תהלים, פרק ק״ט, פסוק י״ט

Deep, suppressed hatred often finds its voice in devastating wishes for ruin. During a time of intense persecution, David’s enemies directed severe curses at him, expressing a profound and hidden hostility [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. To capture the severity of this punishment, the imagery of daily clothing is used to illustrate how thoroughly a curse can surround and cling to a person. The primary approach among commentators is that the repetition of these ideas serves to strongly emphasize the sheer weight and severity of the punishment [רד״ק, מאירי].

The curse is described as a garment that completely wraps and covers the wicked from every possible angle [מצודת ציון, מצודת דוד]. Some explain that this clothing imagery highlights how the punishment will be wide, long, and clearly visible to everyone, much like a large outer coat worn over the rest of one's clothes [מלבי״ם]. Conversely, another perspective views the garment metaphor as a specific request for containment. Just as a piece of clothing only warms the person wearing it, the hope is that the curse remains exclusively on the wicked individual without spreading to harm innocent bystanders [אלשיך].

To complete this picture, the imagery of a belt is introduced. While a belt traditionally provides strength and support for the waist [רש״י, אבן עזרא, מאירי], here it represents how constantly and tightly the curse will remain attached to the person [רד״ק, מצודת דוד]. This belt ensures that the heavy garment of the curse is securely tied and will never slip away [אלשיך]. Furthermore, because this metaphorical coat of punishment is so vast, the curse itself acts as a belt to gather the fabric, adjusting and tailoring the consequences to fit the exact measure of the wicked [מלבי״ם].