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."
Verse 18. - As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment (comp. Psalm 10:7; Psalm 59:12; Psalm 62:4). Extreme malevolence vents itself in curses, which tend to become frequent, and, so to speak, habitual. So let it come; rather, so it cams, or so it will come. Into his bowels like water. Dr. Kay sees here an allusion to the "water o…
clarkePsalms 109:18: "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."
Let 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 .
The verse paints a vivid picture of cursing becoming so ingrained in someone that it feels like a second skin, even more intimate than a favorite coat. It's not just about what someone says, but how their chosen actions and words become a deep, penetrating force within them, like water filling the gut or oil seeping into the very bones.
The psalmist continues to recount the wicked deeds and words of his enemies, describing how they've made cursing their constant habit, like wearing a garment. This verse is a prayer that this ingrained habit of cursing would deeply and destructively permeate their entire being, from their insides to their very bones, bringing the same ruin they wished upon others. This detailed imprecation flows into the plea for divine justice and retribution against those who so actively sought the psalmist's downfall.
The psalmist continues to recount the wicked deeds and words of his enemies, describing how they've made cursing their constant habit, like wearing a garment. This verse is a prayer that this ingrained habit of cursing would deeply and destructively permeate their entire being, from their insides to their very bones, bringing the same ruin they wished upon others. This detailed imprecation flows into the plea for divine justice and retribution against those who so actively sought the psalmist's downfall.
"He clothed himself with cursing as his coat; may it soak into his body like water, like oil into his bones!" — The verse paints a vivid picture of cursing becoming so ingrained in someone that it feels like a second skin, even more intimate than a favorite coat. It's not just about what someone says, but ho…
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Last reviewed October 2026