Psalm 37:14 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose way is upright;

NIV: The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright.

NASB: The wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bow To take down the afflicted and the needy, To kill off those who are upright in conduct.

CSB: The wicked have drawn the sword and strung the bow to bring down the poor and needy and to slaughter those whose way is upright.

NLT: The wicked draw their swords and string their bows to kill the poor and the oppressed, to slaughter those who do right.

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.

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.

In this verse David writes that the wicked resort to violence in order to destroy the righteous and others they think they can take advantage of. It's common to see the ungodly use force and threats against those who don't cooperate with their sins (1 Peter 4:3–4). Abuse of the weak and helpless is also a sign of a sinful heart (Proverbs 6:16–19). Like verses 12 and 13, this and verse 15 form a contrasting pair, showing how evil winds up harming itself.

The sword and bow were among the most prominent weapons used in battle during David's era. The Hebrew word translated "slay" here literally means "to slaughter or butcher," as in the slaughter of cattle. The word emphasizes the extraordinary malice that the wicked direct toward those who suffer for truth and righteousness.

However, Jesus described those who suffer for righteousness as blessed. He said, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven" (Matthew 5:10–12).

Psalm 37:12–20 continues David's discussion of the differences between the wicked and the righteous. Although the wicked seem to prosper and violently oppose the righteous, the righteous can trust the Lord to care for them. For those who honor God, whatever little they have is better than the abundance of wicked people. Believers have the Lord and will inherit good, eternal things. The wicked have nothing to look forward to in eternity other than condemnation.

In this psalm, David contrasts the way God protects and saves His people, contrasted with the ruin which awaits the wicked. Much of this seems to be based on David's own experiences (Psalm 37:25, 35). As with many other passages in Psalms and Proverbs, this passage encourages godly wisdom. Those who reject God and His ways can expect uncertainty on earth and disaster in eternity.

Psalm 37 lies in the first division of Psalms and addresses mankind. Its tone resembles that of the book of Proverbs. The psalm dispenses wisdom about the security of the righteous man and the insecurity and fate of the wicked man. Psalms 36 and 39 also describe the insecurity and fate of the wicked. The covenant God made with Israel in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 27—30 is the basis for David's assurance that the righteous are secure. The issue of the prosperity of the wicked is also featured in Psalms 49 and 73. David most likely wrote Psalm 37 in his old age.

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.