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Thursday, May 15th, 2025
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the Fourth Week after Easter
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Read the Bible
THE MESSAGE
Psalms 37:14
Bullies brandish their swords, pull back on their bows with a flourish. They're out to beat up on the harmless, or mug that nice man out walking his dog. A banana peel lands them flat on their faces— slapstick figures in a moral circus.
Jump to:Bible Study Tools • Parallel Bible Verse • Bible Contextual Overview • Bible Cross-References • Gill's Bible Notes • Clarke's Bible Notes • Barnes' Bible Notes
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- AmericanEncyclopedias:
- InternationalDevotionals:
- EveryParallel Translations
Christian Standard Bible®
The wicked have drawn the sword and strung the bowto bring down the poor and needyand to slaughter those whose way is upright.
The wicked have drawn the sword and strung the bowto bring down the poor and needyand to slaughter those whose way is upright.
Hebrew Names Version
The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, To cast down the poor and needy, To kill those who are upright in the way.
The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, To cast down the poor and needy, To kill those who are upright in the way.
King James Version
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.
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.
English Standard Version
The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose way is upright;
The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose way is upright;
New Century Version
The wicked draw their swords and bend their bows to kill the poor and helpless, to kill those who are honest.
The wicked draw their swords and bend their bows to kill the poor and helpless, to kill those who are honest.
New English Translation
Evil men draw their swords and prepare their bows, to bring down the oppressed and needy, and to slaughter those who are godly.
Evil men draw their swords and prepare their bows, to bring down the oppressed and needy, and to slaughter those who are godly.
Amplified Bible
The wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bow To cast down the afflicted and the needy, To slaughter those who are upright in conduct [those with personal integrity and godly character].
The wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bow To cast down the afflicted and the needy, To slaughter those who are upright in conduct [those with personal integrity and godly character].
New American Standard Bible
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.
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.
World English Bible
The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, To cast down the poor and needy, To kill those who are upright in the way.
The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, To cast down the poor and needy, To kill those who are upright in the way.
Geneva Bible (1587)
The wicked haue drawen their sworde, and haue bent their bowe, to cast downe the poore and needie, and to slay such as be of vpright conuersation.
The wicked haue drawen their sworde, and haue bent their bowe, to cast downe the poore and needie, and to slay such as be of vpright conuersation.
Legacy Standard Bible
The wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bowTo cast down the afflicted and the needy,To slay those who are upright in conduct.
The wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bowTo cast down the afflicted and the needy,To slay those who are upright in conduct.
Berean Standard Bible
The wicked have drawn the sword and bent the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright.
The wicked have drawn the sword and bent the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright.
Contemporary English Version
The wicked kill with swords and shoot arrows to murder the poor and the needy and all who do right.
The wicked kill with swords and shoot arrows to murder the poor and the needy and all who do right.
Complete Jewish Bible
The wicked have unsheathed their swords, they have strung their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slaughter those whose way is upright.
The wicked have unsheathed their swords, they have strung their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slaughter those whose way is upright.
Darby Translation
The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the afflicted and needy, to slay those that are upright in [the] way:
The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the afflicted and needy, to slay those that are upright in [the] way:
Easy-to-Read Version
The wicked draw their swords to kill the poor and the helpless. They aim their arrows to murder all who live right.
The wicked draw their swords to kill the poor and the helpless. They aim their arrows to murder all who live right.
George Lamsa Translation
The wicked have drawn out the sword and have bent their bow, to slay the poor and needy, and those who are upright in their way.
The wicked have drawn out the sword and have bent their bow, to slay the poor and needy, and those who are upright in their way.
Good News Translation
The wicked draw their swords and bend their bows to kill the poor and needy, to slaughter those who do what is right;
The wicked draw their swords and bend their bows to kill the poor and needy, to slaughter those who do what is right;
Lexham English Bible
The wicked have drawn the sword and have bent their bow to throw down the poor and the needy, to kill those upright in their way.
The wicked have drawn the sword and have bent their bow to throw down the poor and the needy, to kill those upright in their way.
Literal Translation
The wicked have drawn out the sword and they have trodden their bow, to cause the poor and needy to fall, to kill those who walk uprightly.
The wicked have drawn out the sword and they have trodden their bow, to cause the poor and needy to fall, to kill those who walk uprightly.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The vngodly drawe out the swerde & bende their bowe, to cast downe ye symple & poore, and to slaye soch as go ye right waye.
The vngodly drawe out the swerde & bende their bowe, to cast downe ye symple & poore, and to slaye soch as go ye right waye.
American Standard Version
The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, To cast down the poor and needy, To slay such as are upright in the way.
The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, To cast down the poor and needy, To slay such as are upright in the way.
Bible in Basic English
The evil-doers have taken out their swords, their bows are bent; for crushing the poor, and to put to death those who are upright in their ways.
The evil-doers have taken out their swords, their bows are bent; for crushing the poor, and to put to death those who are upright in their ways.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow;
The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow;
King James Version (1611)
The wicked haue drawen out the sword, and haue bent their bow to cast downe the poore and needy, and to slay such as be of vpright conuersation.
The wicked haue drawen out the sword, and haue bent their bow to cast downe the poore and needy, and to slay such as be of vpright conuersation.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
The vngodly haue drawen out the sworde, and haue bended their bowe: to cast downe the poore and needie, and to slay such as be of right conuersation.
The vngodly haue drawen out the sworde, and haue bended their bowe: to cast downe the poore and needie, and to slay such as be of right conuersation.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Sinners have drawn their swords, they have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy one, and to slay the upright in heart.
Sinners have drawn their swords, they have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy one, and to slay the upright in heart.
English Revised Version
The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow; to cast down the poor and needy, to slay such as be upright in the way:
The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow; to cast down the poor and needy, to slay such as be upright in the way:
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Synners drowen out swerd; thei benten her bouwe. To disseyue a pore man and nedi; to strangle riytful men of herte.
Synners drowen out swerd; thei benten her bouwe. To disseyue a pore man and nedi; to strangle riytful men of herte.
Update Bible Version
The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, To cast down the poor and needy, To slay such as are upright in the way.
The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, To cast down the poor and needy, To slay such as are upright in the way.
Webster's Bible Translation
The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, [and] to slay such as are of upright deportment.
The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, [and] to slay such as are of upright deportment.
New King James Version
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.
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.
New Living Translation
The wicked draw their swords and string their bows to kill the poor and the oppressed, to slaughter those who do right.
The wicked draw their swords and string their bows to kill the poor and the oppressed, to slaughter those who do right.
New Life Bible
The sinful have taken up their sword and their bow, to bring down the poor and those in need, and to kill those whose ways are right.
The sinful have taken up their sword and their bow, to bring down the poor and those in need, and to kill those whose ways are right.
New Revised Standard
The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to kill those who walk uprightly;
The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to kill those who walk uprightly;
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
A sword, have the lawless, drawn out, and have trodden their bow, - To bring down the oppressed and the needy, To slaughter the upright in life:
A sword, have the lawless, drawn out, and have trodden their bow, - To bring down the oppressed and the needy, To slaughter the upright in life:
Douay-Rheims Bible
(36-14) The wicked have drawn out the sword: they have bent their bow. To cast down the poor and needy, to kill the upright of heart.
(36-14) The wicked have drawn out the sword: they have bent their bow. To cast down the poor and needy, to kill the upright of heart.
Revised Standard Version
The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows, to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those who walk uprightly;
The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows, to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those who walk uprightly;
Young's Literal Translation
A sword have the wicked opened, And they have trodden their bow, To cause to fall the poor and needy, To slaughter the upright of the way.
A sword have the wicked opened, And they have trodden their bow, To cause to fall the poor and needy, To slaughter the upright of the way.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
The wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bow To cast down the afflicted and the needy, To slay those who are upright in conduct.
The wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bow To cast down the afflicted and the needy, To slay those who are upright in conduct.
Contextual Overview
7 Quiet down before God , be prayerful before him. Don't bother with those who climb the ladder, who elbow their way to the top. 8Bridle your anger, trash your wrath, cool your pipes—it only makes things worse. Before long the crooks will be bankrupt; God -investors will soon own the store. 10Before you know it, the wicked will have had it; you'll stare at his once famous place and—nothing! Down-to-earth people will move in and take over, relishing a huge bonanza. 12Bad guys have it in for the good guys, obsessed with doing them in. But God isn't losing any sleep; to him they're a joke with no punch line. 14Bullies brandish their swords, pull back on their bows with a flourish. They're out to beat up on the harmless, or mug that nice man out walking his dog. A banana peel lands them flat on their faces— slapstick figures in a moral circus. 16Less is more and more is less. One righteous will outclass fifty wicked, For the wicked are moral weaklings but the righteous are God -strong. 18 God keeps track of the decent folk; what they do won't soon be forgotten. In hard times, they'll hold their heads high; when the shelves are bare, they'll be full. 20 God-despisers have had it; God 's enemies are finished— Stripped bare like vineyards at harvest time, vanished like smoke in thin air.
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
wicked: Psalms 64:2-6, Acts 12:2, Acts 12:3, Acts 12:11, Acts 12:23
slay: 1 Samuel 24:11, 1 Samuel 24:17, Proverbs 29:10, Proverbs 29:27, Habakkuk 1:13, Matthew 23:30-34, Acts 7:52, 1 John 3:12
such as: etc. Heb. the upright of way
Reciprocal: Genesis 39:17 - General Genesis 49:24 - were made Esther 5:14 - he caused Esther 8:11 - to destroy Esther 8:13 - avenge themselves Psalms 10:9 - when Psalms 11:2 - lo Psalms 141:10 - the wicked Isaiah 8:9 - and ye Mark 6:24 - The head Luke 4:29 - that 1 Peter 2:12 - your conversation 2 Peter 3:11 - in all
Cross-References
Genesis 13:18
Abram moved his tent. He went and settled by the Oaks of Mamre in Hebron. There he built an altar to God .
Abram moved his tent. He went and settled by the Oaks of Mamre in Hebron. There he built an altar to God .
Genesis 29:6
"Are things well with him?" Jacob continued. "Very well," they said. "And here is his daughter Rachel coming with the flock."
"Are things well with him?" Jacob continued. "Very well," they said. "And here is his daughter Rachel coming with the flock."
Genesis 35:27
Finally, Jacob made it back home to his father Isaac at Mamre in Kiriath Arba, present-day Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac had lived. Isaac was now 180 years old. Isaac breathed his last and died—an old man full of years. He was buried with his family by his sons Esau and Jacob.
Finally, Jacob made it back home to his father Isaac at Mamre in Kiriath Arba, present-day Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac had lived. Isaac was now 180 years old. Isaac breathed his last and died—an old man full of years. He was buried with his family by his sons Esau and Jacob.
Genesis 37:17
The man said, "They've left here, but I overheard them say, ‘Let's go to Dothan.'" So Joseph took off, tracked his brothers down, and found them in Dothan.
The man said, "They've left here, but I overheard them say, ‘Let's go to Dothan.'" So Joseph took off, tracked his brothers down, and found them in Dothan.
Genesis 37:18
They spotted him off in the distance. By the time he got to them they had cooked up a plot to kill him. The brothers were saying, "Here comes that dreamer. Let's kill him and throw him into one of these old cisterns; we can say that a vicious animal ate him up. We'll see what his dreams amount to."
They spotted him off in the distance. By the time he got to them they had cooked up a plot to kill him. The brothers were saying, "Here comes that dreamer. Let's kill him and throw him into one of these old cisterns; we can say that a vicious animal ate him up. We'll see what his dreams amount to."
Genesis 41:16
Joseph answered, "Not I, but God. God will set Pharaoh's mind at ease."
Joseph answered, "Not I, but God. God will set Pharaoh's mind at ease."
Joshua 14:13
Joshua blessed him. He gave Hebron to Caleb son of Jephunneh as an inheritance. Hebron belongs to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite still today, because he gave himself totally to God , the God of Israel.
Joshua blessed him. He gave Hebron to Caleb son of Jephunneh as an inheritance. Hebron belongs to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite still today, because he gave himself totally to God , the God of Israel.
Joshua 14:15
The name of Hebron used to be Kiriath Arba, named after Arba, the greatest man among the Anakim. And the land had rest from war.
The name of Hebron used to be Kiriath Arba, named after Arba, the greatest man among the Anakim. And the land had rest from war.
2 Samuel 18:32
"But," said the king, "is the young man Absalom all right?" And the Cushite replied, "Would that all of the enemies of my master the king and all who maliciously rose against you end up like that young man."
"But," said the king, "is the young man Absalom all right?" And the Cushite replied, "Would that all of the enemies of my master the king and all who maliciously rose against you end up like that young man."
Jeremiah 29:7
"Make yourselves at home there and work for the country's welfare. "Pray for Babylon's well-being. If things go well for Babylon, things will go well for you."
"Make yourselves at home there and work for the country's welfare. "Pray for Babylon's well-being. If things go well for Babylon, things will go well for you."
Gill's Notes on the Bible
The wicked have drawn out the sword,.... That is, out of the scabbard; they drew upon the righteous, in order to sheath it in them; or they sharpened the sword, as Aben Ezra observes some interpret the word; it may be literally rendered, "opened the sword" q, which before lay hid in the scabbard:
and have bent their bow; having put the arrow in it, in order to shoot. The former expression may design the more open, and this the more secret way of acting against the righteous; and their view in both is
to cast down the poor and needy, who are so, both in a temporal and spiritual sense; to cause such to fall either into sin, or into some calamity or another:
[and] to slay such as be of upright conversation; who walk according to the rule of the word of God, and as becomes the Gospel of Christ: nothing less than the blood and life of these men will satisfy the wicked; and it is an aggravation of their wickedness that they should attempt to hurt men of such character who are poor and needy, holy, harmless, inoffensive, and upright; and this points at the reason why they hate them, and seek their ruin, because of the holiness and uprightness of their lives; see John 15:19.
q חרב פתחו "aperuerunt gladium", Gejerus.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
The 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, those who are upright in their manner of life, or in their conduct.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Psalms 37:14. The 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.
