Psalm 132:18
New International Version
I will clothe his enemies with shame, but his head will be adorned with a radiant crown.”

New Living Translation
I will clothe his enemies with shame, but he will be a glorious king.”

English Standard Version
His enemies I will clothe with shame, but on him his crown will shine.”

Berean Standard Bible
I will clothe his enemies with shame, but the crown upon him will gleam.”

King James Bible
His enemies will I clothe with shame: but upon himself shall his crown flourish.

New King James Version
His enemies I will clothe with shame, But upon Himself His crown shall flourish.”

New American Standard Bible
“I will clothe his enemies with shame, But upon himself his crown will gleam.”

NASB 1995
“His enemies I will clothe with shame, But upon himself his crown shall shine.”

NASB 1977
“His enemies I will clothe with shame; But upon himself his crown shall shine.”

Legacy Standard Bible
His enemies I will clothe with shame, But upon him, his crown shall blossom.”

Amplified Bible
“His enemies I will clothe with shame, But upon himself shall his crown shine.”

Christian Standard Bible
I will clothe his enemies with shame, but the crown he wears will be glorious.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I will clothe his enemies with shame, but the crown he wears will be glorious.”

American Standard Version
His enemies will I clothe with shame; But upon himself shall his crown flourish.

Contemporary English Version
and wear a sparkling crown. But I will disgrace their enemies."

English Revised Version
His enemies will I clothe with shame: but upon himself shall his crown flourish.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I will clothe his enemies with shame, but the crown on my anointed one will shine."

Good News Translation
I will cover his enemies with shame, but his kingdom will prosper and flourish."

International Standard Version
I will clothe his enemies with disgrace, but on him his crown will shine."

Majority Standard Bible
I will clothe his enemies with shame, but the crown upon him will gleam.”

NET Bible
I will humiliate his enemies, and his crown will shine.

New Heart English Bible
I will clothe his enemies with shame, but on himself, his crown will be resplendent."

Webster's Bible Translation
His enemies will I clothe with shame: but upon himself shall his crown flourish.

World English Bible
I will clothe his enemies with shame, but on himself, his crown will shine.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
I clothe His enemies [with] shame, "" And His crown flourishes on Him!”

Young's Literal Translation
His enemies I do clothe with shame, And upon him doth his crown flourish!

Smith's Literal Translation
I will put shame upon his enemies, and upon him shall his diadem flourish.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
His enemies I will clothe with confusion: but upon him will my sanctification flourish.

Catholic Public Domain Version
I will clothe his enemies with confusion. But my sanctification will flourish over him.

New American Bible
His foes I will clothe with shame, but on him his crown shall shine.”

New Revised Standard Version
His enemies I will clothe with disgrace, but on him, his crown will gleam.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
His enemies will I clothe with shame; but my holiness shall cover him.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And I shall clothe his enemies in shame, and upon him my holiness will flourish.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
His enemies will I clothe with shame; But upon himself shall his crown shine.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
His enemies will I clothe with a shame; but upon himself shall my holiness flourish.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Remember David's Affliction
17There I will make a horn grow for David; I have prepared a lamp for My anointed one. 18I will clothe his enemies with shame, but the crown upon him will gleam.”

Cross References
Isaiah 61:3
to console the mourners in Zion—to give them a crown of beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and a garment of praise for a spirit of despair. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.

Isaiah 60:1
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.

Isaiah 60:19
No longer will the sun be your light by day, nor the brightness of the moon shine on your night; for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your splendor.

Isaiah 60:21
Then all your people will be righteous; they will possess the land forever; they are the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, so that I may be glorified.

Isaiah 62:3
You will be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, a royal diadem in the palm of your God.

Isaiah 62:10
Go out, go out through the gates; prepare the way for the people! Build it up, build up the highway; clear away the stones; raise a banner for the nations!

Isaiah 62:12
And they will be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of The LORD; and you will be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken.

Isaiah 11:10
On that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples. The nations will seek Him, and His place of rest will be glorious.

Isaiah 11:12
He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; He will collect the scattered of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

Isaiah 11:14
They will swoop down on the slopes of the Philistines to the west; together they will plunder the sons of the east. They will lay their hands on Edom and Moab, and the Ammonites will be subject to them.

Revelation 3:11
I am coming soon. Hold fast to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.

Revelation 19:12
He has eyes like blazing fire, and many royal crowns on His head. He has a name written on Him that only He Himself knows.

Revelation 21:24
By its light the nations will walk, and into it the kings of the earth will bring their glory.

Revelation 22:5
There will be no more night in the city, and they will have no need for the light of a lamp or of the sun. For the Lord God will shine on them, and they will reign forever and ever.

Revelation 22:12
“Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to what he has done.


Treasury of Scripture

His enemies will I clothe with shame: but on himself shall his crown flourish.

his enemies

Psalm 21:8,9
Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee…

Psalm 35:26
Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.

Psalm 109:29
Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a mantle.

but upon

Psalm 72:8-11
He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth…

Isaiah 9:6,7
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace…

Isaiah 58:10-12
And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: …

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Ascents Clothe Clothed Crown David Enemies Flourish Haters Head Psalm Resplendent Shame Shed Shine Shining Song
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Ascents Clothe Clothed Crown David Enemies Flourish Haters Head Psalm Resplendent Shame Shed Shine Shining Song
Psalm 132
1. David in his prayer commends unto God the reverent care he had for the ark
8. His prayer at the removing of the ark
11. With a repetition of God's promises














I will clothe
The phrase "I will clothe" suggests an intentional act of covering or adorning. In the Hebrew context, the verb "clothe" (לבש, labash) often implies a transformation or change in status. This is not merely a physical act but a symbolic one, indicating a change in the condition or perception of the enemies. In biblical times, clothing was a significant indicator of one's role, status, or condition, and here it signifies a divine intervention that alters the state of the enemies.

his enemies
The term "his enemies" refers to those who oppose the anointed king, likely King David or his descendants, as the psalm is a royal one. In the broader biblical narrative, enemies are often those who stand against God's chosen people or His divine plan. The Hebrew word for enemies (אויב, oyev) encompasses adversaries or those who harbor hostility. This highlights the ongoing spiritual and physical battles faced by God's people and the assurance of divine justice against opposition.

with shame
"With shame" indicates a state of disgrace or dishonor. The Hebrew word for shame (בושת, boshet) conveys a deep sense of humiliation and defeat. In the ancient Near Eastern culture, honor and shame were pivotal societal values. To be clothed with shame means to be publicly exposed and humiliated, a reversal of fortune for those who once stood proudly against God's anointed. This reflects the biblical theme of God humbling the proud and exalting the humble.

but the crown upon him
The "crown upon him" symbolizes authority, honor, and divine favor. The crown (עטרת, atarah) in Hebrew culture was not only a physical adornment but also a representation of God's blessing and the legitimacy of the king's rule. This phrase underscores the contrast between the enemies' shame and the king's exaltation. The crown signifies the enduring dynasty promised to David, a theme central to the Davidic Covenant, which assures the perpetuity of his lineage and kingdom.

will gleam
"Will gleam" suggests radiance and splendor. The Hebrew root (צוץ, tsuts) implies a shining or flourishing, indicating vitality and divine approval. This imagery of gleaming conveys the idea of a bright future and the glory that accompanies God's chosen leader. It reflects the biblical promise that those who are faithful to God will shine with His glory, a theme echoed throughout Scripture, pointing ultimately to the eternal reign of Christ, the fulfillment of the Davidic promise.

(18) Crown (nezer).--As the distinctive use of this word in Israel--by its derivation meaning mark of separation--was for the golden plate, inscribed "Holiness to the Lord," worn on the high priest's mitre (see Exodus 29:6; Exodus 39:30), we cannot be wrong in seeing here a special allusion to the same. This allusion is rendered more probable by the use of the word rendered "flourish" (properly, shine), a cognate to which was the technical name given to this golden plate. (See the reference in Exodus 39, above.) It is also possibly alluded to in Psalm 89:39, the only other place in the psalms where the word occurs, though as the word is used of the royal crown in 2Samuel 1:10, &c, the allusion is not certain. But if the Maccabaean hypothesis is correct, the use of the word, instead of the more usual word for "crown," is interesting. "One relic of the ancient insignia has been preserved, which was probably prized as the most precious of all. It was the golden plate affixed to the turban, inscribed 'Holiness to Jehovah,' which was believed to have come down from the time of Aaron, and which, treasured through all the vicissitudes of the Jewish state, was carried to Rome by Titus, and seen there by the great Jewish Rabbi, in the time of Hadrian" (Stanley, J. C. 3:353).

Verse 18. - His enemies will I clothe with shame. David's "enemies" are those who oppress his "Seed," and will not have him to reign over them. All such will be "confounded and put to shame" (Psalm 35:4), "clothed with shame and dishonor" (Psalm 35:26). But upon himself shall his crown flourish. The true and the final Davidic representative is Christ, who "remaineth a King forever" (Psalm 29:10). On him his crown will ever flourish.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
I will clothe
אַלְבִּ֣ישׁ (’al·bîš)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 3847: Wrap around, to put on a, garment, clothe

his enemies
א֭וֹיְבָיו (’ō·wy·ḇāw)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 341: Hating, an adversary

with shame,
בֹּ֑שֶׁת (bō·šeṯ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1322: Shame, shameful thing

but the crown
נִזְרֽוֹ׃ (niz·rōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5145: Something set apart, dedication, unshorn locks, a chaplet

upon him
וְ֝עָלָ֗יו (wə·‘ā·lāw)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

will gleam.”
יָצִ֥יץ (yā·ṣîṣ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6692: To twinkle, glance, to blossom


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OT Poetry: Psalm 132:18 I will clothe his enemies with shame (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 132:17
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