Psalm 62:3

3 How long will ye assault a man? ye are all slaughtering as with a bowed wall and a broken hedge.

Psalm 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.

Psalm 62:3 In-Context

1 Shall not my soul be subjected to God? for of him is my salvation.

2 For he is my God, and my saviour; my helper, I shall not be moved very much.

3 How long will ye assault a man? ye are all slaughtering as with a bowed wall and a broken hedge.

4 They only took counsel to set at nought mine honour: I ran in thirst: with their mouth they blessed, but with their heart they cursed. Pause.

5 Nevertheless do thou, my soul, be subjected to God; for of him is my patient hope.

6 For he is my God and my Saviour; my helper, I shall not be moved.

8 Hope in him, all ye congregation of the people; pour out your hearts before him, for God is our helper. Pause.

9 But the sons of men are vain; the sons of men are false, so as to be deceitful in the balances; they are all alike formed out of vanity.

10 Trust not in unrighteousness, and lust not after robberies: if wealth should flow in, set not your heart upon it.

11 God has spoken once, and I have heard these two things, that power is of God;

12 and mercy is thine, O Lord; for thou wilt recompense every one according to his works.