Psalms 17 · Verse 4

Psalms 17:4

Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.
Psalms 17:4, King James Version

Psalms 17:4 in other translations

BSBAs for the deeds of men— by the word of Your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent.
WEBAs for the deeds of men, by the word of your lips, I have kept myself from the ways of the violent.
ASVAs for the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the ways of the violent.
YLTAs to doings of man, Through a word of Thy lips I have observed The paths of a destroyer;
DARBYConcerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept from the paths of the violent man.
BBEAs for the works of men, by the word of your lips I have kept myself from the ways of the violent.
WebsterConcerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.

What does Psalms 17:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
4. works of men--sinful practices. by the word of thy lips--as a guide (Psa 119:9, 11, 95). destroyer--violent man.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 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.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 17:1-7

This psalm is a prayer. Feigned prayers are fruitless; but if our hearts lead our prayers, God will meet them with his favour. The psalmist had been used to pray, so that it was not his distress and danger that now first brought him to his duty. And he was encouraged by his faith to expect God would notice his prayers. Constant resolution and watchfulness against sins of the tongue, will be a good evidence of our…

Read the full comment on Psalms 17:1-7 →

Psalms 17:4 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

לִפְעֻלּ֣וֹתlif.'u.Lotto [the] deeds ofH6468
אָ֭דָם'A.domhumankindH120
בִּדְבַ֣רbid.Varby [the] word ofH1697
שְׂפָתֶ֑יךָse.fa.Tei.khalips yourH8193
אֲנִ֥י'a.NiIH589
שָׁ֝מַ֗רְתִּיSha.Mar.tiI have watchedH8104
אָרְח֥וֹת'a.re.Chot[the] paths ofH734
פָּרִֽיץ\׃pa.Ritzviolent person[s]H6530

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 17:4

  • 1 Peter 5:8

    Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

  • 1 Corinthians 3:3

    For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

  • Psalms 119:9-11

    ב BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

  • Matthew 4:10

    Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

  • Matthew 4:7

    Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

  • Ephesians 6:17

    And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

  • Revelation 12:11

    And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

  • James 1:18

    Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

  • Matthew 4:4

    But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

  • Proverbs 2:10-15

    When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things; Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness; …

  • John 17:17

    Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

  • Psalms 14:1-3

    To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
works.
14:1-3; Ge 6:5,11; Job 15:16; 31:33; 1Co 3:3; 1Pe 4:2,3
word.
119:9-11; Pr 2:10-15; Mt 4:4,7,10; Joh 17:17; Eph 6:17; Jas 1:18
Re 12:11
destroyer.
1Pe 5:8; Re 9:11; *marg:

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 17:3

    Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.

  • Psalms 17:4

    Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.

  • Psalms 17:5

    Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.

Read all of Psalms 17

Psalms 17:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Para las obras humanas, por la palabra de tus labios yo me he guardado de las vías del destructor.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Quant aux actions de l’homme, par la parole de tes lèvres je me suis gardé des voies de l’homme violent.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Was das Tun des Menschen anlangt, so habe ich mich durch das Wort deiner Lippen bewahrt vor den Wegen des Gewalttätigen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Laudans invocabo Dominum, et ab inimicis meis salvus ero.