Psalm 34:21
New International Version
Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned.

New Living Translation
Calamity will surely destroy the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be punished.

English Standard Version
Affliction will slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.

Berean Standard Bible
Evil will slay the wicked, and the haters of the righteous will be condemned.

King James Bible
Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.

New King James Version
Evil shall slay the wicked, And those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.

New American Standard Bible
Evil will bring death to the wicked, And those who hate the righteous will suffer for their guilt.

NASB 1995
Evil shall slay the wicked, And those who hate the righteous will be condemned.

NASB 1977
Evil shall slay the wicked; And those who hate the righteous will be condemned.

Legacy Standard Bible
Evil shall slay the wicked, And those who hate the righteous will be condemned.

Amplified Bible
Evil will cause the death of the wicked, And those who hate the righteous will be held guilty and will be condemned.

Christian Standard Bible
Evil brings death to the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be punished.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Evil brings death to the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be punished.

American Standard Version
Evil shall slay the wicked; And they that hate the righteous shall be condemned.

Contemporary English Version
Wicked people are killed by their own evil deeds, and if you hate God's people you will be punished.

English Revised Version
Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be condemned.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Evil will kill wicked people, and those who hate righteous people will be condemned.

Good News Translation
Evil will kill the wicked; those who hate the righteous will be punished.

International Standard Version
Evil will kill the wicked; those who hate the righteous will be held guilty.

Majority Standard Bible
Evil will slay the wicked, and the haters of the righteous will be condemned.

NET Bible
Evil people self-destruct; those who hate the godly are punished.

New Heart English Bible
Evil shall kill the wicked. Those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.

Webster's Bible Translation
Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.

World English Bible
Evil shall kill the wicked. Those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Evil puts the wicked to death, "" And those hating the righteous are desolate.

Young's Literal Translation
Evil doth put to death the wicked, And those hating the righteous are desolate.

Smith's Literal Translation
Evil shall slay the unjust one: and they hating the just one shall transgress.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
The death of the wicked is very evil: and they that hate the just shall be guilty.

Catholic Public Domain Version
The death of a sinner is very harmful, and those who hate the just will fare badly.

New American Bible
Evil will slay the wicked; those who hate the righteous are condemned.

New Revised Standard Version
Evil brings death to the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Evil shall slay the wicked, and they that hate the righteous shall be destroyed.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Evil kills the wicked and those who hate the righteous will come to an end.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Evil shall kill the wicked; And they that hate the righteous shall be held guilty.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
The death of sinners is evil: and they that hate righteousness will go wrong.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Taste and See that the LORD is Good
20He protects all his bones; not one of them will be broken. 21Evil will slay the wicked, and the haters of the righteous will be condemned. 22The LORD redeems His servants, and none who take refuge in Him will be condemned.…

Cross References
Proverbs 11:21
Be assured that the wicked will not go unpunished, but the offspring of the righteous will escape.

Proverbs 13:21
Disaster pursues sinners, but prosperity is the reward of the righteous.

Proverbs 24:16
For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.

Isaiah 3:11
Woe to the wicked; disaster is upon them! For they will be repaid with what their hands have done.

Ezekiel 18:20
The soul who sins is the one who will die. A son will not bear the iniquity of his father, and a father will not bear the iniquity of his son. The righteousness of the righteous man will fall upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked man will fall upon him.

Job 4:8
As I have observed, those who plow iniquity and those who sow trouble reap the same.

Job 15:35
They conceive trouble and give birth to evil; their womb is pregnant with deceit.”

Psalm 7:14-16
Behold, the wicked man travails with evil; he conceives trouble and births falsehood. / He has dug a hole and hollowed it out; he has fallen into a pit of his own making. / His trouble recoils on himself, and his violence falls on his own head.

Psalm 9:15-16
The nations have fallen into a pit of their making; their feet are caught in the net they have hidden. / The LORD is known by the justice He brings; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands. Higgaion Selah

Psalm 37:38
But the transgressors will all be destroyed; the future of the wicked will be cut off.

Psalm 94:23
He will bring upon them their own iniquity and destroy them for their wickedness. The LORD our God will destroy them.

Matthew 26:52
“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him. “For all who draw the sword will die by the sword.

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Galatians 6:7-8
Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return. / The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

James 1:15
Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.


Treasury of Scripture

Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.

Evil

Psalm 37:30-40
The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment…

Psalm 94:23
And he shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; yea, the LORD our God shall cut them off.

Isaiah 3:11
Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.

they

Psalm 37:12-15
The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth…

Psalm 40:15
Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha.

Psalm 89:23
And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him.

desolate.

Exodus 20:7
Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Jump to Previous
Bear Condemned Death Desolate Destroy Destruction End Evil Foes Guilt Guilty Hate Haters Hating Held Kill Righteous Righteousness Sinner Slay Wicked
Jump to Next
Bear Condemned Death Desolate Destroy Destruction End Evil Foes Guilt Guilty Hate Haters Hating Held Kill Righteous Righteousness Sinner Slay Wicked
Psalm 34
1. David praises God, and exhorts others thereto by his experience
8. They are blessed who trust in God
11. He exhorts to the fear of God
15. The privileges of the righteous














Evil will slay the wicked
This phrase highlights the principle of divine justice, where evil acts ultimately lead to the downfall of those who perpetrate them. In biblical context, this reflects the moral order established by God, where sin carries inherent consequences. The concept is echoed in Proverbs 11:5-6, which speaks of the wicked being ensnared by their own sin. Historically, this principle is evident in the downfall of various biblical figures who pursued evil, such as Haman in the Book of Esther. Theologically, it underscores the self-destructive nature of sin, aligning with the broader biblical narrative that sin leads to death (Romans 6:23).

and the haters of the righteous
This part of the verse addresses those who oppose or persecute the righteous, often seen throughout Scripture as those who live according to God's will. The cultural context of ancient Israel often involved tension between those who followed God's commandments and those who did not, leading to persecution of the faithful. This is seen in the lives of prophets like Elijah and Jeremiah, who faced opposition for their righteousness. Theologically, this phrase can be connected to the New Testament, where Jesus speaks of the world's hatred for His followers (John 15:18-19), indicating a continuity of this theme.

will be condemned
The final phrase assures that those who oppose the righteous will face judgment. This reflects the biblical theme of divine retribution, where God ultimately vindicates His people and judges their oppressors. In the Old Testament, this is seen in the fate of nations that opposed Israel, such as Egypt and Babylon. In the New Testament, this is further developed in the eschatological teachings of Jesus and the apostles, where the final judgment is a central theme (Matthew 25:31-46, Revelation 20:11-15). This phrase also points to the ultimate justice of God, where all wrongs are righted, and the faithful are rewarded.

Persons / Places / Events
1. David
The author of Psalm 34, who wrote this psalm after pretending to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away. This context is crucial as it reflects David's reliance on God for deliverance from his enemies.

2. The Wicked
Those who live in opposition to God's ways and are characterized by evil actions and intentions.

3. The Righteous
Individuals who strive to live according to God's commandments and are often targets of the wicked.

4. Abimelech
The Philistine king before whom David feigned madness. This event is a backdrop to the psalm, illustrating God's deliverance of David from danger.

5. God's Judgment
The event or process by which God enacts justice, rewarding the righteous and condemning the wicked.
Teaching Points
The Inevitable Consequence of Evil
Evil actions have inherent consequences. Just as Psalm 34:21 states, "Evil will slay the wicked," we are reminded that living in opposition to God's ways leads to self-destruction.

God's Justice is Certain
The verse assures us that those who oppose the righteous will face condemnation. This is a call to trust in God's ultimate justice rather than seeking personal revenge.

The Protection of the Righteous
While the righteous may face opposition, they are under God's protection. This encourages believers to remain steadfast in their faith despite challenges.

The Call to Righteous Living
Believers are encouraged to pursue righteousness, knowing that God sees and will vindicate them. This is a call to live in a way that honors God, regardless of external pressures.(21) Desolate.--Better (as in margin), shall be found guilty, or condemned.

Verse 21. - Evil shall slay the wicked. His own misconduct shall bring destruction upon the wicked man-destruction of the body in many cases (Psalm 7:15, 16), in all, if he persists in his wickedness, destruction of the soul. And they that hate the righteous shall be desolate; rather, shall be held guilty (comp. Psalm 5:10, and the comment ad loc.).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Evil
רָעָ֑ה (rā·‘āh)
Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 7451: Bad, evil

{will} slay
תְּמוֹתֵ֣ת (tə·mō·w·ṯêṯ)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

the wicked,
רָשָׁ֣ע (rā·šā‘)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7563: Wrong, an, bad person

and the haters
וְשֹׂנְאֵ֖י (wə·śō·nə·’ê)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct
Strong's 8130: To hate

of the righteous
צַדִּ֣יק (ṣad·dîq)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 6662: Just, righteous

will be condemned.
יֶאְשָֽׁמוּ׃ (ye’·šā·mū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 816: To be guilty, to be punished, perish


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OT Poetry: Psalm 34:21 Evil shall kill the wicked (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 34:20
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