Psalm 64:8

8 He will turn their own tongues against them and bring them to ruin; all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.

Psalm 64:8 in Other Translations

8 So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away.

8 They are brought to ruin, with their own tongues turned against them; all who see them will wag their heads.

8 Their own tongues will ruin them, and all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.

8 Fall flat on their faces in full view of the grinning crowd.

8 So they shall be made to stumble, their own tongue being against them: All that see them shall wag the head.

8 They will trip over their own tongues. Everyone who sees them will shake his head.

8 They will be made to stumble; their own tongues work against them. All who see them will shake their heads.

8 He will turn their own words against them. He will destroy them. All those who see them will shake their heads and look down on them.

Psalm 64:8 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 64:8

So shall they make their own tongue to fall upon themselves,
&c.] The evil things they have wished for, threatened unto, and imprecated on others, shall come upon themselves; the curses they have cursed others with shall come upon themselves; the pit they have dug for others, they fall into. So Haman, to whom some apply the psalm, was hanged on the gallows he made for Mordecai; and the accusers of Daniel, to whom others apply it, were cast into the same den of lions they procured for him; and Babylon, who has been drunk with the blood of the saints, shall have blood given her to drink.

all that see them shall flee away;
not being able to help them, nor to bear the horrible sight, and fearing the same judgments should fall on themselves; see ( Numbers 16:34 ) ( Revelation 18:10 Revelation 18:15 ) . Or, "they shall move themselves" ^F4; shake their heads in a way of derision, as Jarchi interprets it; or skip for joy, as the word is rendered in ( Jeremiah 48:27 ) ; and then it must be understood of the righteous; who, seeing the vengeance on the wicked, rejoice, as in ( Psalms 52:6 ) ( 58:10 ) ; though, as they are afterwards particularly mentioned, others seem to be designed. The word is used for lamenting and bemoaning one's self, in ( Jeremiah 31:18 ) ; and so may be applied to the friends of the wicked lamenting and bemoaning their ruin, and their being bereaved of them, ( Revelation 18:9 Revelation 18:11 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 (wrdwnty) "amovebunt se", Montanus; "commovebuntur", Vatablus.

Psalm 64:8 In-Context

6 They plot injustice and say, “We have devised a perfect plan!” Surely the human mind and heart are cunning.

7 But God will shoot them with his arrows; they will suddenly be struck down.

8 He will turn their own tongues against them and bring them to ruin; all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.

9 All people will fear; they will proclaim the works of God and ponder what he has done.

10 The righteous will rejoice in the LORD and take refuge in him; all the upright in heart will glory in him!

Cross References

• 1. S Psalms 59:12; Psalms 9:3; Proverbs 18:7
• 2. S 2 Kings 19:21; Psalms 109:25; Psalms 22:7
• 3. S Deuteronomy 28:37