from such men, O LORD, by Your hand—from men of the world whose portion is in this life. May You fill the bellies of Your treasured ones and satisfy their sons, so they leave their abundance to their children.
Parallel translations
- WEB from men by your hand, Yahweh, from men of the world, whose portion is in this life. You fill the belly of your cherished ones. Your sons have plenty, and they store up wealth for their children.
- 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.
- NKJV With Your hand from men, O Lord, From men of the world who have their portion in this life, And whose belly You fill with Your hidden treasure. They are satisfied with children, And leave the rest of their possession for their babes.
- NASB From people by Your hand, Lord, From people of the world, whose portion is in this life, And whose belly You fill with Your treasure; They are satisfied with children, And leave their abundance to their babies.
- NLT By the power of your hand, O Lord, destroy those who look to this world for their reward. But satisfy the hunger of your treasured ones. May their children have plenty, leaving an inheritance for their descendants.
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 contrasts worldly men whose reward is only in this life with his own hope in God. It matters because it warns against finding one's whole portion in earthly things.
Overview
David asks God to deliver him from men whose portion is in this life, who are filled with worldly goods and pass wealth to their children. Though they prosper now, their inheritance ends with this world. By contrast, David's hope is in God himself, anticipating the eternal inheritance Christ secures for his people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 21
- Job 22:18But it was He who filled their houses with good things; so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked.
- John 17:14I have given them Your word and the world has hated them; for they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
- John 15:19If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.
- Ps 49:17–19For when he dies, he will carry nothing away; his abundance will not follow him down.
- Luke 12:19–21Then I will say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take it easy. Eat, drink, and be merry!”’
- Luke 16:25But Abraham answered, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted here, while you are in agony.
- John 8:23Then He told them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.
- Luke 16:8The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the sons of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the sons of light.
- 1 Jn 4:4–5You, little children, are from God and have overcome them, because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
- Ps 39:6Surely every man goes about like a phantom; surely he bustles in vain; he heaps up riches not knowing who will haul them away.
- Jas 5:5You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in the day of slaughter.
- Job 21:21For what does he care about his household after him, when the number of his months has run out?
- Job 12:6The tents of robbers are safe, and those who provoke God are secure—those who carry their god in their hands.
- Ps 73:12Behold, these are the wicked—always carefree as they increase their wealth.
- Ps 73:3–7For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
- Job 27:14–17Though his sons are many, they are destined for the sword; and his offspring will never have enough food.
- Job 12:9Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this?
- Job 21:7–15Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?
- Luke 16:27–28‘Then I beg you, father,’ he said, ‘send Lazarus to my father’s house,
- Prov 2:4if you seek it like silver and search it out like hidden treasure,
- Matt 13:44The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and in his joy he went and sold all he had and bought that field.
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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 17:14 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
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