Psalms 64

Psalms 641. To the Chief Musician, A Psalm by David. The correctness of this title is abundantly established by the marked internal similarity between this and other psalms of David. Its very structure is Davidic, exhibiting the two familiar elements of a prayer for deliverance from wicked enemies, Psalms 64:1-5, and a confident anticipation of a favourable answer, Psalms 64:6-10.

2. (Psalms 64:1). Hear, O God, my voice in my complaint; from fear of the enemy thou wilt preserve my life. Here, as in Psalms 51, the expression of confidence insinuates itself into the prayer itself. Complaint, literally musing, meditation, but with special reference to suffering and danger. See above, on Psalms 55:2. Fear of the enemy, that which I have reason to fear from him.

3. (Psalms 64:2). Thou wilt hide me from the secret of evil doers, from the tumult of the workers of iniquity. By secret we are here to understand their confidential consultations and the devices there matured. See above, on Psalms 25:14. The participle doing evil, used as a noun (evil doers) to describe the whole class of wicked men, is a favourite expression of David’s. See above, Psalms 22:16; Psalms 26:5; Psalms 27:2; Psalms 37:1; Psalms 37:9. As secrecy belongs, to the formation of the plot, so does noise or tumult to its execution. The same figures are combined, but in a very different application, Psalms 55:14.

4. (Psalms 64:3). Who have sharpened, like the sword, their tongue, have strung their arrow, bitter speech. The figure in the first clause is a favourite with David. See above, on Psalms 52:2; Psalms 57:4; Psalms 59:7. Strung their arrow, literally trod (i.e. bent) it, which must either be explained as an ellipsis–bent their (bow to shoot their) arrow— or as a poetical transfer to the arrow of what is strictly applicable only to the bow. See above, on Psalms 58:7. The figure of an arrow is peculiarly appropriate to the poignant pain produced by insult and calumny, which is also well expressed by the epithet bitter. Compare Deuteronomy 32:24, 1 Samuel 15:32.

5. (Psalms 64:4). To shoot in secret places (at) the perfect; suddenly they will shoot him, and will not fear. With the first clause compare Psalms 10:8; Psalms 11:2. The perfect, the sincere and upright servant of God, who is free from all fatal and essential defect of character. See above, on Psalms 15:2; Psalms 18:23; Psalms 25:21; Psalms 26:1; Psalms 26:11; Psalms 37:37, in the last of which places the Hebrew adjective has the same form as in the case before us. And will not fear, i.e. without being deterred by the fear of God or man. See above, on Psalms 55:19.

6. (Psalms 64:5). They will strengthen for themselves an evil word; they will tell abouthiding snares; they have said, who will see to them? To strengthen is to make strong, to construct so as to be strong. An evil word is an idiomatic phrase for a malignant plot, so called because it is the fruit of mutual discourse and consultation. See above, on Psalms 41:8. Tell about, count and recount their various devices, past and present. See above, on Psalms 59:12. The interrogation in the last clause is an indirect one; the equi valent direct form would be, who will see to us, i.e. regard us? Compare Psalms 10:11; Psalms 39:7.

7. (Psalms 64:6). They search out iniquities; (they say) We are ready— a consummate plan! and the inward thought and heart of (every) man (is) deep. They rack their invention and ransack their memory for modes of doing mischief. We are ready, literally finished, just as we might say in English, we are done. The next phrase consists of a passive participle, derived from the verb at the beginning of the sentence, and a cognate noun. The participle here corresponds to exquisite, recherché, something not to be had without laborious search, and the noun describes the product of the search itself.

The last clause is added to enhance the danger, by representing the device as springing, not from shallow, superficial, but profound contrivance. Inward thought, literally inside, an equivalent to heart, often used by David. See above, on Psalms 5:9; Psalms 49:11; Psalms 55:15; Psalms 62:4.

8. (Psalms 64:7). But God has shot them— with an arrow— suddenly— the wounds are theirs. By an abrupt but beautiful transition he describes the tables as completely turned upon the enemy. The antithesis is rendered very striking by the repetition of the verb, noun, and adverb used in Psalms 64:3-4. Just as they are about to shoot an arrow suddenly at the righteous, God shoots an arrow suddenly at them. The wounds which they intended to inflict on others have become their own.

When they thought to strike others, they were struck themselves. The general idea is the same as in Psalms 7:11-16; Psalms 53:5; Psalms 57:6. The adversative particle at the beginning is substituted for the simple copulative of the Hebrew, to make the transition or antithesis more obvious in English. See above, on Psalms 52:8; Psalms 55:13.

9. (Psalms 64:8). And he has cast them down; upon them (comes) their own tongue; all shall flee gazing at them. Cast down, literally made to fall or stumble. See the use of the same verb in historical prose, 2 Chronicles 25:8, and compare the original in 2 Chron. 27. The construction is indefinite, as in Psalms 63:10, they have cast him down, i.e. he is cast down, meaning the enemy as an ideal person, who, according to the usage of these psalms, is immediately afterwards referred to in the plural number. Their tongue, i.e. the consequences of their false, malignant speeches, and their mischievous deliberations.

The verb in the last clause is an intensive form of the one used in Psalms 31:11; Psalms 55:7. Gazing at them, not simply seeing them, but seeing with emotion, whether that of wonder, joy, or terror. See above, on Psalms 54:7; Psalms 59:10. The clause seems to contain an allusion to the flight of the people, when the earth opened to devour Korah and his company, Numbers 16:34.

10. (Psalms 64:9). And all men fear, and pronounce (it) God’s doing, and his work they understand. The conversive futures spew the dependence of the sentence upon that which goes before it, and describe the action, not as actually past, but as directly consequent upon the great catastrophe described in the preceding context. And declared the work of God, i. e. pronounced it to be such. Compare Exodus 8:19. His work they understand, i.e. no longer foolishly ascribe it to mere chance or human agency.

11. (Psalms 64:10). Glad shall the righteous be in Jehovah, and shall trust in him; and (in him) shall boast (or glory) all the upright in heart. Having described the effect of the divine interposition on the wicked, and on men in general, he now shews how it will affect the righteous. In Jehovah means, as usual, in union with him and possession of him. The word translated trust is that which seems originally to denote the act of seeking shelter under an overshadowing object. See above, on Psalms 63:7. With the last clause compare Psalms 58:10; Psalms 63:11.