What is the meaning of Psalm 109:17? The cursing that he loved “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 “—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). the blessing in which he refused to delight “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 “—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 (Psalm 109:17) • The petition is for blessing to be withdrawn, leaving the man to taste the absence of what he rejected (Jeremiah 17:5-6).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. summary 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. |
    |