Psalm 64

1Hear my voice, God, in my complaint. Preserve my life from fear of the enemy. 2Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked, from the noisy crowd of the ones doing evil; 3who sharpen their tongue like a sword, and aim their arrows, deadly words, 4to shoot innocent men from ambushes. They shoot at him suddenly and fearlessly. 5They encourage themselves in evil plans. They talk about laying snares secretly. They say, “Who will see them?” 6They plot injustice, saying, “We have made a perfect plan!” Surely man’s mind and heart are cunning. 7But God will shoot at them. They will be suddenly struck down with an arrow. 8Their own tongues shall ruin them. All who see them will shake their heads. 9All mankind shall be afraid. They shall declare the work of God, and shall wisely ponder what he has done. 10The righteous shall be glad in Yahweh, and shall take refuge in him. All the upright in heart shall praise him!

This whole psalm has reference to David's enemies, persecutors, and slanderers; many such there were, and a great deal of trouble they gave him, almost all his days, so that we need not guess at any particular occasion of penning this psalm. I. He prays to God to preserve him from their malicious designs against him (Psa 64:1, Psa 64:2). II. He gives a very bad character of them, as men marked for ruin by their own wickedness (Psa 64:3-6). III. By the spirit of prophecy he foretels their destruction, which would redound to the glory of God and the encouragement of his people (Psa 64:7-10). In singing this psalm we must observe the effect of the old enmity that is in the seed of the woman against the seed of the serpent, and assure ourselves that the serpent's head will be broken, at last, to the honour and joy of the holy seed.

To the chief musician. A psalm of David.

Cross-references: Ps 64:1 · Ps 64:2 · Ps 64:3 · Ps 64:7

Introduction