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Psalms 64

BSB·10 verses ·Old Testament
✦ Tap any verse to open Scripture Explorer — original Hebrew/Greek, commentary, notes & highlights
1Hearשְׁמַע־šə·ma‘- — to hear, listen, obeyH8085 — Full Word Study →, O Godאֱלֹהִ֣ים’ĕ·lō·hîm — God, the divine beingH430 — Full Word Study →, my voiceקוֹלִ֣יqō·w·lî — voice, sound, or cryH6963 — Full Word Study → of complaintבְשִׂיחִ֑יḇə·śî·ḥî — Complaint, meditation, or speech; utterance of the heartH7879 — Full Word Study →; preserveתִּצֹּ֥רtiṣ·ṣōr — to guard, watch, keep, preserveH5341 — Full Word Study → my lifeחַיָּֽי׃ḥay·yāy — alive, living, lifeH2416 — Full Word Study → from dreadמִפַּ֥חַדmip·pa·ḥaḏ — dread, terror, overwhelming fearH6343 — Full Word Study → of the enemyא֝וֹיֵ֗ב’ō·w·yêḇ — Enemy; adversary; one who opposesH341 — Full Word Study →. 2Hide meתַּ֭סְתִּירֵנִיtas·tî·rê·nî — To hide, conceal, or keep secretH5641 — Full Word Study → from the schemingמִסּ֣וֹדmis·sō·wḏ — Secret counsel, intimate advice, private gatheringH5475 — Full Word Study → of the wickedמְרֵעִ֑יםmə·rê·‘îm — to break, spoil, or do evilH7489 — Full Word Study →, from the mobמֵ֝רִגְשַׁ֗תmê·riḡ·šaṯ — tumultuous crowd, insurrection, commotionH7285 — Full Word Study → of workersפֹּ֣עֲלֵיpō·‘ă·lê — to do, work, make, performH6466 — Full Word Study → of iniquityאָֽוֶן׃’ā·wen — Evil, wickedness, iniquity, or worthlessnessH205 — Full Word Study →, 3whoאֲשֶׁ֤ר’ă·šer — who, which, that; when, where, becauseH834 — Full Word Study → sharpenשָׁנְנ֣וּšā·nə·nū — To sharpen; to make keen or acuteH8150 — Full Word Study → their tonguesלְשׁוֹנָ֑םlə·šō·w·nām — Tongue; language; speechH3956 — Full Word Study → like swordsכַחֶ֣רֶבḵa·ḥe·reḇ — sword; blade weaponH2719 — Full Word Study → and aimדָּרְכ֥וּdā·rə·ḵū — to tread, walk, or trample; to guide or leadH1869 — Full Word Study → their bitterמָֽר׃mār — Bitter; marked by anguish or grievingH4751 — Full Word Study → wordsדָּבָ֥רdā·ḇār — word, matter, thing, affairH1697 — Full Word Study → like arrowsחִ֝צָּ֗םḥiṣ·ṣām — Arrow; projectile weapon or shaftH2671 — Full Word Study →, 4ambushingלִיר֣וֹתlî·rō·wṯ — To shoot, throw, or teach; to direct or instructH3384 — Full Word Study → the innocentתָּ֑םtām — Complete, perfect, upright, blamelessH8535 — Full Word Study → in seclusionבַּמִּסְתָּרִ֣יםbam·mis·tā·rîm — A hiding place; secret location or concealmentH4565 — Full Word Study →, shootingיֹ֝רֻ֗הוּyō·ru·hū — To shoot, throw, or teach; to direct or instructH3384 — Full Word Study → suddenlyפִּתְאֹ֥םpiṯ·’ōm — suddenly, unexpectedly, all at onceH6597 — Full Word Study →, withoutוְלֹ֣אwə·lō — not; negation; absenceH3808 — Full Word Study → fearיִירָֽאוּ׃yî·rā·’ū — to fear, revere, or be afraidH3372 — Full Word Study →. 5They hold fastיְחַזְּקוּ־yə·ḥaz·zə·qū- — To strengthen, make firm, establishH2388 — Full Word Study → to their evilרָ֗עrā‘ — evil, bad, harm, disasterH7451 — Full Word Study → purposeדָּ֘בָ֤רdā·ḇār — word, matter, thing, affairH1697 — Full Word Study →; they speakיְֽ֭סַפְּרוּyə·sap·pə·rū — To count, record, or declareH5608 — Full Word Study → of hidingלִטְמ֣וֹןliṭ·mō·wn — To hide, conceal, or bury secretlyH2934 — Full Word Study → their snaresמוֹקְשִׁ֑יםmō·wq·šîm — snare, trap, or netH4170 — Full Word Study →. “Whoמִ֣יmî — who? what person?H4310 — Full Word Study → will seeיִרְאֶה־yir·’eh- — to see, perceive, behold, experienceH7200 — Full Word Study → them?” they sayאָ֝מְר֗וּ’ā·mə·rū — to say, speak, declareH559 — Full Word Study →. 6They deviseיַֽחְפְּֽשׂוּ־yaḥ·pə·śū- — to search diligently, to seek out, to disguise oneselfH2664 — Full Word Study → injustice and say, “We have perfectedתַּ֭מְנוּtam·nū — to finish, complete, bring to an endH8552 — Full Word Study → a secretחֵ֣פֶשׂḥê·p̄eś — plot, scheme, or intrigueH2665 — Full Word Study → planמְחֻפָּ֑שׂmə·ḥup·pāś — to search diligently, to seek out, to disguise oneselfH2664 — Full Word Study →.” For the innerוְקֶ֥רֶבwə·qe·reḇ — midst, inner part, heart, inward beingH7130 — Full Word Study → manאִ֝֗ישׁ’îš — man, male person, husbandH376 — Full Word Study → and the heartוְלֵ֣בwə·lêḇ — Heart; the center of emotion, will, and intellectH3820 — Full Word Study → are mysteriousעָמֹֽק׃‘ā·mōq — Deep, profound, abyssH6013 — Full Word Study →. 7But Godאֱלֹ֫הִ֥ים’ĕ·lō·hîm — God, the divine beingH430 — Full Word Study → will shoot themוַיֹּרֵ֗םway·yō·rêm — To shoot, throw, or teach; to direct or instructH3384 — Full Word Study → with arrowsחֵ֥ץḥêṣ — Arrow; projectile weapon or shaftH2671 — Full Word Study →; suddenlyפִּתְא֑וֹםpiṯ·’ō·wm — suddenly, unexpectedly, all at onceH6597 — Full Word Study → they will beהָ֝י֗וּhā·yū — to be, become, exist, happenH1961 — Full Word Study → woundedמַכּוֹתָֽם׃mak·kō·w·ṯām — A blow, wound, or plague; physical injury or divine judgmentH4347 — Full Word Study →. 8They will be made to stumbleוַיַּכְשִׁיל֣וּהוּway·yaḵ·šî·lū·hū — to stumble, fall, or collapseH3782 — Full Word Study →, their own tonguesלְשׁוֹנָ֑םlə·šō·w·nām — Tongue; language; speechH3956 — Full Word Study → turned against themעָלֵ֣ימוֹ‘ā·lê·mōw — upon, over, against; concerningH5921 — Full Word Study →. Allכָּל־kāl- — All, every, whole, totalityH3605 — Full Word Study → who seeרֹ֥אֵהrō·’êh — to see, perceive, behold, experienceH7200 — Full Word Study → will shake their headsיִ֝תְנֹדֲד֗וּyiṯ·nō·ḏă·ḏū — to wander, flee, or scatter awayH5074 — Full Word Study →. 9Then allכָּל־kāl- — All, every, whole, totalityH3605 — Full Word Study → mankindאָ֫דָ֥ם’ā·ḏām — Man, mankind, human beingH120 — Full Word Study → will fearוַיִּֽירְא֗וּway·yî·rə·’ū — to fear, revere, or be afraidH3372 — Full Word Study → and proclaimוַ֭יַּגִּידוּway·yag·gî·ḏū — to tell, declare, make knownH5046 — Full Word Study → the workפֹּ֥עַלpō·‘al — work, deed, or actionH6467 — Full Word Study → of Godאֱלֹהִ֗ים’ĕ·lō·hîm — God, the divine beingH430 — Full Word Study →; so they will ponderהִשְׂכִּֽילוּ׃hiś·kî·lū — To act wisely; to understand, prosper, or give skillH7919 — Full Word Study → what He has doneוּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֥הוּū·ma·‘ă·śê·hū — Work, deed, or actionH4639 — Full Word Study →. 10Let the righteousצַדִּ֣יקṣad·dîq — Righteous, just person; one who is right with GodH6662 — Full Word Study → rejoiceיִשְׂמַ֬חyiś·maḥ — To rejoice, be glad, make merryH8055 — Full Word Study → in the LORDבַּ֭יהוָהYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study → and take refugeוְחָ֣סָהwə·ḥā·sāh — To take refuge; to seek shelter or safetyH2620 — Full Word Study → in Him; let allכָּל־kāl- — All, every, whole, totalityH3605 — Full Word Study → the uprightיִשְׁרֵי־yiš·rê- — upright, straight, righteous, justH3477 — Full Word Study → in heartלֵֽב׃lêḇ — Heart; the center of emotion, will, and intellectH3820 — Full Word Study → exultוְ֝יִתְהַֽלְל֗וּwə·yiṯ·hal·lū — To praise, boast, or shine; to celebrate or make a displayH1984 — Full Word Study →.
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Chapter Commentary — Psalms 64
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Chapter Overview

Psalm 64 is a prayer of David in distress, crying out to God for protection against enemies who conspire in secret with malicious words and hidden plots. The psalm presents a dramatic contrast: while wicked conspirators scheme in darkness, God sees all and will execute His perfect justice. This imprecatory psalm (a prayer asking God to judge the wicked) reminds us that God is sovereign over all schemes against His people, and that evil ultimately returns upon those who devise it.

Verses 1-4: A Prayer for Protection from Secret Enemies

David opens with urgent petition: "Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy" (v. 1). The psalmist's concern is not merely physical danger but the psychological terror that accompanies known threats. He asks God to "hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity" (v. 2). The enemies he faces operate covertly—they are not open adversaries but deceitful conspirators.

Verses 3-4 shift to vivid imagery of weaponry: the wicked "whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words." This is significant—their primary weapon is speech. Slander, gossip, false accusation, and cutting remarks become arrows aimed at the innocent ("the perfect," meaning the righteous or blameless). They "shoot in secret...and fear not" because they believe their schemes are hidden from God. This captures the bold arrogance of those who forget that the Lord sees all things.

Application: We live in an age of hidden communication—texts, private messages, online forums. Like David, believers may face conspiracies of words meant to wound our reputation and shake our faith. Our refuge, like David's, must be God alone.

Verses 5-7: God's Justice Against the Wicked

The psalmist describes the conspirators' confidence in verse 5: "They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them?" This rhetorical question reveals their fatal assumption—that their hidden deeds escape divine observation. Verse 6 shows their thorough plotting: "They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep." The wicked are skilled in wickedness; they plot with cunning deliberation.

But verse 7 marks the turning point: "But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded." Just as they aimed arrows of words at the righteous, God now directs His arrow of judgment at them—and His aim is perfect and inescapable. The word "suddenly" echoes verse 4, creating poetic justice: they attacked suddenly and in secret; they shall be judged suddenly and completely.

Verses 8-10: The Exposure and Ultimate Vindication

Verse 8 declares the outcome: "So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away." Their weapon becomes their undoing—their own words condemn them. The exposure is complete and public: "all that see them shall flee away."

The final verses show the ripple effect of God's justice (vv. 9-10). When God acts, all people "shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing." God's judgment becomes a testimony to His righteous character. Meanwhile, "The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory."

Application for Today

Psalm 64 assures us that no hidden conspiracy against God's people escapes His notice. When we face slander, betrayal, or secret opposition, we need not panic or seek revenge. God invites us to pray, to trust, and to wait for His perfect justice. Our responsibility is faithfulness and integrity; His is vindication. The wicked may scheme in darkness, but "there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed" (Matthew 10:26).

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