Psalms 64

David prayeth unto God to guard and shelter him from his enemies, whose crafty, cruel and ungodly practices he describeth, fore-telling withal their ruine to the honour of God, and the joy of the godly.

1. A Psalm of David; for the chief song-master. [See Psalm 4.on v.1.]

2. Hear O God my voice in my complaint: [i.e. whiles I complain, or devoutly pay and groan] keep my life from the enemies terror. [which he doth put me to, and vex me with, by his persecuting of me.]

3. Hide me from the secret counsel of the evil doers; from the tumultuousness [Or stir, tumultuous routing, or gathering together, uproar, see of the Hebrew word Psa.2.on v.1.] of the workers of iniquity.

4. That sharpen (or whet) their tongue as a sword; lay on a bitter word (as) their arrows etc. [Heb. Tread a bitter word that is, bend it, as they were wont to tread their footbows and so to lay on and sit their arrows, thus above Psa.58.v.8. &c. Or they have bent: a bitter word is their arrow.]

5. For to shoot the upright in hidden places hastily, [i.e. suddenly, unexpectedly, and so v.8.] they shoot at him and are not afraid. [never consider what they do, stand in no awe neither of God nor man.]

6. They strengthen themselves (in) an evil cause; they commune of hiding snares; they say who shall see them?

7. They search out all manner of villainy, [Heb. Villanies, or iniquities, base, vile, perverse practises, i.e. they use all the wit and industry they can, to find out all manner of sly devices and base projects, how to colour the executing of their wicked intentions] they search out to the utmost, what is to be search out, [Heb. They perform a thorough search, thorough search, or an enquiring that is to be enquired. Compare Psa.137.on v.8. i.e. they sent and sits out, spy, try and attempt all, which way and how they may best attain to and compass their villainous purpose. Oth. We are consumed (through their) thorough-searching search, so deep is the inmost of a man and the heart] even the inmost of a man, and the deep heart.

8. But God shall hastily shoot them with an arrow; their leagues are. [He speaketh by a prophetical spirit, of that which is to come, as if it were in being, or done and before the yes already.]

9. And their tongue [Wherewith they have so abominably and bitterly transgressed against God and me and all the godly] shall make them [Heb. Him &c. i.e. every one of them, them altogether] hurt (or offend) against themselves; [i.e. their own words shall take and ensnare them, yea they shall by their slanderous tongues vex and offend one another among themselves, and procure the one the others fall] every one that seeth them, shall pack away. [Oth. And they shall wander (or stray) about, every one shall look upon (or at) them, or see on them, viz. The righteous judgement of God, as Psa.59.v.11. &c.or according to the reading kept in the text, it may be understood, that such as were formerly well affected to them, shall now be so alienated from them, that they will have nothing to do more with them, that they will have nothing to do more with them. Heb. They shall swarve away, or fly away, in the plural, and so in the next verse.]

10. And all men [i.e. many men and people of all sorts and conditions. Heb. All, or every man] shall fear and publish Gods work, and understandingly observe his doing.

11. The righteous shall rejoice in the LORD, and trust in him: and all upright of heart [Heb. Right, or straight, direct of heart. See Psa.7.on v.11.] shall glory.