Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
Parallel translations
- WEB From the lips of babes and infants you have established strength, because of your adversaries, that you might silence the enemy and the avenger.
- BSB From the mouths of children and infants You have ordained praise on account of Your adversaries, to silence the enemy and avenger.
- NKJV Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength, Because of Your enemies, That You may silence the enemy and the avenger.
- NASB From the mouths of infants and nursing babies You have established strength Because of Your enemies, To do away with the enemy and the revengeful.
- NLT You have taught children and infants to tell of your strength, silencing your enemies and all who oppose you.
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 ordains praise from the mouths of infants to silence His enemies. The weakest voices become a stronghold against the proud foe.
Overview
God establishes strength through the praise of children, confounding those who oppose Him by means of the lowly. Jesus quotes this verse in Matthew 21:16 when children acclaim Him in the temple, affirming that their praise fulfilled Scripture. It reveals God's pattern of overturning human pride by using the humble and seemingly powerless.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- Matt 21:16And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?
- 2 Cor 12:9–10And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
- Isa 40:31But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
- Ps 46:10Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
- 1 Cor 1:27But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
- Matt 11:25At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
- Luke 10:21In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.
- Ps 44:16For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and avenger.
- Ps 84:5–7Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.
- Exod 15:16Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; till thy people pass over, O LORD, till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased.
- Isa 37:36–38Then the angel of the LORD went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.
- Hab 2:20But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.
- 1 Sam 2:9He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.
- Isa 37:20–29Now therefore, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD, even thou only.
- Josh 2:9–11And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.
- Exod 11:7But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.
- Amos 5:9That strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong, so that the spoiled shall come against the fortress.
- Ps 4:4Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.
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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.
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Original language
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