Psalm 64 comments

 

Psalm 64:1 ¶  «To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.» Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy. 2  Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity: 3  Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words: 4  That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not. 5  They encouragethemselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them? 6  They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep.

 

This Psalm can be applied in context to David when he was being harassed by King Saul or when Absalom rebelled against him and to Christ who faced the wicked counsel of the Jewish leadership who wanted to eliminate their Messiah from the scene.

 

David makes similar pleas in earlier Psalms.

 

Psalm 27:7 ¶  Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

 

Psalm 55:1 ¶  «To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David.» Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.

 

David will make similar pleas again and so will Jeremiah in his Lamentations.

 

Lamentations 3:55 ¶  I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon. 56  Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry.

 

Verse 2 suggests that this was a Psalm regarding the insurrection of Absalom but particularly to those traitors who followed him.  In any event, look at the contrast between verse 3 and two verses in Proverbs as well as a Psalm we have reviewed.

 

Proverbs 12:18 ¶  There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.

 

Proverbs 30:14  There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.

 

Psalm 57:4  My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.

 

The rest of his remarks in this passage suggest the intent and diligence of those who wish to do evil. We can easily see how this not only applies to Christ’s struggle but also to our own. There are many enemies in this country who are very clever and sharp with their words and the control of language that we have foolishly allowed them to have. Their tongues are as sharp as knives. We see them almost every day on the news.

 

We pray for mercy from God as we oppose these people.

 

Psalm 64:7 ¶  But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded. 8  So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away. 9  And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing. 10  The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.

 

The wicked have shot with their arrows, bitter words, in verse 3 and God will shoot with his arrow, as explained frequently in His Bible, judgment. The wicked’s words will turn back on them and they will run. Men will consider the judgment of God, if they are sane, and consider their own doing. But the righteous shall be glad in God and trust Him with all of those are right in their heart glorying in God.

 

Verse 7 has some cross-references from earlier Psalms 7 and 18. Please read the entire Psalm to see the context but look at the imagery in these verses.

 

Psalm 7:11  God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.

12  If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready. 13  He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors.

 

Psalm 18:14  Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.

 

Notice these cross-references for verse 8.

 

Proverbs 12:13 ¶  The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.

 

Proverbs 18:7  A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.

 

For verse 9 I thought this was interesting to consider, that all men have the capacity to see the judgment of God and think on it even though many are struck blind by their own sin nature. See how God’s judgment at the end of human history does and doesn’t elicit this response in Psalm 64:9.

 

Revelation 16:9  And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory…11  And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.

 

But later in Revelation;

 

Revelation 11:13  And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

 

Other times it is mentioned that those who are righteous and upright will glory in God for verse 10.

 

Psalm 32:11  Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

 

Psalm 33:1 ¶  Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.

 

No matter what our enemies do our praise should be in God.