The Wicked Bending Their Bow - Psalms 11:2

Psalms chapter eleven begins with David saying, “In the LORD put I my trust: how say you to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?”, and in Psalms chapter eleven and verse two David said, “the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string” where we read,

For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string,

that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.

The verse begins, “For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, ...” David began with the words, “For, lo” which means “because, since and on account that, look, behold and consider”, “the wicked bend their bow” or “people who are criminal, guilty and hostile to God arch and draw their archery bow”, “they make ready” which means “the wicked prepare make firm, establish, and secure” “their arrow upon the string” or “their, the wicked's, shaft or staff of a spear for archery upon the string of the bow”. David shared how the “wicked” draws back their bow and prepares their arrow upon the string of their bow for the following reason.

The verse continues, “that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.” David added the words, “that they may privily shoot” or “so the wicked might obscurely and in darkness and gloom cast forth, point and direct their arrow” “at the upright” which means “toward people who are straight, correct, right and pleasing” “in heart” or “within their inner man, mind, understanding and soul”. David wrote how the “wicked” draw back their bow and string their arrow so they might obscurely point and shoot at people who are “correct and right” within their souls.

When we consider the words in this verse, we see how David uses the analogy of the preparation a person makes with a “bow and arrow” before they shoot at their prey. They covertly put an arrow into the string of the bow, draw it back and aim at their target, which in this case is “righteous” people. God knows the plans of the “wicked”, and He is well aware of people who seek to take advantage of others who are doing “right”. No one gets away with anything with the LORD, and because all people have “sin” in their lives, He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross to pay the penalty for those sins. “Wicked” people plan and commit willful evil acts against the “righteous”, but Almighty God sees, knows and beholds their attitudes, actions and deeds. If they repent, He will forgive them, but if they do not, woe be to the person upon whom God bends His bow and arrow to judge.

Next time David asks, “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".