Concerning the works of men, By the word of Your lips, I have kept away 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.
- KJV Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.
- BSB As for the deeds of men—by the word of Your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent.
- 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 you are still fleshly. For insofar as there is jealousy, strife, and factions among you, aren’t you fleshly, and don’t you walk in the ways of men?
- Ps 119:9–11How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.
- 1 Pet 5:8Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, 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 to him, “Again, it is written, ‘You shall not test the Lord, your God.’”
- Matt 4:10Then Jesus said to him, “Get behind me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.’”
- Rev 12:11They overcame him because of the Lamb’s blood, and because of the word of their testimony. They didn’t love their life, even to death.
- Ps 14:1–3For the Chief Musician. By David. The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt. They have done abominable deeds. There is no one who does good.
- Matt 4:4But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”
- John 17:17Sanctify them in your truth. Your word is truth.
- Jas 1:18Of his own will he gave birth to us by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
- Prov 2:10–15For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
- Rev 9:11They have over them as king the angel of the abyss. His name in Hebrew is “Abaddon”, but in Greek, he has the name “Apollyon”.
- Gen 6:11The earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
- Job 31:33if like Adam I have covered my transgressions, by hiding my iniquity in my heart,
- Job 15:16how much less one who is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks iniquity like water!
- 1 Pet 4:2–3that you no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.
- Gen 6:5Yahweh saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of man’s heart was continually only evil.
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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