The Meaning of Psalms 17:14 Explained

Psalms 17:14

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.

YLT: From men, Thy hand, O Jehovah, From men of the world, their portion is in life, And with Thy hidden things Thou fillest their belly, They are satisfied with sons; And have left their abundance to their sucklings.

Darby: From men who are thy hand, O Jehovah, from men of this age: their portion is in this life, and their belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure; they have their fill of sons, and leave the rest of their substance to their children.

ASV: From men by thy hand, O Jehovah, From men of the world, whose portion is in this life, And whose belly thou fillest with thy treasure: They are satisfied with children, And leave the rest of their substance to their babes.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Psalms 17:14 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 17:1-15 - God's True Servants Safely Kept
This also dates from the Sauline persecutions. In the earlier verses David protests his innocence, pleads for deliverance from his foes, and ends with glad anticipation of the vision of God. The psalm may have been composed for use at eventide; two at least of its verses point in that direction, Psalms 17:3; Psalms 15:1-5.
What a comfort it is to appeal from the accusations of men to the judgment-bar of God! Yet our sufferings at their hands are God's smelting-furnace. The Hebrew word translated tried is "melted," Psalms 17:3. But we cannot be kept without constant use of God's Word, Psalms 17:4. And then how safe we are! The apple of the eye-that is, the pupil-is defended by eye lash, lid, brow, bony socket, and uplifted arm. Thy wings, see Deuteronomy 32:11.
Note the contrast between Psalms 17:14 and Psalms 16:5; Psalms 16:11. The worldly are filled with this world-I with thee. They look for the things of this life-I for the unseen and eternal. They are satisfied with children-I with thy likeness. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 17

1  David, in confidence of his integrity, craves defense of God against his enemies
10  He shows their pride, craft, and eagerness
13  He prays against them in confidence of his hope

What do the individual words in Psalms 17:14 mean?

from men with Your hand Yahweh of the world [who have] their portion in [this] life - and with Your hidden treasure You fill whose belly they are satisfied with children and leave the rest of their [possession] for their babes
מִֽמְתִ֥ים יָדְךָ֨ ׀ יְהוָ֡ה מֵחֶ֗לֶד חֶלְקָ֥ם בַּֽחַיִּים֮ [וצפינך] (וּֽצְפוּנְךָ֮) תְּמַלֵּ֪א בִ֫טְנָ֥ם יִשְׂבְּע֥וּ בָנִ֑ים וְהִנִּ֥יחוּ יִ֝תְרָ֗ם לְעוֹלְלֵיהֶֽם

מִֽמְתִ֥ים  from  men 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מֹת 
Sense: male, man.
יָדְךָ֨ ׀  with  Your  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
יְהוָ֡ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מֵחֶ֗לֶד  of  the  world 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֶלֶד  
Sense: age, duration of life, the world.
חֶלְקָ֥ם  [who  have]  their  portion 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: חֵלֶק 
Sense: portion, share, part, territory.
בַּֽחַיִּים֮  in  [this]  life 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
[וצפינך]  - 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
(וּֽצְפוּנְךָ֮)  and  with  Your  hidden  treasure 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: צָפִין  
Sense: treasure, a hidden thing.
תְּמַלֵּ֪א  You  fill 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: מָלֵא 
Sense: to fill, be full.
בִ֫טְנָ֥ם  whose  belly 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: בֶּטֶן  
Sense: belly, womb, body.
יִשְׂבְּע֥וּ  they  are  satisfied  with 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׂבַע  
Sense: to be satisfied, be sated, be fulfilled, be surfeited.
בָנִ֑ים  children 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
וְהִנִּ֥יחוּ  and  leave 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: מֻנָּח  
Sense: to rest.
יִ֝תְרָ֗ם  the  rest  of  their  [possession] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: יֶתֶר 
Sense: .
לְעוֹלְלֵיהֶֽם  for  their  babes 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: עֹולֵל 
Sense: child, boy.