Psalms

Psalm 109:17–21

¹⁷The cursing that he loved,

may it fall on him;

the blessing in which he refused to delight,

may it be far from him.

¹⁸The cursing that he wore like a coat,

may it soak into his body like water,

and into his bones like oil.

¹⁹May it be like a robe wrapped about him,

like a belt tied forever around him.

²⁰May this be the LORD’s reward to my accusers,

to those who speak evil against me.

²¹But You, O GOD, the Lord,

deal kindly with me for the sake of Your name;

deliver me by the goodness of Your loving devotion.

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The cursing	קְ֭לָלָה	qə·lā·lāh	Noun - feminine singular	H7045 curse
he loved	וַיֶּאֱהַ֣ב	way·ye·’ĕ·haḇ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H157 love
may it fall on him	וַתְּבוֹאֵ֑הוּ	wat·tə·ḇō·w·’ê·hū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular; third person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
the blessing	בִּ֝בְרָכָ֗ה	biḇ·rā·ḵāh	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular	H1293 blessing
he refused	וְֽלֹא־	wə·lō-	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
to delight	חָפֵ֥ץ	ḥā·p̄êṣ	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H2654 delight in
may it be far	וַתִּרְחַ֥ק	wat·tir·ḥaq	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H7368 be, or become, far, distant
from him	מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃	mim·men·nū	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The cursing	קְלָלָ֗ה	qə·lā·lāh	Noun - feminine singular	H7045 curse
he wore	וַיִּלְבַּ֥שׁ	way·yil·baš	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3847 put on (a garment), wear, clothe, be clothed
like a coat	כְּמַ֫דּ֥וֹ	kə·mad·dōw	Preposition-k; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H4055 measure
may it soak into	וַתָּבֹ֣א	wat·tā·ḇō	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
his body	בְּקִרְבּ֑וֹ	bə·qir·bōw	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H7130 inward part, midst
like water	כַמַּ֣יִם	ḵam·ma·yim	Preposition-k, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine
and into his bones	בְּעַצְמוֹתָֽיו׃	bə·‘aṣ·mō·w·ṯāw	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H6106 bone, substance, self
like oil	וְ֝כַשֶּׁ֗מֶן	wə·ḵaš·še·men	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H8081 fat, oil

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
May it be	תְּהִי־	tə·hî-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person feminine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
like a robe	כְּבֶ֣גֶד	kə·ḇe·ḡeḏ	Preposition-k; Noun - masculine singular	H899 treachery
wrapped about him	יַעְטֶ֑ה	ya‘·ṭeh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5844 wrap oneself, enwrap envelop oneself
like a belt	וּ֝לְמֵ֗זַח	ū·lə·mê·zaḥ	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H4206 belt
tied	יַחְגְּרֶֽהָ׃	yaḥ·gə·re·hā	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H2296 gird, gird on, gird oneself
forever around him	תָּמִ֥יד	tā·mîḏ	Adverb	H8548 continuity

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
May this	זֹ֤את	zōṯ	Pronoun - feminine singular	H2063 this
be the LORD’s	יְהוָ֑ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
reward	פְּעֻלַּ֣ת	pə·‘ul·laṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H6468 work, recompence
to my accusers	שֹׂ֭טְנַי	śō·ṭə·nai	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct; first person common singular	H7853 be or act as adversary
to those who speak	וְהַדֹּבְרִ֥ים	wə·had·dō·ḇə·rîm	Conjunctive waw, Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H1696 speak
evil	רָ֝֗ע	rā‘	Adjective - masculine singular	H7451 bad, evil
against	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
me	נַפְשִֽׁי׃	nap̄·šî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But You	וְאַתָּ֤ה׀	wə·’at·tāh	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
O GOD	יְה֘וִ֤ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3069 Yahweh
the Lord	אֲדֹנָ֗י	’ă·ḏō·nāy	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H136 lord
deal	עֲ‍ֽשֵׂה־	‘ăśêh-	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H6213 do, make
kindly with me	אִ֭תִּי	’it·tî	Preposition; first person common singular	H854 with
for the sake of	לְמַ֣עַן	lə·ma·‘an	Preposition	H4616 purpose, intent
Your name	שְׁמֶ֑ךָ	šə·me·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H8034 name
deliver me	הַצִּילֵֽנִי׃	haṣ·ṣî·lê·nî	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular; first person common singular	H5337 strip, plunder
by	כִּי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
the goodness	ט֥וֹב	ṭō·wḇ	Adjective - masculine singular	H2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
of Your loving devotion	חַ֝סְדְּךָ֗	ḥas·də·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H2617 goodness, kindness