KJV ORIGINAL
I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
I want peace, but whenever I try to talk, they want to fight.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
The writer is expressing frustration that while he desires peace and tries to communicate peacefully, others respond with hostility and conflict.
📚 Historical Context
This is from one of the 'Songs of Ascents' that Jewish pilgrims would sing while traveling to Jerusalem for religious festivals. The psalmist appears to be living among hostile neighbors or in a foreign land where his peaceful intentions are met with aggression. This could reflect the experience of Jews living in exile or among unfriendly nations who misunderstood their motives.
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