Psalms 44:6

For I do not trust in my bow, nor does my sword save me.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The psalmist addresses God while recounting a national crisis, contrasting human military dependence with divine deliverance.

The words — The Hebrew terms קַשְׁתִּי (qashtî, "my bow") and חַרְבִּי (charbî, "my sword") anchor the verse's rejection of human weaponry.

The thread — This rejection of martial self-reliance echoes in 1 Samuel 17:47, Psalms 20:7, and Hosea 1:7.

Why it lands — The text first declares that neither personal armor nor weapon guarantees survival, then directs reliance solely to God.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

כִּ֤יkifor לֹ֣אlo'not בְקַשְׁתִּ֣יve./kash.T/iin/ bow/ my אֶבְטָ֑ח'ev.TachI trust וְ֝חַרְבִּ֗יve./char.B/iand/ sword/ my לֹ֣אlo'not תוֹשִׁיעֵֽנִי׃to.shi.'E./niit saves/ me

King James Version

For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.

Cross-references

1 Samuel 17:47 And all those assembled here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give all of you into our hands.”
Psalms 20:7 Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
Hosea 1:7 Yet I will have compassion on the house of Judah, and I will save them—not by bow or sword or war, not by horses and cavalry, but by the LORD their God.”
Psalms 33:16 No king is saved by his vast army; no warrior is delivered by his great strength.