Psalm 81:14
New International Version
how quickly I would subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes!

New Living Translation
How quickly I would then subdue their enemies! How soon my hands would be upon their foes!

English Standard Version
I would soon subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes.

Berean Standard Bible
how soon I would subdue their enemies and turn My hand against their foes!

King James Bible
I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.

New King James Version
I would soon subdue their enemies, And turn My hand against their adversaries.

New American Standard Bible
“I would quickly subdue their enemies And turn My hand against their adversaries.

NASB 1995
“I would quickly subdue their enemies And turn My hand against their adversaries.

NASB 1977
“I would quickly subdue their enemies, And turn My hand against their adversaries.

Legacy Standard Bible
I would quickly subdue their enemies And I would turn My hand against their adversaries.

Amplified Bible
“Then I would quickly subdue and humble their enemies And turn My hand against their adversaries;

Christian Standard Bible
I would quickly subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I would quickly subdue their enemies and turn My hand against their foes.”

American Standard Version
I would soon subdue their enemies, And turn my hand against their adversaries.

Contemporary English Version
I, the LORD, would quickly defeat your enemies with my mighty power.

English Revised Version
I should soon subdue their enemies, and turn my hand against their adversaries.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I would quickly defeat their enemies. I would turn my power against their foes.

Good News Translation
I would quickly defeat their enemies and conquer all their foes.

International Standard Version
Then I would quickly subdue their enemies. I would turn against their foes.

Majority Standard Bible
how soon I would subdue their enemies and turn My hand against their foes!

NET Bible
Then I would quickly subdue their enemies, and attack their adversaries."

New Heart English Bible
I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn my hand against their adversaries.

Webster's Bible Translation
I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.

World English Bible
I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn my hand against their adversaries.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
As a little thing I cause their enemies to bow, "" And I turn back My hand against their adversaries,

Young's Literal Translation
As a little thing their enemies I cause to bow, And against their adversaries I turn back My hand,

Smith's Literal Translation
Shortly I shall humble their enemies, and against their adversaries I will turn back my hand.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
I should soon have humbled their enemies, and laid my hand on them that troubled them.

Catholic Public Domain Version
I would have humbled their enemies, as if it were nothing, and I would have sent my hand upon those who troubled them.

New American Bible
In a moment I would humble their foes, and turn back my hand against their oppressors.

New Revised Standard Version
Then I would quickly subdue their enemies, and turn my hand against their foes.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
I would soon have destroyed their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
I would have shortly destroyed their enemies and would have turned my hand against those who hated them.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
I would soon subdue their enemies, And turn My hand against their adversaries.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
I should have put down their enemies very quickly, and should have laid my hand upon those that afflicted them.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Sing for Joy to God, Our Strength
13If only My people would listen to Me, if Israel would follow My ways, 14how soon I would subdue their enemies and turn My hand against their foes! 15Those who hate the LORD would feign obedience, and their doom would last forever.…

Cross References
Isaiah 48:18
If only you had paid attention to My commandments, your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like waves of the sea.

Deuteronomy 32:29
If only they were wise, they would understand it; they would comprehend their fate.

Isaiah 30:15
For the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said: “By repentance and rest you would be saved; your strength would lie in quiet confidence—but you were not willing.”

Isaiah 55:7
Let the wicked man forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.

Jeremiah 7:23
but this is what I commanded them: Obey Me, and I will be your God, and you will be My people. You must walk in all the ways I have commanded you, so that it may go well with you.

Jeremiah 26:13
So now, correct your ways and deeds, and obey the voice of the LORD your God, so that He might relent of the disaster He has pronounced against you.

2 Chronicles 7:14
and if My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.

Leviticus 26:3-8
If you follow My statutes and carefully keep My commandments, / I will give you rains in their season, and the land will yield its produce, and the trees of the field will bear their fruit. / Your threshing will continue until the grape harvest, and the grape harvest will continue until sowing time; you will have your fill of food to eat and will dwell securely in your land. ...

Deuteronomy 28:1-7
“Now if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God and are careful to follow all His commandments I am giving you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. / And all these blessings will come upon you and overtake you, if you will obey the voice of the LORD your God: / You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country. ...

Proverbs 1:23
If you had repented at my rebuke, then surely I would have poured out my spirit on you; I would have made my words known to you.

Ezekiel 18:30-32
Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so that your iniquity will not become your downfall. / Cast away from yourselves all the transgressions you have committed, and fashion for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel? / For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death, declares the Lord GOD. So repent and live!

Matthew 23:37
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!

Luke 19:42
and said, “If only you had known on this day what would bring you peace! But now it is hidden from your eyes.

Acts 3:19
Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away,

Romans 2:4
Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?


Treasury of Scripture

I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.

I should

Numbers 14:9,45
Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not…

Joshua 23:13
Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.

Judges 2:20-23
And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice; …

turned

Amos 1:8
And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, and him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon, and I will turn mine hand against Ekron: and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish, saith the Lord GOD.

Zechariah 13:7
Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.

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Adversaries Bow Cause Enemies Foes Hand Haters Little Overcome Quickly Soon Subdue Subdued Turn Turned War
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Adversaries Bow Cause Enemies Foes Hand Haters Little Overcome Quickly Soon Subdue Subdued Turn Turned War
Psalm 81
1. An exhortation to a solemn praising of God
4. God challenges that duty by reason of his benefits
8. God, exhorting to obedience, complains of their disobedience, which proves their own hurt.














how soon
The phrase "how soon" reflects the immediacy and readiness of God's intervention. In the Hebrew text, the word used here can be understood as "quickly" or "speedily." This emphasizes God's eagerness to act on behalf of His people when they turn to Him in obedience. Historically, this reflects the covenant relationship between God and Israel, where divine protection and victory were assured when the people remained faithful.

I would subdue
The word "subdue" comes from the Hebrew root "כָּנַע" (kanah), which means to bring into subjection or to humble. This indicates God's power to bring down the pride and strength of Israel's enemies. In a broader scriptural context, it reflects God's sovereignty over all nations and His ability to control the course of history for the benefit of His chosen people.

their enemies
"Enemies" in this context refers to the nations and peoples that opposed Israel. Historically, Israel faced numerous adversaries, from the Egyptians to the Philistines, and later the Assyrians and Babylonians. Theologically, this can also be seen as a metaphor for spiritual enemies, representing the forces of evil that oppose God's people throughout the ages.

and turn My hand
The phrase "turn My hand" signifies God's active intervention. The "hand" of God is a common biblical metaphor for His power and action. In the Hebrew Bible, God's hand is often depicted as a source of deliverance and judgment. This phrase reassures believers of God's personal involvement in their struggles and His ability to change circumstances in their favor.

against their foes
"Foes" is synonymous with "enemies," but it carries a more personal connotation, suggesting those who are in direct opposition to God's people. The historical context of Israel's foes includes not only external threats but also internal challenges, such as idolatry and rebellion. Spiritually, this can be understood as the ongoing battle against sin and temptation that believers face. The promise of God's hand against these foes is a source of hope and encouragement, affirming that victory is assured through divine intervention.

Verse 14. - I should soon have subdued (rather, I should won subdue) their enemies. Israel is still surrounded by enemies, anxious for his destruction. God could subdue them and sweep them away in a moment, if he pleased; and would do so, if Israel would repent and return to him. The appeal is to the living Israel - the Israel of the psalmist's time, which is given one more chance of triumph over its enemies. And turned my hand against their adversaries. Logically, the two clauses should have been inverted, since the subjugation of Israel's enemies would be the effect of God's hand being turned against them.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
how soon
כִּ֭מְעַט (kim·‘aṭ)
Preposition-k | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 4592: A little, fewness, a few

I would subdue
אַכְנִ֑יעַ (’aḵ·nî·a‘)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 3665: To bend the knee, to humiliate, vanquish

their enemies
אוֹיְבֵיהֶ֣ם (’ō·wy·ḇê·hem)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 341: Hating, an adversary

and turn
אָשִׁ֥יב (’ā·šîḇ)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

My hand
יָדִֽי׃ (yā·ḏî)
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 3027: A hand

against
וְעַ֥ל (wə·‘al)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

their foes.
צָ֝רֵיהֶ֗ם (ṣā·rê·hem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 6862: Narrow, a tight place, a pebble, an opponent


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OT Poetry: Psalm 81:14 I would soon subdue their enemies (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 81:13
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