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.
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.
- BSB 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.
- 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 22:18Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
- John 17:14I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
- John 15:19If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
- Ps 49:17–19For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.
- Luke 12:19–21And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
- Luke 16:25But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
- John 8:23And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.
- Luke 16:8And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.
- 1 Jn 4:4–5Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
- Ps 39:6Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
- Jas 5:5Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
- Job 21:21For what pleasure hath he in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off in the midst?
- Job 12:6The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.
- Ps 73:12Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.
- Ps 73:3–7For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
- Job 27:14–17If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword: and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.
- Job 12:9Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?
- Job 21:7–15Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?
- Luke 16:27–28Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:
- Prov 2:4If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
- Matt 13:44Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth 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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