The Meaning of Psalms 37:14 Explained

Psalms 37:14

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.

YLT: 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.

Darby: 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:

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Psalms 37:14 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalm 37:1-17 - A Sure Cure For Fretting
This is an acrostic psalm, grappling with the problem of the inequality of human life and the apparent failure of God to reward His servants and punish His enemies as they deserve. Life and immortality, where we know that the balance will be readjusted, had not then been brought to light, and therefore the solution was far harder before the advent of our Lord than for us.
But though the psalmist's solution is therefore not complete, his teaching of the blessedness of absolute trust in God's providence is very delightful. Fret not thyself; that is, do not give way to passionate resentment or bitter disappointment. Live in God; find your delight in contemplating His nature and His works; roll on Him the decision of your life-choices; trust in Him to supply all your need and work in your behalf. Be silent and rest!
How dramatically this picture of the happy, restful child of God is contrasted with the wicked and his certain doom-like barren pastures scorched by heat, or thin smoke-columns vanishing in the air! "Wait and trust! [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 37

1  David persuades to patience and confidence in God,
12  by the different estate of the godly and the wicked

What do the individual words in Psalms 37:14 mean?

The sword have drawn the wicked and have bent their bow to cast down the poor and needy to slay those who are of upright conduct
חֶ֤רֶב ׀ פָּֽתְח֣וּ רְשָׁעִים֮ וְדָרְכ֪וּ קַ֫שְׁתָּ֥ם לְ֭הַפִּיל עָנִ֣י וְאֶבְי֑וֹן לִ֝טְב֗וֹחַ יִשְׁרֵי־ דָֽרֶךְ

חֶ֤רֶב ׀  The  sword 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
פָּֽתְח֣וּ  have  drawn 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: פָּתַח 
Sense: to open.
רְשָׁעִים֮  the  wicked 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רָשָׁע  
Sense: wicked, criminal.
וְדָרְכ֪וּ  and  have  bent 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: דָּרַךְ  
Sense: to tread, bend, lead, march.
קַ֫שְׁתָּ֥ם  their  bow 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: קֶשֶׁת  
Sense: bow.
לְ֭הַפִּיל  to  cast  down 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.
עָנִ֣י  the  poor 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: עָנִי  
Sense: poor, afflicted, humble, wretched.
וְאֶבְי֑וֹן  and  needy 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: אֶבְיׄון  
Sense: in want, needy, chiefly poor, needy person.
לִ֝טְב֗וֹחַ  to  slay 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: טָבַח  
Sense: to slaughter, slay, butcher, kill ruthlessly.
יִשְׁרֵי־  those  who  are  of  upright 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural construct
Root: יָשָׁר 
Sense: straight, upright, correct, right.
דָֽרֶךְ  conduct 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.