God’s Word Translation
Psalms 33:17
17Horses are not a guarantee for victory. Their great strength cannot help someone escape.
Psalms 33:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.
- New International Version (NIV)A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue.
- New King James Version (NKJV)A horse is a vain hope for safety; Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength.
Context of Psalms 33:17
15The one who formed their hearts understands everything they do. 16No king achieves a victory with a large army. No warrior rescues himself by his own great strength. Horses are not a guarantee for victory. Their great strength cannot help someone escape. 18The Lord’s eyes are on those who fear him, on those who wait with hope for his mercy 19to rescue their souls from death and keep them alive during a famine.
Read all of Psalms 33Psalms 33:17 word by word
שֶׁ֣קֶר הַ֭סּוּס לִתְשׁוּעָ֑ה וּבְרֹ֥ב חֵ֝יל֗וֹ לֹ֣א יְמַלֵּֽט׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Psalms 33:17
- Psalms 20:7Some ⌞rely⌟ on chariots and others on horses, but we will boast in the name of the Lord our God.
- Judges 4:15The Lord threw Sisera, all his chariots, and his whole army into a panic in front of Barak’s deadly assault. Sisera got down from his chariot and fled on foot.
- 2 Kings 7:6(The Lord had made the Aramean army hear what sounded like chariots, horses, and a large army. The Aramean soldiers said to one another, “The king of Israel has hired the Hittite and Egyptian kings to attack us!”
- Proverbs 21:31The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord.
- Ecclesiastes 9:11I saw something else under the sun. The race isn’t ⌞won⌟ by fast runners, or the battle by heroes. Wise people don’t necessarily have food. Intelligent people don’t necessarily have riches, and skilled people don’t necessarily receive special treatment. But time and unpredictable events overtake all of them.
- Isaiah 30:16You’ve said, “No, we’ll flee on horses.” So you flee. You’ve added, “We’ll ride on fast horses.” So those who chase you will also be fast.
- Hosea 14:3Assyria cannot save us. We won’t ride on horses anymore. We will never again say that the things our hands have made are our gods. You love orphans.”
- Psalms 147:10He finds no joy in strong horses, nor is he pleased by brave soldiers.
- Job 39:19“Can you give strength to a horse or dress its neck with a flowing mane?
Commentaries on Psalms 33:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17A horse is a vain thing for safety - Even the horse, with all his fleetness, is no sure means of escape from danger: the lion or the tiger can overtake him or he may stumble, fall, and destroy his rider.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17An horse - The reference here is undoubtedly to the war-horse. See the notes at Psalm 20:7. Is a vain thing - literally, is a “lie.” That is, he cannot be confided in. For safety - For securing safety in battle. He is liable to be stricken down, or to become wild and furious so as to be beyond the control of his rider; and however strong or fleet he may be, or however well he may be “broken,” yet none of these things make it certain that the rider will be…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-22Verses 12-22 All the motions and operations of the souls of men, which no mortals know but themselves, God knows better than they do. Their hearts, as well as their times, are all in his hand; he formed the spirit of each man within him. All the powers of the creature depend upon him, and are of no account, of no avail at all, without him. If we make God's favour sure towards us, then we need not fear whatever is against us. We are to give to him the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-17army …great strength. … horse: Even military power is under God's control (see Psalm 33:10–11; Ecclesiastes 9:11).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 12-1912-19. The inference from the foregoing in Psa 33:12 is illustrated by God's special providence, underlying which is His minute knowledge of all men.Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 33:17
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 33
- 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
- EGW Writings
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