The Meaning of Psalms 11:2 Explained

Psalms 11:2

KJV: For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.

YLT: For lo, the wicked tread a bow, They have prepared their arrow on the string, To shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.

Darby: For behold, the wicked bend the bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may in darkness shoot at the upright in heart.

ASV: For, lo, the wicked bend the bow, They make ready their arrow upon the string, That they may shoot in darkness at the upright in heart;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For, lo, the wicked  bend  [their] bow,  they make ready  their arrow  upon the string,  that they may privily  shoot  at the upright  in heart. 

What does Psalms 11:2 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The wicked were attacking the upright and David in particular. He was the target of their deadly missiles. They may have been shooting at him or he may have been under verbal attack.

Context Summary

Psalm 11:1-7 - God Our Refuge And Defense
The first of these is a debate between fear and faith, and dates from Saul's persecutions. Timid friends, anxious for David's safety, urged him to flee to the mountains. Such counsels of expediency are frequently given to the servants of God, Nehemiah 6:1-19. Luther's diaries are full of such references. But unless our duty is performed, we must stand our ground; we "can do no other." We must remember that God's love is with us, and that He always exchanges glances of love with His suffering ones. Compare Psalms 11:7 with Exodus 3:7.
The opening words of the next psalm appeal for help in bad and evil days. See Micah 7:2. A double heart is literally "a heart and a heart," Psalms 12:2. Let us be true in act and speech, else we forfeit the Spirit of truth, Ephesians 4:25; Colossians 3:9. Our sighing will make God arise, Acts 7:56. We shall be helped and kept, Psalms 12:7 and Isaiah 54:17. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 11

1  David encourages himself in God against his enemies
4  The providence and justice of God

What do the individual words in Psalms 11:2 mean?

for look the wicked bend [their] bow they make ready their arrow on the string that they may shoot in the darkness at the upright in heart
כִּ֤י הִנֵּ֪ה הָרְשָׁעִ֡ים יִדְרְכ֬וּן קֶ֗שֶׁת כּוֹנְנ֣וּ חִצָּ֣ם עַל־ יֶ֑תֶר לִיר֥וֹת בְּמוֹ־ אֹ֝֗פֶל לְיִשְׁרֵי־ לֵֽב

הִנֵּ֪ה  look 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
הָרְשָׁעִ֡ים  the  wicked 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רָשָׁע  
Sense: wicked, criminal.
יִדְרְכ֬וּן  bend 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural, Paragogic nun
Root: דָּרַךְ  
Sense: to tread, bend, lead, march.
קֶ֗שֶׁת  [their]  bow 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: קֶשֶׁת  
Sense: bow.
כּוֹנְנ֣וּ  they  make  ready 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: כּוּן 
Sense: to be firm, be stable, be established.
חִצָּ֣ם  their  arrow 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: חֵץ  
Sense: arrow.
יֶ֑תֶר  the  string 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: יֶתֶר 
Sense: .
לִיר֥וֹת  that  they  may  shoot 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: יׄורֶה 
Sense: to throw, shoot, cast, pour.
אֹ֝֗פֶל  the  darkness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֹפֶל  
Sense: darkness, gloom.
לְיִשְׁרֵי־  at  the  upright 
Parse: Preposition-l, Adjective, masculine plural construct
Root: יָשָׁר 
Sense: straight, upright, correct, right.
לֵֽב  in  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.