Psalm 17:14
“From men which are thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Psalm 17:14 is a difficult verse, but it appears to contrast two groups: the enemies and the psalmist. 'From men which are thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world' refers to the enemies as instruments or agents who belong to 'the world'—the realm of earthly values and temporal power. 'Which have their portion in this life' shows their limitation: their inheritance, their reward, their satisfaction is bound to this present age. They are satisfied and full because they pursue temporal pleasures: 'and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.' They have wealth, family, material prosperity—all the treasures that the world offers and that they hoard for themselves.
What Does Psalm 17:14 Mean?
Psalm 17:14 is a difficult verse, but it appears to contrast two groups: the enemies and the psalmist. 'From men which are thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world' refers to the enemies as instruments or agents who belong to 'the world'—the realm of earthly values and temporal power. 'Which have their portion in this life' shows their limitation: their inheritance, their reward, their satisfaction is bound to this present age. They are satisfied and full because they pursue temporal pleasures: 'and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.' They have wealth, family, material prosperity—all the treasures that the world offers and that they hoard for themselves.
The contrast is implicit: the wicked are satisfied with earthly things and have built their entire life around accumulating and passing on temporal wealth. But the psalmist, who has refused the paths of destruction and maintained integrity, seeks something other than temporal satisfaction. He is willing to forgo the 'portion' that the wicked find so satisfying in 'this life.' This sets up the final verses, where the psalmist will express what he truly desires: not a share of temporal wealth but the vision of God Himself.
In the Original Language
The contrast between the enemies' portion 'in this life' (olam) and what the psalmist seeks sets up the final resolution of the psalm.
Cross References
Application
Don't let temporal possessions and comforts become your ultimate goal. Remember that those who live only for earthly treasures are limited to this present age, while those who seek God receive an eternal inheritance.