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He has also prepared for himself the instruments of death. He makes ready his flaming arrows.
Psalms 7:13 · World English Bible
Parallel translations
  • KJV He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors.
  • BSB He has prepared His deadly weapons; He ordains His arrows with fire.
  • NKJV He also prepares for Himself instruments of death; He makes His arrows into fiery shafts.
  • NASB He has also prepared deadly weapons for Himself; He makes His arrows fiery shafts.
  • NLT He will prepare his deadly weapons and shoot his flaming arrows.

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

God has prepared deadly, flaming weapons against the persistently wicked. His judgment is fully equipped and sure to strike.

Overview

Continuing the imagery of verse 12, David describes God's arsenal made ready against the impenitent. The flaming arrows convey the inescapable and consuming nature of divine judgment. Such warnings are meant to drive sinners to repentance while there is still time, fleeing the wrath to come to the refuge found in Christ.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 15

  • 2 Th 1:6Since it is a righteous thing with God to repay affliction to those who afflict you,
  • Hab 3:13You went out for the salvation of your people, for the salvation of your anointed. You crushed the head of the land of wickedness. You stripped them head to foot. Selah.
  • Hab 3:11The sun and moon stood still in the sky, at the light of your arrows as they went, at the shining of your glittering spear.
  • Ps 18:14He sent out his arrows, and scattered them; Yes, great lightning bolts, and routed them.
  • Ps 45:5Your arrows are sharp. The nations fall under you, with arrows in the heart of the king’s enemies.
  • Ps 64:7But God will shoot at them. They will be suddenly struck down with an arrow.
  • Rev 6:10They cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, Master, the holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
  • Rev 16:6For they poured out the blood of the saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. They deserve this.”
  • Deut 32:23“I will heap evils on them. I will spend my arrows on them.
  • Job 6:4For the arrows of the Almighty are within me. My spirit drinks up their poison. The terrors of God set themselves in array against me.
  • Ps 64:3who sharpen their tongue like a sword, and aim their arrows, deadly words,
  • Lam 3:12–13He has bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.
  • Deut 32:42I will make my arrows drunk with blood. My sword shall devour flesh with the blood of the slain and the captives, from the head of the leaders of the enemy.”
  • Ps 144:6Throw out lightning, and scatter them. Send out your arrows, and rout them.
  • Ps 11:2For, behold, the wicked bend their bows. They set their arrows on the strings, that they may shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (2)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Psalms videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Psalms 7:13YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on PsalmsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    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 7:13 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.