Psalms 62:3

3 How long will you enemies attack me? Will all of you throw me down? I'm like a leaning wall. I'm like a fence that is about to fall.

Psalms 62:3 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 62:3

How long will ye imagine mischief against a man?
&c.] Against a good man, as the Targum; or against any Israelite, as Kimchi; or rather he means himself, a single man, a weak man, and an innocent one; which aggravated their sin, in devising his hurt, and contriving ways to take away his life, as did Saul and his courtiers; and, Absalom, and those that were with him. R. Jonah, from the Arabic language, interprets the word here used of putting or drawing out the tongue to a great length; that is, multiplying words, as lies and calumnies, in agreement with ( Psalms 62:4 ) ; but Jarchi, Aben Ezra, and Kimchi, explain it as we do, of devising mischief. The Targum is,

``how long do ye rage against a good man?''

Ye shall be slain all of you;
this is a further aggravation of their folly, since it would issue in their own ruin; the mischief they devised for him would fall upon themselves. Some understand this (hlpt Krd) , "by way of prayer"; as Aben Ezra, Kimchi, and Ben Melech,

``may ye be slain all of you:''

there is a double reading of these words; Ben Napthali, who is followed by the eastern Jews, reads them actively, "ye shall slay"; with which agree the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and all the Oriental versions; and so the Targum,

``ye shall become murderers all of you.''

Ben Asher, who is followed by the western Jews, reads passively as we do, "ye shall be slain"; and which is approved by Aben Ezra, Kimchi, and others;

as a bowing wall [shall ye be, and as] a tottering fence;
which are easily and suddenly pushed down; and so these similes denote the easy, sudden, and certain destruction of those men; see ( Isaiah 36:13 ) ; though some connect the words with the men against whom mischief was imagined by his enemies, who was like a bowing wall and a tottering fence; and so are expressive of his weakness, and of the easy destruction of him; and read the words, "ye shall be slain all of you", in a parenthesis; but the former sense seems best.

Psalms 62:3 In-Context

1 I find my rest in God alone. He is the One who saves me.

2 He alone is my rock. He is the One who saves me. He is like a fort to me. I will always be secure.

3 How long will you enemies attack me? Will all of you throw me down? I'm like a leaning wall. I'm like a fence that is about to fall.

4 You only want to pull me down from my place of honor. You take delight in telling lies. You bless me with what you say. But in your hearts you call down curses on me. "Selah"

5 I will find my rest in God alone. He is the One who gives me hope.