New English Translation
Psalms 33:17
17A horse disappoints those who trust in it for victory; despite its great strength, it cannot deliver.
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
15He is the one who forms every human heart, and takes note of all their actions. 16No king is delivered by his vast army; a warrior is not saved by his great might. A horse disappoints those who trust in it for victory; despite its great strength, it cannot deliver. 18Look, the Lord takes notice of his loyal followers, those who wait for him to demonstrate his faithfulness 19by saving their lives from death and sustaining them during times of 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 trust in chariots and others in horses, but we depend on the Lord our God.
- Judges 4:15The Lord routed Sisera, all his chariotry, and all his army with the edge of the sword. Sisera jumped out of his chariot and ran away on foot.
- 2 Kings 7:6The Lord had caused the Syrian camp to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a large army. Then they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel has paid the kings of the Hittites and Egypt to attack us!”
- Proverbs 21:31A horse is prepared for the day of battle, but the victory is from the Lord.
- Ecclesiastes 9:11Again, I observed this on the earth: the race is not always won by the swiftest, the battle is not always won by the strongest; prosperity does not always belong to those who are the wisest, wealth does not always belong to those who are the most discerning, nor does success always come to those with the most knowledge – for time and chance may overcome them all.
- Isaiah 30:16You say, ‘No, we will flee on horses,’ so you will indeed flee. You say, ‘We will ride on fast horses,’ so your pursuers will be fast.
- Hosea 14:3Assyria cannot save us; we will not ride warhorses. We will never again say, ‘Our gods’ to what our own hands have made. For only you will show compassion to Orphan Israel!”
- Psalms 147:10He is not enamored with the strength of a horse, nor is he impressed by the warrior’s strong legs.
- Job 39:19“Do you give the horse its strength? Do you clothe its neck with a 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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