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 plot against the godly; they snarl at them in defiance. 13But the Lord just laughs, for he sees their day of judgment coming. The wicked draw their swords and string their bows to kill the poor and the oppressed, to slaughter those who do right. 15But their swords will stab their own hearts, and their bows will be broken. 16It is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and rich.

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 plots of this evil mob, from this gang of wrongdoers.
• Acts 12:2He had the apostle James (John’s brother) killed with a sword.
• 1 Samuel 24:11Look, my father, at what I have in my hand. It is a piece of the hem of your robe! I cut it off, but I didn’t kill you. This proves that I am not trying to harm you and that I have not sinned against you, even though you have been hunting for me to kill me.
• Proverbs 29:10The bloodthirsty hate blameless people, but the upright seek to help them.
• Habakkuk 1:13But you are pure and cannot stand the sight of evil. Will you wink at their treachery? Should you be silent while the wicked swallow up people more righteous than they?
• Matthew 23:30Then you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would never have joined them in killing the prophets.’
• Acts 7:52Name one prophet your ancestors didn’t persecute! They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One—the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered.
• 1 John 3:12We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was 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