Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them.
Parallel translations
- WEB Throw out lightning, and scatter them. Send out your arrows, and rout them.
- BSB Flash forth Your lightning and scatter them; shoot Your arrows and rout them.
- NKJV Flash forth lightning and scatter them; Shoot out Your arrows and destroy them.
- NASB Flash forth lightning and scatter them; Send out Your arrows and confuse them.
- NLT Hurl your lightning bolts and scatter your enemies! Shoot your arrows and confuse them!
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
David asks God to send lightning and arrows to scatter and rout his enemies. It appeals to God's power to overcome overwhelming foes.
Overview
David pictures God wielding the forces of nature as weapons against his enemies, trusting divine power rather than his own. The imagery conveys God's sovereign might over all opposition. The same Lord who routs His enemies will one day put every foe to flight at Christ's appearing (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Deut 32:23I will heap mischiefs upon them; I will spend mine arrows upon them.
- Ps 18:13–14The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.
- Deut 32:42I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh; and that with the blood of the slain and of the captives, from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy.
- Ps 45:5Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies; whereby the people fall under thee.
- Ps 7:12–13If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.
- 2 Sam 22:12–15And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies.
- Ps 21:12Therefore shalt thou make them turn their back, when thou shalt make ready thine arrows upon thy strings against the face of them.
- Ps 77:17–18The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad.
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 144:6 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.