Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.
Parallel translations
- WEB As for the deeds of men, by the word of your lips, I have kept myself from the ways of the violent.
- BSB As for the deeds of men—by the word of Your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent.
- NKJV Concerning the works of men, By the word of Your lips, I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer.
- NASB As for the works of mankind, by the word of Your lips I have kept from the ways of the violent.
- NLT I have followed your commands, which keep me from following cruel and evil people.
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
By God's word David has kept himself from the violent ways of men. It matters because Scripture is the means by which God's people avoid the paths of the wicked.
Overview
David testifies that, guided by the word of God's lips, he has avoided the destructive paths that human conduct so often follows. God's word is the safeguard against the ways of the violent. This anticipates Christ, who overcame temptation by the written word and enables his people to walk in obedience.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- 1 Cor 3:3For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
- Ps 119:9–11Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
- 1 Pet 5:8Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
- Eph 6:17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
- Matt 4:7Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
- Matt 4:10Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
- Rev 12:11And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
- Ps 14:1–3The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
- Matt 4:4But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
- John 17:17Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
- Jas 1:18Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
- Prov 2:10–15When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
- Rev 9:11And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.
- Gen 6:11The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
- Job 31:33If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom:
- Job 15:16How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?
- 1 Pet 4:2–3That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
- Gen 6:5And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
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 17:4 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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