“For, behold, the wicked bend the bow, They have set their arrow on the string To shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.
Parallel translations
- WEB For, behold, the wicked bend their bows. They set their arrows on the strings, that they may shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.
- 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.
- BSB For behold, the wicked bend their bows. They set their arrow on the string to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.
- NKJV For look! The wicked bend their bow, They make ready their arrow on the string, That they may shoot secretly at the upright in heart.
- NLT The wicked are stringing their bows and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings. They shoot from the shadows at those whose hearts are right.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The wicked ready their bows to shoot the upright from the shadows. Evil schemes in secret against the righteous.
Overview
David describes the threat that prompted the advice to flee: hidden, treacherous attacks on the godly. The imagery of arrows shot 'in darkness' conveys cowardly and deceitful malice. Yet David's response will be confidence in God who reigns above such threats rather than fear of them.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- Ps 37:14The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, to kill those who are upright on the path.
- Ps 64:3–5who sharpen their tongue like a sword, and aim their arrows, deadly words,
- Jer 9:3“They bend their tongue, as their bow, for falsehood; and they have grown strong in the land, but not for truth: for they proceed from evil to evil, and they don’t know me,” says Yahweh.
- Ps 21:12For you will make them turn their back, when you aim drawn bows at their face.
- Ps 64:10The righteous shall be glad in Yahweh, and shall take refuge in him. All the upright in heart shall praise him!
- Matt 26:4They took counsel together that they might take Jesus by deceit, and kill him.
- Ps 10:2In arrogance, the wicked hunt down the weak. They are caught in the schemes that they devise.
- Ps 10:8–9He lies in wait near the villages. From ambushes, he murders the innocent. His eyes are secretly set against the helpless.
- Ps 32:11Be glad in Yahweh, and rejoice, you righteous! Shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart!
- Ps 97:11Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.
- Ps 7:10My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart.
- Ps 142:3When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, you knew my route. On the path in which I walk, they have hidden a snare for me.
- Ps 125:4Do good, Yahweh, to those who are good, to those who are upright in their hearts.
- Ps 94:15For judgment will return to righteousness. All the upright in heart shall follow it.
- Ps 7:12If a man doesn’t relent, he will sharpen his sword; he has bent and strung his bow.
- 1 Sam 18:21Saul said, I will give her to him, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Therefore Saul said to David, “You shall today be my son-in-law a second time.”
- 1 Sam 23:9David knew that Saul was devising mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.”
- Acts 23:12–15When it was day, some of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 11:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.