Psalms 37:14 (LSB)

Passage

The wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bow To cast down the afflicted and the needy, To slay those who are upright in conduct.

Nearby Context

Psalms 37:12 The wicked schemes against the righteous And gnashes at him with his teeth.

Psalms 37:13 The Lord laughs at him, For He sees that his day is coming.

Psalms 37:14 The wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bow To cast down the afflicted and the needy, To slay those who are upright in conduct.

Psalms 37:15 Their sword will enter their own heart, And their bows will be broken.

Psalms 37:16 Better is the little of the righteous Than the abundance of many wicked.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "wicked", "drawn", "sword", "bent", "cast", "down", "afflicted", and "needy". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "wicked" and "drawn", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 13's "The Lord laughs at him For He..." into verse 15's "Their sword will enter their own heart...", so "wicked" and "drawn" belong inside that flow. In Psalms context, the local focus is worship, trust, the LORD's kingship, and covenant mercy.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "wicked" and "drawn" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.