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

PSALMS 37:17KJV
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Psalms 37:17 (KJV)

What does Psalms 37:17 mean?

Psalms 37:17 says that the strength or power of those who do wrong will be destroyed, but God will support and sustain those who live rightly. The verse draws a sharp contrast between the fate of the wicked and the security of the righteous, showing that God actively cares for those who follow Him.

King David is speaking in Psalms 37, addressing people who are troubled by the apparent success of the wicked. The verse reassures listeners that, even if wrongdoers seem strong now, their power will not last. Meanwhile, those who are righteous can trust that God is the one who keeps them steady and safe.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 37:17

  • "arms" (זְרוֹעַ, zeroaʿ): This word often means physical arms, but here it stands for strength or power. The image is of the wicked losing their ability to act or defend themselves.
  • "broken" (שָׁבַר, shavar): This word means to break or shatter. It emphasizes that the wicked's strength will not just weaken but be completely undone.
  • "upholdeth" (סָמַךְ, samakh): This word means to support, lean on, or sustain. It gives the sense that God is the one holding up the righteous, not leaving them to stand on their own.

Why Psalms 37:17 matters

  • Psalms 37:17 clarifies that apparent strength or success among wrongdoers is temporary and unreliable, while the support God gives the righteous is lasting.
  • The verse highlights a key theme in Psalms 37: God’s justice may not be immediate, but it is certain; the wicked lose their power, and the righteous are upheld.
  • This verse helps readers understand that God’s care is not passive—He is actively involved in sustaining those who live according to what is right.

Where else these words appear

“upholdeth” Hebrew H5564 · used in 47 verses

  • Genesis 27:37 And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son?
  • Leviticus 8:22 And he brought the other ram, the ram of consecration: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram.
  • Psalms 54:4 Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.

“arms” Hebrew H2220 · used in 84 verses

  • Genesis 49:24 But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob;(from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)
  • Job 38:15 And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken.
  • Isaiah 59:16 And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.

“broken” Hebrew H7665 · used in 145 verses

  • Genesis 19:9 And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.
  • Psalms 34:20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.
  • Jeremiah 30:8 For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him: