Psalm 86:14 kjv
O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them.
Psalm 86:14 nkjv
O God, the proud have risen against me, And a mob of violent men have sought my life, And have not set You before them.
Psalm 86:14 niv
Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God; ruthless people are trying to kill me? they have no regard for you.
Psalm 86:14 esv
O God, insolent men have risen up against me; a band of ruthless men seeks my life, and they do not set you before them.
Psalm 86:14 nlt
O God, insolent people rise up against me;
a violent gang is trying to kill me.
You mean nothing to them.
Psalm 86 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 7:6 | Arise, O LORD, in your anger; lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies... | David’s plea against angry enemies. |
| Ps 22:12 | Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me. | Describes powerful, menacing adversaries. |
| Ps 36:1 | Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart; there is no dread of God before his eyes. | Direct parallel: lack of fear of God. |
| Ps 54:3 | For strangers have risen against me; ruthless men seek my life; they do not set God before them. | Near identical verse, highlights similar foes and their godlessness. |
| Ps 64:2-3 | Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, from the throng of evildoers, who whet their tongue like a sword... | Describes conspiracies and violence from many. |
| Ps 140:1-4 | Deliver me, O LORD, from evil men; preserve me from violent men, who plan evil things in their heart and stir up wars continually. They make their tongue sharp as a serpent’s... | Prayer against violent and deceitful enemies. |
| Prov 8:13 | The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate. | Links fear of the LORD to opposing pride, connecting to "insolent." |
| Deut 17:12 | The man who acts presumptuously by not obeying the priest... or the judge, that man shall die. | Describes presumption (insolence) and its severe consequences. |
| Job 22:12-14 | Is not God in the height of heaven? And see the highest stars, how lofty they are! But you say, ‘What does God know? Can he judge through the deep gloom? Thick clouds veil him, so that he does not see us...’ | Wicked presume God does not see or know their actions. |
| Jer 11:19 | But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter. I did not know it was against me that they devised schemes, saying, “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name be remembered no more.” | Conspiracy to destroy life. |
| Matt 27:20-25 | But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. | Wicked men (Sanhedrin, crowds) seeking Christ's life. |
| Mark 15:10 | For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up. | Motivations behind seeking Jesus' life. |
| Luke 19:14 | But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ | Describes general rebellion against legitimate authority, implying insolence. |
| John 7:1 | After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him. | Men seeking Christ's life. |
| Acts 7:51-53 | “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One..." | Describes persistent resistance to God and persecution of His messengers. |
| Acts 23:12-14 | When it was day, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. | Collective plot to kill a servant of God. |
| 1 Pet 2:23 | When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. | Contrast: Jesus’ response to insolent men seeking his life. |
| 2 Tim 3:2-4 | For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive... without self-control, brutal, not loving good... puffed up... | Describes characteristics of insolent, godless men in later times. |
| Rom 1:28 | And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. | Consequences of rejecting knowledge of God. |
| Jude 1:16 | These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for their own advantage. | Describes the arrogant and self-serving nature of the ungodly. |
| Ps 94:3-7 | How long shall the wicked, O LORD, how long shall the wicked exult? They pour out their arrogant words; all the evildoers boast. They crush your people, O LORD... And they say, “The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob does not perceive.” | Describes the arrogance and belief that God is oblivious to their actions. |
| Ps 10:4-6 | In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, “There is no God.” He says in his heart, “I shall not be moved; for all generations to come I shall not meet adversity.” | Explains the mindset of those who do not acknowledge God. |
| Prov 16:18 | Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. | Warns of the fate of the proud. |
Psalm 86 verses
Psalm 86 14 Meaning
Psalm 86:14 is a fervent plea to God from David, who is distressed by adversaries. It describes these enemies as "insolent men" who are proud, arrogant, and oppressive, actively plotting against his very life. The core of their offense, which magnifies their sin and David's complaint, is their complete disregard for God's presence, authority, and judgment in their actions. They behave as if God does not see, know, or matter, embodying a practical atheism in their wicked pursuit.
Psalm 86 14 Context
Psalm 86 is a prayer of David, a lament and supplication in a time of intense personal distress and opposition. It is structured as a passionate plea for deliverance, characterized by a deep expression of dependence on God (v. 1-7) and declarations of God's incomparable greatness and lovingkindness (v. 8-13). Verse 14 falls within the core of David's complaint, detailing the specific nature of the threat against him. The preceding verses focus on David's own faithfulness and need for God's merciful help, which sets up a strong contrast with the wickedness of his enemies described in this verse. Historically, this could relate to David's many periods of flight and persecution, perhaps from King Saul, Absalom, or foreign enemies like the Philistines. The language suggests a dire threat to his life, likely from those within his own nation or sphere of influence who disregarded God's covenant with David.
Psalm 86 14 Word analysis
- O God (אֱלֹהִים - Elohim): This is a powerful, generic term for God, often used for the God of Israel. In this context, it functions as a direct address, signifying an urgent appeal to the divine, sovereign judge and ruler, who alone possesses the power to intervene against such formidable adversaries. It signifies that the psalmist is bringing his complaint before the supreme authority.
- insolent men (זֵדִים - zedim): Derived from a root meaning "to boil up," "to be presumptuous," or "to be proud." These are not just enemies, but haughty, arrogant, and oppressive individuals. Their insolence is an affront not only to the psalmist but, crucially, to divine authority itself. They act with an assumption of invulnerability and superiority.
- have risen up against me (קָמוּ עָלַי - qamu `alay): This phrase describes an aggressive stance, an uprising or plotting action taken by the enemies. It conveys the sense of them actively taking initiative, mobilizing their power, and taking a hostile stand. It indicates a clear and present danger.
- a gang of ruthless men (עֲדַת עָרִיצִים -
adataritzim):- gang/assembly (עֲדַת - `adat): Refers to a gathering, assembly, or congregation, indicating a collective body or mob. This suggests that the threat is not from isolated individuals but from an organized, formidable group.
- ruthless men (עָרִיצִים - `aritzim): Describes those who are violent, tyrannical, cruel, terrible, or oppressive. They use force and power ruthlessly. This highlights the severe and unfeeling nature of the psalmist's enemies.
- seeks my life (בִּקְשׁוּ נַפְשִׁי - biqshu nafshi):
- seeks/searches for (בִּקְשׁוּ - biqshu): Implies an active pursuit, a deliberate search or hunting.
- my life/soul (נַפְשִׁי - nafshi): The Hebrew nephesh here means the very being, the vital essence, or the life of a person. Thus, they are seeking to take his life, implying murderous intent.
- and they do not set you before them (וְלֹא שָׂמוּךָ לְנֶגְדָּם - wᵉlo' samuka lᵉnegdam): This is the most damning aspect of their character.
- not set/place (וְלֹא שָׂמוּךָ - wᵉlo' samuka): They have failed to position God, His law, His presence, or His judgment as a guiding principle or a fear-inducing presence in their sight.
- before them (לְנֶגְדָּם - lᵉnegdam): Literally "in front of their faces" or "opposite them." It signifies that God is not in their consideration, not in their plans, not in their conscience, and not feared as an all-seeing judge. This fundamental disregard for God characterizes their evil deeds.
Psalm 86 14 Bonus section
The characterization of the enemies as "insolent" (zedim) and "ruthless" (aritzim) is highly significant in Old Testament theology. Zedim refers to deliberate, defiant rebellion against God and His word, often with accompanying arrogance. These are not people who make mistakes but those who willfully disregard divine authority. This concept is distinct from accidental sin and carries greater culpability. The aritzim further qualify this defiance with aggressive, oppressive, and tyrannical behavior, suggesting active violence derived from their pride. Their collective nature ("gang") highlights the amplified danger they pose and the shared, wicked mindset. The phrase "they do not set You before them" defines their spiritual condition and serves as a sharp contrast to the psalmist's own consistent orientation towards God (e.g., Ps 16:8 "I have set the LORD always before me"). This spiritual blindness and willful ignorance of God's presence underpins all their actions and justifies the psalmist's plea for God's direct intervention and judgment against such profound godlessness.
Psalm 86 14 Commentary
Psalm 86:14 provides a powerful indictment of the psalmist's enemies, presenting their godless character as a primary reason for God's righteous intervention. David calls upon God, emphasizing his desperate plight: not only are his enemies "insolent" (proud, arrogant, presumptuous), but they form a "gang of ruthless men" who collectively and deliberately "seek his life." Their combined power and intent are terrifying, yet what truly marks them as utterly wicked is their blatant disregard for the Divine. "They do not set You before them" reveals a practical atheism, where God's omnipresence, moral law, and ultimate judgment are ignored. Their actions proceed from a heart devoid of the fear of God, a foundational element of wisdom and righteous living. This prayer therefore implicitly appeals to God's own honor: if His chosen servant's life is being threatened by those who scorn Him, God's intervention is not just about saving David, but about upholding His own glory and justice against such open rebellion. This resonates with the experience of Christ and His followers throughout history, who have likewise faced opposition from those who reject God.
- Practical Usage: When facing relentless opposition or unfair attacks, remember that ultimately the struggle is spiritual. Like David, we can appeal to God's righteous character, reminding Him that the true affront of our adversaries is their disregard for Him. This strengthens faith and places the burden of judgment in God's hands.