the blessing in which he refused to delight, may it be far from him.
In contrast to the curses, blessings in the biblical sense often refer to God's favor and provision. The refusal to delight in blessings suggests a rejection of God's goodness and grace. This echoes the warnings found in Proverbs 1:24-31, where wisdom is rejected, leading to calamity. The historical context of blessings and curses in Israelite society was deeply tied to their covenant relationship with God, where obedience brought blessings and disobedience brought curses. Theologically, this phrase underscores the importance of valuing and seeking God's blessings, as seen in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12), where Jesus pronounces blessings on those who embody kingdom values. The absence of delight in blessings can be seen as a spiritual blindness or hardness of heart, which ultimately leads to separation from God's favor.

“He loved cursing—” (Psalm 109:17)

• David is describing a man who relishes speaking evil, condemning others, and invoking harm.

• Scripture treats words as powerful, revealing the heart (Matthew 12:36-37; James 3:9-10).

• To “love” cursing isn’t a momentary slip; it is a settled affection for destructive speech, the direct opposite of the righteous who “delight in the law of the LORD” (Psalm 1:2).

• By celebrating curses, this person aligns himself with the very judgment he hurls at others (Proverbs 18:21).

“—may it fall on him;” (Psalm 109:17)

• David prays that the man’s chosen weapon boomerang back upon him, reflecting the biblical law of sowing and reaping (Galatians 6:7-8).

• Similar language appears in Psalm 7:15-16, where the wicked “fall into the pit they have made.”

• This isn’t spite but a call for God’s just governance: letting evil be its own undoing (Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:19).

“he took no delight in blessing—” (Psalm 109:17)

• Blessing, in Scripture, includes speaking well, acting kindly, and invoking God’s favor (Numbers 6:24-26).

• Refusing to delight in blessing exposes a hardened heart that scorns goodness (Isaiah 5:20; 2 Timothy 3:2-3).

• God offers blessings freely, yet people can despise them as Esau did when he sold his birthright (Hebrews 12:16-17).

• Neglecting blessing is as serious as loving cursing; both reveal rebellion against God’s character.

“—may it be far from him.” (Psalm 109:17)

• The petition is for blessing to be withdrawn, leaving the man to taste the absence of what he rejected (Jeremiah 17:5-6).

• Scripture often shows God removing His favor when people persist in sin (Psalm 81:11-12; Romans 1:28).

• Without blessing, a person is exposed to barrenness and judgment, like a withered branch cast away (John 15:6).

• The plea underscores that blessings are privileges, not entitlements; spurning them invites their departure.

Psalm 109:17 teaches the moral reflex built into God’s universe: we reap what we cherish. To love cursing invites cursing; to despise blessing forfeits blessing. David’s prayer aligns with divine justice, letting the wicked experience the very outcomes they pursue while affirming that God honors the righteous who value His favor.

He loved cursing; and it comes;

He delighted not in blessing; and it departs;

Yea, he clothed himself in cursing as with his cloak,

And it came like water into his bowels,

And like oil into his bones;

May it be, &c.

Comp. the proverb, "Curses, like chickens, always come home to roost."

The fabled shirt of Nessus, which ate into the mighty form of Hercules, has suggested itself to commentators in illustration of this image. In a good sense the same figure is a favourite one with the Hebrews. (See Isaiah 11:5.) . . .