Psalms 37:14

Psalms 37:14 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.
• New International Version (NIV)The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose way is upright;
• New King James Version (NKJV)The wicked have drawn the sword And have bent their bow, To cast down the poor and needy, To slay those who are of upright conduct.

Context of Psalms 37:14

12The wicked plots against the righteous And gnashes at him with his teeth. 13The Lord laughs at him [the wicked one—the one who oppresses the righteous], For He sees that his day [of defeat] is coming. The wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bow To cast down the afflicted and the needy, To slaughter those who are upright in conduct [those with personal integrity and godly character]. 15The sword [of the ungodly] will enter their own heart, And their bow will be broken. 16Better is the little of the righteous [who seek the will of God] Than the abundance (riches) of many wicked (godless).

Psalms 37:14 word by word

חֶ֤רֶב׀ פָּֽתְח֣וּ רְשָׁעִים֮ וְדָרְכ֪וּ קַ֫שְׁתָּ֥ם לְ֭הַפִּיל עָנִ֣י וְאֶבְי֑וֹן לִ֝טְב֗וֹחַ יִשְׁרֵי־דָֽרֶךְ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• The wickedרָשָׁעrâshâ‛ · wickedH7563
• have drawn outפָּתַחpâthach · to openH6605
• the swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• and have bentדָּרַךְdârak · to treadH1869
• their bowקֶ֫שֶׁתqesheth · bowH7198
• to cast downנָפַלnâphal · to fall: killH5307
• the poorעָנִי‛ânîy · afflictedH6041
• and needyאֶבְיוֹן'ebyôn · needyH34
• to slayטָבַחţâbach · to slaughterH2873
• such as be of uprightיָשָׁרyâshâr · uprightH3477
• conversationדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: journeyH1870

Cross-references for Psalms 37:14

• Psalms 64:2Hide me from the secret counsel and conspiracy of the ungodly, From the scheming of those who do wrong,
• Acts 12:2And he had James the brother of John put to death with a sword;
• 1 Samuel 24:11Look, my father! Indeed, see the hem of your robe in my hand! Since I cut off the hem of your robe and did not kill you, know and understand [without question] that there is no evil or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you are lying in wait to take my life.
• Proverbs 29:10The bloodthirsty hate the blameless [because of his integrity], But the upright are concerned for his life.
• Habakkuk 1:13Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, And You cannot look favorably on wickedness. Why then do You look favorably On those who act treacherously? Why are you silent when the wicked (Chaldean oppressors) destroy Those more righteous than they?
• Matthew 23:30and you say, ‘If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have joined them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’
• Acts 7:52Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who proclaimed beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become;
• 1 John 3:12and not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother [Abel]. And why did he murder him? Because Cain’s deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous.

Commentaries on Psalms 37:14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14The wicked have drawn out the sword - There is an irreconcilable enmity in the souls of sinners against the godly; and there is much evidence that the idolatrous Babylonians whetted their tongue like a sword, and shot out their arrows, even bitter words, to malign the poor captives, and to insult them in every possible way.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14The wicked have drawn out the sword - That is, they have prepared themselves with a full purpose to destroy the righteous. And have bent their bow - literally, “have trodden the bow,” in allusion to the method by which the bow was bent: to wit, by placing the foot on it, and drawing the string back. To cast down the poor and needy - To cause them to fall. And to slay such as be of upright conversation - Margin, as in Hebrew: “the upright of way.” That is…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-20Verses 7-20 Let us be satisfied that God will make all to work for good to us. Let us not discompose ourselves at what we see in this world. A fretful, discontented spirit is open to many temptations. For, in all respects, the little which is allotted to the righteous, is more comfortable and more profitable than the ill-gotten and abused riches of ungodly men. It comes from a hand of special love. God provides plentifully and well, not only for his…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14-15The wicked prepare weapons, but those weapons will turn against them (compare Psalm 7:12–13).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 14-1514-15. sword, and ... bow--for any instruments of violence. slay--literally, "slaughter" (1Sa 25:11). poor and needy--God's people (Psa 10:17; 12:5). The punishment of the wicked as drawn on themselves--often mentioned (compare Psa 7:15, 16; 35:8).Read the comment

Topics related to Psalms 37:14

• Poor
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Cease
• Commit
• Consume
• Cut
• Forsake
• Mark
• Poetry
• Trust
• Wisdom
• Wise

Commentaries on Psalms 37

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• The Treasury of David
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings