Rescue me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
Parallel translations
- KJV Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
- BSB Deliver me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and ruthless.
- NKJV Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, Out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
- NASB Save me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, From the grasp of the wrongdoer and the ruthless,
- NLT My God, rescue me from the power of the wicked, from the clutches of cruel oppressors.
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
The psalmist prays for rescue from the grip of the wicked, unjust, and cruel. It asks God to save him from oppressors.
Overview
The psalmist pleads for deliverance from the hand of wicked, unrighteous, and ruthless people who threaten him. He looks to God alone to break their grip. This cry for rescue from the wicked reflects the believer's hope in God's protecting power, ultimately secured by Christ, who delivers his people from every evil and from the dominion of darkness.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Ps 140:1–4For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. Deliver me, Yahweh, from the evil man. Preserve me from the violent man;
- Ps 59:1–2For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by David, when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him. Deliver me from my enemies, my God. Set me on high from those who rise up against me.
- Ps 17:13Arise, Yahweh, confront him. Cast him down. Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword;
- Ps 17:8–9Keep me as the apple of your eye. Hide me under the shadow of your wings,
- 2 Sam 17:1–2Moreover Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me now choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David tonight.
- 2 Sam 16:21–22Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father’s concubines that he has left to keep the house. Then all Israel will hear that you are abhorred by your father. Then the hands of all who are with you will be strong.”
- 2 Sam 17:12–14So shall we come on him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light on him as the dew falls on the ground; and of him and of all the men who are with him we will not leave so much as one.
- 2 Sam 17:21After they had departed, they came up out of the well, and went and told king David; and they said to David, “Arise and pass quickly over the water; for thus has Ahithophel counseled against you.”
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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 71:4 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
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.