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Christian Standard Bible ®

Psalms 17:4

Concerning what people do:by the words from your lipsI have avoided the ways of the violent.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Temptation;   Word of God;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Scriptures, the;   Sin;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Upright, Uprightness;   Word;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Future State;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Abigail;   David;   Saul;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Apocalyptic Literature;   English Versions;   Greek Versions of Ot;   Prayer;   Psalms;   Sin;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - David;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Psalms the book of;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Belly;   Bible, the;   Eschatology of the Old Testament (with Apocryphal and Apocalyptic Writings);   Psalms, Book of;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Decalogue, the, in Jewish Theology;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for August 27;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
As for the works of men, by the word of your lips I have kept myself from the ways of the violent.
King James Version
Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.
English Standard Version
With regard to the works of man, by the word of your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent.
New Century Version
I have obeyed your commands, so I have not done what evil people do.
New English Translation
As for the actions of people— just as you have commanded, I have not followed in the footsteps of violent men.
Amplified Bible
Concerning the deeds of men, by the word of Your lips I have kept away from the paths of the violent.
New American Standard Bible
As for the works of mankind, by the word of Your lips I have kept from the ways of the violent.
World English Bible
As for the works of men, by the word of your lips I have kept myself from the ways of the violent.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Concerning the workes of men, by the wordes of thy lips I kept mee from the paths of the cruell man.
Legacy Standard Bible
As for the deeds of men, by the word of Your lipsI have kept from the paths of the violent.
Berean Standard Bible
As for the deeds of men-by the word of Your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent.
Contemporary English Version
I don't do like others. I obey your teachings and am not cruel.
Complete Jewish Bible
As for what others do, by words from your lips I have kept myself from the ways of the violent;
Darby Translation
Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept from the paths of the violent [man].
Easy-to-Read Version
Unlike most people, I have obeyed your commands, so I have never been like those who are cruel and evil.
George Lamsa Translation
Through the conversation of my lips thou hast kept me from evil ways.
Good News Translation
as others do; I have obeyed your command and have not followed paths of violence.
Lexham English Bible
As for the works of humankind, by the word of your lips, I have kept from the ways of the violent.
Literal Translation
As to the doings of men, by the Words of Your lips I keep from the paths of the violent.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Because of the wordes of thy lippes, I haue kepte me fro the workes of men, in ye waye off the murthurer.
American Standard Version
As for the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the ways of the violent.
Bible in Basic English
As for the works of men, by the word of your lips I have kept myself from the ways of the violent.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
As for the doings of men, by the word of Thy lips I have kept me from the ways of the violent.
King James Version (1611)
Concerning the workes of men, by the word of thy lips, I haue kept me from the paths of the destroyer.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
As touchyng [other] mens workes: through the wordes of thy lyppes I haue kept me from the way of the violent.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
As for the works of men, by the words of thy lips I have guarded myself from hard ways.
English Revised Version
As for the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the ways of the violent.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
That my mouth speke not the werkis of men; for the wordis of thi lippis Y haue kept harde weies.
Update Bible Version
As for the works of man, by the word of your lips I have kept me from the ways of the violent.
Webster's Bible Translation
Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept [me from] the paths of the destroyer.
New King James Version
Concerning the works of men, By the word of Your lips, I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer.
New Living Translation
I have followed your commands, which keep me from following cruel and evil people.
New Life Bible
As for the actions of men, by the word of Your lips, I have kept myself from the paths of those who want to hurt others.
New Revised Standard
As for what others do, by the word of your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
As for the workings of men, By the word of thy lips, have, I, taken heed of the paths of the violent one.
Douay-Rheims Bible
(16-4) That my mouth may not speak the works of men: for the sake of the words of thy lips, I have kept hard ways.
Revised Standard Version
With regard to the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have avoided the ways of the violent.
Young's Literal Translation
As to doings of man, Through a word of Thy lips I have observed The paths of a destroyer;
THE MESSAGE
I'm not trying to get my way in the world's way. I'm trying to get your way, your Word's way. I'm staying on your trail; I'm putting one foot In front of the other. I'm not giving up.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
As for the deeds of men, by the word of Your lips I have kept from the paths of the violent.

Contextual Overview

1Lord, hear a just cause;pay attention to my cry;listen to my prayer—from lips free of deceit. 2Let my vindication come from you,for you see what is right. 3You have tested my heart;you have examined me at night.You have tried me and found nothing evil;I have determined that my mouth will not sin. 4Concerning what people do:by the words from your lipsI have avoided the ways of the violent.5My steps are on your paths;my feet have not slipped. 6I call on you, God,because you will answer me;listen closely to me; hear what I say. 7Display the wonders of your faithful love,Savior of all who seek refugefrom those who rebel against your right hand.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

works: Psalms 14:1-3, Genesis 6:5, Genesis 6:11, Job 15:16, Job 31:33, 1 Corinthians 3:3, 1 Peter 4:2, 1 Peter 4:3

word: Psalms 119:9-11, Proverbs 2:10-15, Matthew 4:4, Matthew 4:7, Matthew 4:10, John 17:17, Ephesians 6:17, James 1:18, Revelation 12:11

destroyer: 1 Peter 5:8, Revelation 9:11, *marg.

Reciprocal: Job 33:22 - his life Psalms 18:21 - For I Proverbs 2:12 - deliver Proverbs 6:22 - General John 8:23 - Ye are from Galatians 5:19 - the works 1 John 4:5 - are 1 John 5:18 - keepeth

Cross-References

Genesis 12:2
I will make you into a great nation,I will bless you,I will make your name great,and you will be a blessing.
Genesis 13:16
I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust of the earth, then your offspring could be counted.
Genesis 16:10
The angel of the Lord said to her, “I will greatly multiply your offspring, and they will be too many to count.”
Genesis 17:1
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him, saying, “I am God Almighty. Live in my presence and be blameless.
Genesis 17:11
You must circumcise the flesh of your foreskin to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and you.
Genesis 17:18
So Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael were acceptable to you!”
Genesis 22:17
I will indeed bless you and make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your offspring will possess the city gates of their enemies.
Genesis 32:12
You have said, ‘I will cause you to prosper, and I will make your offspring like the sand of the sea, too numerous to be counted.’”
Genesis 35:11
God also said to him, “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation, indeed an assembly of nations, will come from you, and kings will descend from you.
Genesis 48:19
But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know! He too will become a tribe, and he too will be great; nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his offspring will become a populous nation.”

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Concerning the works of men,.... Of wicked men, as to what respects and concerns them, or in the midst of them; in the midst of a wicked generation of men, and their filthy conversation; who appear to be so,

by the word of thy lips; the law of God, the Scriptures of truth, the rule and standard of faith and practice, which show what works are good and what are not; by the use, help, and benefit of this;

I have kept [me from] the paths of the destroyer; such is the devil, who was a murderer from the beginning; antichrist, whose name is Abaddon and Apollyon, both which signify a destroyer; false teachers, and all wicked men: the "paths" of such are their wicked principles and practices, their damnable errors and heresies, their sins and lusts, which make up the broad road that leads to destruction: these the psalmist "kept" or "observed" a, for the words "me" and "from" are not in the original text; and the sense is, that he took notice of them, and avoided them, and, as a faithful prince and magistrate, forbad his subjects walking in them, and restrained them from them, making the word of God the rule of his conduct.

a שמרתי "custodivi", Pagninus, Montanus; "observavi", Musculus, Piscator, Cocceius, Gejerus; so Ainsworth; "vel prohibui", Muis.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Concerning the works of men - In respect to the works or doings of men. The reference is here probably to the ordinary or common doings of mankind, or to what generally characterizes the conduct of men. As their conduct is so commonly, and so characteristically wicked, wickedness may be spoken of as their “work,” and it is to this doubtless that the psalmist refers. In respect to the sinful courses or “paths” to which men are so prone, he says that he had kept himself from them. This is in accordance with what he says in the previous verse, that he had given no occasion by his conduct for the treatment which he had received at the hands of his enemies.

By the word of thy lips - Not by his own strength; not by any power which he himself had, but by the commands and promises of God - by what had proceeded from his mouth. The reference is doubtless to all that God had spoken: to the law which prescribed his duty, and to the promises which God had given to enable him to walk in the path of uprightness. He had relied on the word of God as inculcating duty; he had submitted to it as authority; he had found encouragement in it in endeavoring to do right.

I have kept me - I have preserved myself. I have so guarded my conduct that I have not fallen into the sins which are so common among men.

The paths of the destroyer - The paths which the “destroyer” treads; the course of life which such men lead. The idea is, not that he had been able to save himself from violence at their hands, but that he had been enabled to avoid their mode of life. The word rendered “destroyer” is from a verb which means “to break, to rend, to scatter,” and would properly refer to acts of violence and lawlessness. He had kept himself from the modes of life of the violent and the lawless; that is, he had been enabled to lead a peaceful and quiet lift. He had given no occasion to his enemies to treat him as a violent, a lawless, a wicked man.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Psalms 17:4. The paths of the destroyer. — Some render, hard or difficult paths, the sense of which is given above. But the passage is exceedingly obscure. My old Psalter translates and paraphrases as follows: -

Trans. That my mouthe speke noght the werkes of men, for the wordes of thi lippes I haf keped hard wayse.

Par. That es, that nothing passe of my mouthe bot at falles to the louyng of the; noght til werkes of men, that dos o gaynes thy wil; als to say, I spak noght bot gude; and for the wordes of thi lippes, that es, to ful fil the wordes that thi prophetes saide; I kepe hard waies of verteus and of tribulacioun, the qwilk men thynk hard; and for thi thai leve the hard way til heven, and takes the soft way til hel; but it es ful hard at the end.


 
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