Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.
Parallel translations
- WEB Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my soul from their destruction, my precious life from the lions.
- BSB How long, O Lord, will You look on? Rescue my soul from their ravages, my precious life from these lions.
- NKJV Lord, how long will You look on? Rescue me from their destructions, My precious life from the lions.
- NASB ¶Lord, how long will You look on? Rescue my soul from their ravages, My only life from the lions.
- NLT How long, O Lord, will you look on and do nothing? Rescue me from their fierce attacks. Protect my life from these lions!
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 cries out, asking how long the Lord will look on, and pleads for rescue from his attackers.
Overview
In anguish David appeals to God to act, longing for deliverance of his precious life from lion-like foes. His 'how long' expresses the tension of waiting on God amid suffering. This honest lament models faith that cries to God in distress, as Christ himself did.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Hab 1:13Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?
- Ps 22:20–21Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.
- Ps 57:4My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
- Ps 89:46How long, LORD? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? shall thy wrath burn like fire?
- Ps 74:9–10We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth how long.
- Ps 94:3–4LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph?
- Ps 13:1–2How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?
- Ps 142:6–7Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.
- Ps 69:14–15Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.
- Ps 6:3My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long?
- Ps 10:14Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 35:17 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.