Psalm 11:2
New International Version
For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.

New Living Translation
The wicked are stringing their bows and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings. They shoot from the shadows at those whose hearts are right.

English Standard Version
for behold, the wicked bend the bow; they have fitted their arrow to the string to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart;

Berean Standard Bible
For behold, the wicked bend their bows. They set their arrow on the string to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.

King James Bible
For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.

New King James Version
For look! The wicked bend their bow, They make ready their arrow on the string, That they may shoot secretly at the upright in heart.

New American Standard Bible
“For, behold, the wicked bend the bow, They have set their arrow on the string To shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.

NASB 1995
For, behold, the wicked bend the bow, They make ready their arrow upon the string To shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.

NASB 1977
For, behold, the wicked bend the bow, They make ready their arrow upon the string, To shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.

Legacy Standard Bible
For, behold, the wicked bend the bow, They make ready their arrow upon the string To shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.

Amplified Bible
For look, the wicked are bending the bow; They take aim with their arrow on the string To shoot [by stealth] in darkness at the upright in heart.

Christian Standard Bible
For look, the wicked string bows; they put their arrows on bowstrings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For look, the wicked string the bow; they put the arrow on the bowstring to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.

American Standard Version
For, lo, the wicked bend the bow, They make ready their arrow upon the string, That they may shoot in darkness at the upright in heart;

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Because, behold, sinners have drawn the bow and readied their arrows upon the string to shoot in thick darkness at the upright hearts

Brenton Septuagint Translation
For behold the sinners have bent their bow, they have prepared their arrows for the quiver, to shoot privily at the upright in heart.

Contemporary English Version
You tell me, "Watch out! Those evil people have put their arrows on their bows, and they are standing in the shadows, aiming at good people.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For, lo, the wicked have bent their bow; they have prepared their arrows in the quiver; to shoot in the dark the upright of heart.

English Revised Version
For, lo, the wicked bend the bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Wicked people bend their bows. They set their arrows against the strings to shoot in the dark at people whose motives are decent.

Good News Translation
because the wicked have drawn their bows and aimed their arrows to shoot from the shadows at good people.

International Standard Version
Look, the wicked have bent their bow and placed their arrow on the string, to shoot from the darkness at the upright in heart.

JPS Tanakh 1917
For, lo, the wicked bend the bow, They have made ready their arrow upon the string, That they may shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.

Literal Standard Version
For behold, the wicked bend a bow, | They have prepared their arrow on the string, | To shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.

Majority Standard Bible
For behold, the wicked bend their bows. They set their arrow on the string to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.

New American Bible
See how the wicked string their bows, fit their arrows to the string to shoot from the shadows at the upright of heart.

NET Bible
For look, the wicked prepare their bows, they put their arrows on the strings, to shoot in the darkness at the morally upright.

New Revised Standard Version
for look, the wicked bend the bow, they have fitted their arrow to the string, to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart.

New Heart English Bible
For, look, the wicked bend their bows. They set their arrows on the strings, that they may shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.

Webster's Bible Translation
For lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.

World English Bible
For, behold, the wicked bend their bows. They set their arrows on the strings, that they may shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.

Young's Literal Translation
For lo, the wicked tread a bow, They have prepared their arrow on the string, To shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
In the LORD I Take Refuge
1For the choirmaster. Of David. In the LORD I take refuge. How then can you say to me: “Flee like a bird to your mountain! 2For behold, the wicked bend their bows. They set their arrow on the string to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart. 3If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”…

Cross References
Psalm 7:12
If one does not repent, God will sharpen His sword; He has bent and strung His bow.

Psalm 10:8
He lies in wait near the villages; in ambush he slays the innocent; his eyes watch in stealth for the helpless.

Psalm 37:14
The wicked have drawn the sword and bent the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright.

Psalm 64:3
who sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their bitter words like arrows,

Psalm 64:4
ambushing the innocent in seclusion, shooting suddenly, without fear.

Psalm 125:4
Do good, O LORD, to those who are good, and to the upright in heart.


Treasury of Scripture

For, see, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow on the string, that they may privately shoot at the upright in heart.

For, lo

Psalm 10:2
The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.

Psalm 37:14
The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.

Psalm 64:3
Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:

make

Psalm 21:12
Therefore shalt thou make them turn their back, when thou shalt make ready thine arrows upon thy strings against the face of them.

that

Psalm 10:8,9
He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor…

Psalm 64:5
They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them?

Psalm 142:3
When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.

privily.

Psalm 7:10
My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart.

Psalm 32:11
Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

Psalm 64:10
The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.

Jump to Previous
Arrow Arrows Bend Bent Bow Bows Cord Dark Darkness Evil-Doers Fitted Heart Prepared Privily Ready Shadows Shoot String Strings Tread Upright Wicked
Jump to Next
Arrow Arrows Bend Bent Bow Bows Cord Dark Darkness Evil-Doers Fitted Heart Prepared Privily Ready Shadows Shoot String Strings Tread Upright Wicked
Psalm 11
1. David encourages himself in God against his enemies
4. The providence and justice of God














(2) Privily.--See margin, which preserves the image of the archer lurking in a dark corner.

Verse 2. - For, lo, the wicked bend their bow. The words are still those of the timid friends. "Lo," they say, "the ungodly are already bending the bow against thee" - preparing, i.e., to attempt thy life. They make ready their arrow upon the string; or, fit their arrow to the string. The last thing before discharging it. That they may privily shoot at the upright in heart; literally, that they may shoot amid darkness at the upright in heart (comp. 1 Samuel 19:1, 2, where, Saul having given orders to "all his servants, that they should kill David," Jonathan persuades him to hide himself "until the morning").

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
For
כִּ֤י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

behold,
הִנֵּ֪ה (hin·nêh)
Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

the wicked
הָרְשָׁעִ֡ים (hā·rə·šā·‘îm)
Article | Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 7563: Wrong, an, bad person

bend
יִדְרְכ֬וּן (yiḏ·rə·ḵūn)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | Paragogic nun
Strong's 1869: To tread, to walk, to string a, bow

[their] bows;
קֶ֗שֶׁת (qe·šeṯ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 7198: A bow, for, shooting, the iris

they set
כּוֹנְנ֣וּ (kō·wn·nū)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3559: To be erect

their arrow
חִצָּ֣ם (ḥiṣ·ṣām)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 2671: A piercer, an arrow, a wound, thunderbolt, the shaft of a, spear

on
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the string
יֶ֑תֶר (ye·ṯer)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3499: An overhanging, an excess, superiority, remainder, a small rope

to shoot
לִיר֥וֹת (lî·rō·wṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 3384: To flow as water, to lay, throw, to point out, to teach

from
בְּמוֹ־ (bə·mōw-)
Preposition
Strong's 1119: In, with, by

the shadows
אֹ֝֗פֶל (’ō·p̄el)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 652: Darkness, gloom

at the upright
לְיִשְׁרֵי־ (lə·yiš·rê-)
Preposition-l | Adjective - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3477: Straight, right

in heart.
לֵֽב׃ (lêḇ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3820: The heart, the feelings, the will, the intellect, centre


Links
Psalm 11:2 NIV
Psalm 11:2 NLT
Psalm 11:2 ESV
Psalm 11:2 NASB
Psalm 11:2 KJV

Psalm 11:2 BibleApps.com
Psalm 11:2 Biblia Paralela
Psalm 11:2 Chinese Bible
Psalm 11:2 French Bible
Psalm 11:2 Catholic Bible

OT Poetry: Psalm 11:2 For behold the wicked bend their bows (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 11:1
Top of Page
Top of Page