Psalms 64

A Plea for Divine Retribution

1

For the [music] director. A psalm of David.

1 Hear my voice, O God, in my lamenting. Preserve my life from [the] fear of [the] enemy.

2 Hide me from [the] secret plots of evildoers, from [the] unrest of [those who] do iniquity,

3 who sharpen their tongue like a sword. They bend [their bow to shoot] their arrows--bitter words,

4 to shoot from their hiding places [at the] blameless. Suddenly they shoot [at] him and do not fear.

5 They encourage themselves [in the] evil matter. They talk of secretly laying snares. They say, "Who will see them?"

6 {They carefully plot} injustices [saying], "We have perfected {the perfect plot}!" Both [the] {inner thought} and heart of [a] man [are] deep.

7 But God will shoot them; with an arrow they will suddenly be wounded.

8 And they [who] would cause him to stumble, their [own] tongue [will be] against them. All who gaze on them will shake.

9 And then all men will fear, and will declare the working of God, and will understand his doing.

10 [The] righteous will rejoice in Yahweh and take refuge in him, and all [the] upright in heart will boast.

Psalms 64 Commentary

Chapter 64

Prayer for deliverance. (1-6) The destruction of the wicked, encouragement to the righteous. (7-10)

Verses 1-6 The psalmist earnestly begs of God to preserve him from disquieting fear. The tongue is a little member, but it boasts great things. The upright man is the mark at which the wicked aim, they cannot speak peaceably either of him or to him. There is no guard against a false tongue. It is bad to do wrong, but worse to encourage ourselves and one another in it. It is a sign that the heart is hardened to the greatest degree, when it is thus fully set to do evil. A practical disbelief of God's knowledge of all things, is at the bottom of every wickedness. The benefit of a good cause and a good conscience, appears most when nothing can help a man against his enemies, save God alone, who is always a present help.

Verses 7-10 When God brings upon men the mischiefs they have desired on others, it is weight enough to sink a man to the lowest hell. Those who love cursing, it shall come upon them. Those who behold this shall understand, and observe God's hand in all; unless we do so, we are not likely to profit by the dispensations of Providence. The righteous shall be glad in the Lord; not glad of the misery and ruin of their fellow-creatures, but glad that God is glorified, and his word fulfilled, and the cause of injured innocence pleaded effectually. They rejoice not in men, nor in themselves, nor in any creature, or creature enjoyments, nor in their wisdom, strength, riches, or righteousness; but in Christ, in whom all the seed of Israel are justified and glory, and in what he is to them, and has done for them.

Footnotes

• [a]. The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
• [b]. Hebrew "plot"
• [c]. Hebrew "in"
• [d]. Hebrew "the"
• [e]. Literally "They search out"
• [f]. Literally "a plotted plot"
• [g]. Literally "inward part"
• [h]. The Hebrew of this verse is very difficult
• [i]. That is, the psalmist
• [j]. Perhaps a shaking of the head; a similar Hebrew form could be translated "will flee"
• [k]. Hebrew "and"
• [l]. Hebrew "man"

Chapter Summary

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. This psalm is applied by R. Obadiah to Haman and Mordecai. The enemy is Haman, the perfect man shot at is Mordecai; about whom Haman communed with his friends to lay snares for him, and searched diligently for occasions against him and his people, which issued in his own destruction. The ancient Midrash {y} of the Jews applies it to Daniel, when cast into the den of lions; and Jarchi supposes that David, by a spirit of prophecy, foresaw it, and prayed for him who was of his seed; and that everything in the psalm beautifully falls in with that account: Daniel is the perfect man aimed at; the enemy are the princes of Darius's court, who consulted against him, communed of laying snares for him, and gained their point, which proved their own ruin. But the psalm literally belongs to David, by whom it was composed. The Arabic versions call it a psalm of David, when Saul persecuted him; and the Syriac version refers it to the time when Gad said to him, abide not in the hold, 1 Samuel 22:5. He is the perfect man, who was upright and innocent as to what he was charged with in respect to Saul; who is the enemy, from the fear of whom he desires his life might be preserved; and who with his courtiers took counsel against him, and laid deep schemes to destroy him, but at last were destroyed themselves. Moreover, the psalm may very well be applied to the Messiah, the son of David, and who was his antitype, and especially in his sufferings: he is the perfect man in the highest sense; the Jews were the enemies that took counsel, and searched for occasions against him, and accomplished their designs in a good measure; for which wrath came upon them to the uttermost. The psalmist also may be very well thought to represent the church and people of God; who in all ages have had their enemies and their fears; against whom wicked men have devised mischief, and levelled their arrows of persecution; though no weapon formed against them shall prosper.

{y} Apud Jarchium & Yalkut Simeoni in loc.