Psalm 17:14 - Printer Friendly

ESV: from men by your hand, O Lord, from men of the world whose portion is in this life. You fill their womb with treasure; they are satisfied with children, and they leave their abundance to their infants.

NIV: By your hand save me from such people, Lord, from those of this world whose reward is in this life. May what you have stored up for the wicked fill their bellies; may their children gorge themselves on it, and may there be leftovers for their little ones.

NASB: From people by Your hand, Lord, From people of the world, whose portion is in this life, And whose belly You fill with Your treasure; They are satisfied with children, And leave their abundance to their babies.

CSB: With your hand, Lord, save me from men, from men of the world whose portion is in this life: You fill their bellies with what you have in store; their sons are satisfied, and they leave their surplus to their children.

NLT: By the power of your hand, O Lord, destroy those who look to this world for their reward. But satisfy the hunger of your treasured ones. May their children have plenty, leaving an inheritance for their descendants.

KJV: From men which are thy hand, O Lord, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.

NKJV: With Your hand from men, O Lord, From men of the world who have their portion in this life, And whose belly You fill with Your hidden treasure. They are satisfied with children, And leave the rest of their possession for their babes.

As part of his praise in another psalm, David referred to his "portion" in God (Psalm 16:5–6). This came in the context of an eternal relationship with the Lord (Psalm 16:10–11). Here, David refers to those enemies who reject God as those who have their "portion in this life." A "portion," in Old Testament imagery, is a reference to someone's allotted destiny, with a specific sense of God's choice. Those with a portion only in earthly life are those whose success and happiness will end, dramatically, when their lives end (Proverbs 10:28; 14:32; 1 Corinthians 15:19).

These foes are men of the world, in the spiritual sense. They have nothing to look forward to in eternity (Hebrews 10:27–31). All they have is what they accumulate in this life. That earthly wealth may be considerable, even if their spirits are not right with God (Luke 12:13–20). The Lord might give them children, and whatever possessions and wealth they obtain they leave behind to those descendants. But in eternity, they will have nothing but torment (Mark 9:47–48).

The Bible differentiates between people of the world and followers of Christ (1 John 2:15). The only enjoyment people of the world have they derive from worldly treasure. Eternity holds only judgment and anguish for them. However, followers of Christ have treasures in heaven. When the apostle Paul faced the possibility of execution, he wrote, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21). The apostle John draws a contrast between the emptiness of worldly lusts and the reward that comes from doing God's will. He writes in 1 John 2:17: "And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever."

Likely written when Saul was pursuing David in the wilderness, this records David's urgent plea for deliverance. He insists that he is in the right and free from deceit or evil. He proclaims God as a Savior and asks God to heed his cry and reveal His steadfast love to him. David addresses God as the Savior of those who seek refuge in Him from their enemies. Verse 8 uses two famous phrases describing God's tender care and love: "apple of the eye" and "shadow of your wings." Using a singular noun, David compares his enemy, likely Saul, to a ferocious, stealthy, bloodthirsty lion. Through these struggles, David looks forward to a blessed eternity of beholding God's face.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.