Psalms 37:17 (KJV)

Passage

For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.

Nearby Context

Psalms 37:15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.

Psalms 37:16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.

Psalms 37:17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.

Psalms 37:18 The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.

Psalms 37:19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "arms", "wicked", "shall", "broken", "lord", "upholdeth", and "righteous". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "arms" and "wicked", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 16's "A little that a righteous man hath..." into verse 18's "The LORD knoweth the days of the...", so "arms" and "wicked" 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 "arms" and "wicked" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.