Psalm 37:14

Translations

Modern

The wicked have drawn the sword and bent the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright.

Traditional

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.

Literal

The wicked have drawn out the sword and have bent their bows, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay those upright in the path.

Latin

Gladium evaginaverunt peccatores; intenderunt arcum suum: ut dejiciant pauperem et inopem, ut trucident rectos corde.

Original

Hebrew

English

The wicked have drawn the sword and bent the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright.

Notes

Psalms 37:14–15

The wicked prepare weapons, but those weapons will turn against them (compare Psalm 7:12–13).

Psalms 37:12–17

The wicked seek to destroy the Lord’s order, but he defeats them.

Psalms 37:1–40

This psalm addresses the issues raised in Psalm 36:

How should the godly react to evil?
When will the Lord bring justice?
Why does he allow the wicked to harm his creation?

Psalm 37 provides clear answers that reduce the tensions of life (Psalm 37:1–9, 34) and promise that the meek will have a future (Psalm 37:10–11, 39–40).

The contrast between the godly and the wicked highlights the uselessness of foolishness (Psalm 37:12–24, 27–33). The psalmist's personal insights add a human element (Psalm 37:25–26, 35–38). He encourages viewing the land's inheritance with a long-term perspective: The earth belongs to the Lord, who will give it to those he blesses—the humble and godly who trust, hope, and follow him (see Psalm 37:9, 11, 22, 29, 34; see also Isaiah 57:13; Matthew 5:5).

Theme notes and profiles

David Inheriting the Land The Poor and Needy in the Psalms Wisdom Psalms

Related verses

Proverbs 29:27
An unjust man is detestable to the righteous, and one whose way is upright is detestable to the wicked.
Psalm 11:2
For behold, the wicked bend their bows. They set their arrow on the string to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.
Proverbs 29:10
Men of bloodshed hate a blameless man, but the upright care for his life.
1 John 3:12
Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain slay him? Because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous.
Acts 12:11
Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent His angel and rescued me from Herod’s grasp and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating.”
1 Samuel 24:17
…and said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have rewarded me with good, though I have rewarded you with evil.
Psalm 35:10
All my bones will exclaim, “Who is like You, O LORD, who delivers the afflicted from the aggressor, the poor and needy from the robber?”
1 Samuel 24:11
See, my father, look at the corner of your robe in my hand. For I cut it off, but I did not kill you. Know and see that there is no evil or rebellion in my hands. I have not sinned against you, even though you are hunting me down to take my life.
Acts 7:52
Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers—
Psalm 64:2–6
Hide me from the scheming of the wicked, from the mob of workers of iniquity,
Habakkuk 1:13
Your eyes are too pure to look upon evil, and You cannot tolerate wrongdoing. So why do You tolerate the faithless? Why are You silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?
Acts 12:23
Immediately, because Herod did not give glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.

Psalm 37:14

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