Bible Strands
Psalms 9:12
For the Avenger of bloodshed remembers; He does not ignore the cry of the afflicted.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The psalmist speaks to God directly, positioning the appeal immediately after a command for the community to proclaim His deeds among the nations. The words — דֹרֵשׁ דָּמִים (doresh damim) literally translates to "one who seeks blood," identifying God as the active investigator of violent crimes. The thread — The pattern of divine attention to the afflicted runs through Psalms 34:6, Exodus 3:7, and Revelation 16:6. Why it lands — The text establishes that God registers the distress cry of the oppressed and will not overlook it, requiring the reader to trust in His active judicial attention rather than human intervention.
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
King James Version
When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them: he forgetteth not the cry of the humble.
Cross-references
- Psalms 34:6 This poor man called out, and the LORD heard him; He saved him from all his troubles.
- Exodus 3:7 The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings.
- Revelation 16:6 For they have spilled the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink, as they deserve.”
- Genesis 9:5 And surely I will require the life of any man or beast by whose hand your lifeblood is shed. I will demand an accounting from anyone who takes the life of his fellow man:
- Revelation 6:9 And when the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony they had upheld.
- Psalms 22:24 For He has not despised or detested the torment of the afflicted. He has not hidden His face from him, but has attended to his cry for help.
- Isaiah 26:21 For behold, the LORD is coming out of His dwelling to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. The earth will reveal her bloodshed and will no longer conceal her slain.
- Luke 18:7 Will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay in helping them?
- Exodus 3:9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached Me, and I have seen how severely the Egyptians are oppressing them.
- Judges 10:16 So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the LORD, and He could no longer bear the misery of Israel.