Psalms 109:18 - Exposition

As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment (comp. Psalms 10:7 ; Psalms 59:12 ; Psalms 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 of cursing" which was drunk by the woman whose husband taxed her with unfaithfulness ( Numbers 5:22 ); and so also Hengstenberg. But this is doubtful. Perhaps the mere penetrative power of water is alluded to. See the next clause. And like oil into his bones. The oil, wherewith it was usual to anoint the frame, was believed to penetrate, not only into the tissues, but into the very bones and marrow.