Psalms 21:12

Psalms 21:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Therefore shalt thou make them turn their back, when thou shalt make ready thine arrows upon thy strings against the face of them.
• New International Version (NIV)You will make them turn their backs when you aim at them with drawn bow.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For you will put them to flight; you will aim at their faces with your bows.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore You will make them turn their back; You will make ready Your arrows on Your string toward their faces.

Context of Psalms 21:12

10You will remove your enemies' children from the earth. They will no longer have any descendants. 11They decided to hurt you. They thought how they would do that. But they could not do anything bad against you. No! You shoot your arrows at them, so that they turn round and they run away! 13Get up, Lord, and show your strength! We will sing to praise you because you have great power.

Psalms 21:12 word by word

כִּ֭י תְּשִׁיתֵ֣מוֹ שֶׁ֑כֶם בְּ֝מֵֽיתָרֶ֗יךָ תְּכוֹנֵ֥ן עַל־פְּנֵיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Therefore shalt thou makeשִׁיתshîyth · to set: makeH7896
• them turn their backשְׁכֶםshekem · shoulderH7926
• thou shalt make readyכּוּןkûn · to establish: prepareH3559
• upon thy stringsמֵיתָרmêythâr · cordH4340
• against the faceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440

Cross-references for Psalms 21:12

• Psalms 9:3Because my enemies have seen your power, they turned back and they fell down. You won against them.
• Psalms 44:10You make us run away from our enemies. The people who hate us take from us whatever they like!
• Psalms 56:9When I call to you for help, my enemies will turn back. I am sure of this: God is with me, to fight for me.
• Job 7:20You carefully watch what people do. Even if I have done something wrong, it should not cause any trouble for you. So why do you choose to punish me?
• Job 16:12I was living in peace, but then God destroyed me. He took hold of my neck and he shook me to pieces. He decided to shoot his arrows at me.
• Lamentations 3:12God is like a soldier with a bow and arrows. He used his bow to shoot at me.
• Psalms 7:13He will prepare his dangerous weapons. He is ready to shoot his arrows that burn with fire.
• Psalms 18:14The Lord shot his arrows of lightning. He caused his enemies to run away.
• Psalms 64:7But God will punish them! He will suddenly shoot an arrow at them and it will hurt them a lot.

Commentaries on Psalms 21:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Therefore shalt thou make them turn their back - God can in a moment strike the most powerful and numerous army, even in the moment of victory, with panic; and then even the lame, the army which they had nearly routed, shall take the prey, and divide the spoil. Against the face of them - Thou shalt cause them to turn their backs and fly, as if a volley of arrows had been discharged in their faces. This seems to be the sense of this difficult verse.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12Therefore shalt thou make them turn their back - Margin, “Thou shalt set them as a butt.” The word back also is rendered in the margin “shoulder.” The word translated “therefore” means in this placer or, and the rendering “therefore” obscures the sense. The statement in this verse in connection with the previous verse, is, that they would not be able to “perform” or carry out their well-laid schemes, “for” or “because” God would make them turn the back…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-13Verses 7-13 The psalmist teaches to look forward with faith, and hope, and prayer upon what God would further do. The success with which God blessed David, was a type of the total overthrow of all Christ's enemies. Those who might have had Christ to rule and save them, but rejected him and fought against him, shall find the remembrance of it a worm that dies not. God makes sinners willing by his grace, receives them to his favour, and delivers them from…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-12As long as even a single enemy opposed the king’s authority, God’s kingdom was not fully present. This prayer requests victory over all evil in the world.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. turn their back--literally, "place them [as to the] shoulder." against the face of them--The shooting against their faces would cause them to turn their backs in flight.Read the comment

Topics related to Psalms 21:12

• Arrow

In the dictionaries

• Countenance
• Gall
• Intend
• Bible, the
• Pentateuch
• Psalms, Book of
• Satan, Synagogue of
• Withes, Withs, Green
• Messiah

Commentaries on Psalms 21

• 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
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary