Psalm 64 commentary

PSALM 64 COMME TARY
EDITED BY GLE PEASE
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
I TRODUCTIO
SPURGEO , "TITLE. To the Chief Musician. The leader of the choir, for the time
being, is charged with this song. It were well if the chief musicians of all our
congregations estimated their duty at its due solemnity, for it is no mean thing to be
called to lead the sacred song of God's people, and the responsibility is by no means
light. A Psalm of David. His life was one of conflict, and very seldom does he finish a
Psalm without mentioning his enemies; in this instance his thoughts are wholly
occupied with prayer against them.
DIVISIO . From Psalms 64:1-6 he describes the cruelty and craftiness of his foes,
and from Psalms 64:7-10 he prophesies their overthrow.
ELLICOTT, "The situation indicated in this psalm is one that frequently occurs in
Israel’s hymn-book. A prey to calumny, the poet for himself, or, more probably, for
the community, implores the protection of God, and then suddenly takes up the
prophetic strain—persuaded, from the known order of Providence, that retribution
must come—and foretells the sudden dissipation of the deeply-laid schemes of those
who vex and oppress God’s chosen people.
The last couplet is probably a liturgical addition, and not part of the original poem,
which without it divides into three regular stanzas of seven lines.
1 Hear me, my God, as I voice my complaint;
protect my life from the threat of the enemy.

BAR ES, "Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer - The use of the word voice here
would seem to imply that this was audible prayer, or that, though alone, he gave
utterance to his petitions aloud. We have this same use of the word often in the Psalms,
making it probable that even private prayers were uttered in an audible manner. In most
cases, when there is no danger of being overheard, or of its being construed as
ostentation or Pharisaism, this is favorable to the spirit of secret devotion. Compare the
notes at Dan_6:10. The word here rendered prayer means properly speech, discourse;
then, complaint; then, meditation. It is most commonly rendered complaint. See Job_
7:13; Job_9:27; Job_10:1; Job_21:4; Psa_55:2 (notes); Ps. 102 (Title); Psa_142:2. It
refers here to a state of mind caused by trouble and danger, when the deep meditation
on his troubles and dangers found expression in audible words - whether those words
were complaint or petition. As there are no indications in the psalm that David was
disposed to complain in the sense of blaming God, the proper interpretation here is that
his deep meditations took the form of prayer.
Preserve my life from fear of the enemy - Either Saul or Absalom. He prayed
that his life might be made so secure that he would not have occasion to be afraid of his
enemy.
CLARKE, "Hear my voice - The psalmist feared for his life, and the lives of his
fellow-captives; and he sought help of God. He prayed, and he lifted up his voice; and
thus showed his earnestness.
GILL, "Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer,.... The prayer of the psalmist was
vocal and expressed in a mournful manner, with groans and cries, as the word (z) used
signifies, and with great ardour and fervency; his condition, by reason of his enemies,
being very distressing, and therefore he is very eager and earnest that he might be heard;
preserve my life from fear of the enemy; David had his enemies. Saul and his
courtiers, and was afraid of them; Christ had his enemies the wicked Jews, who sought
his life before the time, and therefore he walked no more in Judea till near the time; and
whose human nature was sometimes possessed of the fears of death, though they were
sinless ones: the church and people of God have their enemies; as the men of the world,
who revile, reproach, and persecute them; Satan their adversary, who goes about seeking
to devour them; and their own corruptions and lusts which war against their souls; and
death, the last enemy, which is so to human nature, though by the grace of Christ
friendly to the saints. And the people of God have their fears of these enemies; they are
afraid of men, their revilings and persecutions, though they have no reason since God is
on their side; and of Satan, whose fiery darts and buffetings are very distressing, though
if resisted he will flee; and of their own corruptions, lest they should one day perish by
them; or, at least, lest they should break out, to the wounding of their souls, and the
dishonour of God: and some of them, through fear of death, are all their lifetime subject
to bondage: which fears, though they are not the saints' excellencies, but their
infirmities, yet are consistent with the grace of God; and under the power and influence
of these fears they apprehend sometimes their life to be in danger; and therefore pray to
the God of their life, who has given them it, and is the preserver of it, that he would
preserve their natural life, as he does; as also their spiritual life, which is preserved by
him; is bound up in the bundle of life with the Lord their God, and is hid with Christ in

God.
HE RY, "David, in these verses, puts in before God a representation of his own
danger and of his enemies' character, to enforce his petition that God would protect him
and punish them.
I. He earnestly begs of God to preserve him (Psa_64:1, Psa_64:2): Hear my voice, O
God! in my prayer; that is, grant me the thing I pray for, and this is it, Lord, preserve
my life from fear of the enemy, that is, fro the enemy that I am in fear of. He makes
request for his life, which is, in a particular manner, dear to him, because he knows it is
designed to be very serviceable to God and his generation. When his life is struck at it
cannot be thought he should altogether hold his peace, Est_7:2, Est_7:4. And, if he
plead his fear of the enemy, it is no disparagement to his courage; his father Jacob, that
prince with God, did so before him. Gen_32:11, Deliver me from the hand of Esau, for I
fear him. Preserve my life from fear, not only from the thing itself which I fear, but from
the disquieting fear of it; this is, in effect, the preservation of the life, for fear has
torment, particularly the fear of death, by reason of which some are all their life-time
subject to bondage. He prays, “Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked, from the
mischief which they secretly consult among themselves to do against me, and from the
insurrection of the workers of iniquity, who join forces, as they join counsels, to do me a
mischief.” Observe, The secret counsel ends in an insurrection; treasonable practices
begin in treasonable confederacies and conspiracies. “Hide me from them, that they may
not find me, that they may not reach me. Let me be safe under thy protection.”
JAMISO , "Psa_64:1-10. A prayer for deliverance from cunning and malicious
enemies, with a confident view of their overthrow, which will honor God and give joy to
the righteous.
preserve ... fear — as well as the danger producing it.
CALVI , "1.Hear my voice, O God! He begins by saying that he prayed earnestly,
and with vehemence, stating, at the same time, what rendered this necessary. The
voice is heard in prayer, proportionally to the earnestness and ardor which we feel.
He condescends upon the circumstances of distress in which he was presently
placed, and takes notice of the dangers to which his life was exposed from enemies,
with other points fitted to excite the favorable consideration of God. His praying
that God would protect his life, proves that it must have been in danger at this time.
In the second verse, he intimates that his enemies were numerous; and that, without
divine assistance, he would be unable to sustain their attacks. Some difficulty
attaches to the words, from their being susceptible of two meanings. The Hebrew
term ‫סוד‬ , sod, which signifies a secret, is understood by some to refer here to the
secret plots of the wicked, and by others, to denote their meeting together for
consultation. In translating it, I have employed a word which admits of either
interpretation. The term ‫רגשת‬ , rigshath, used in the second part of the verse, may
also be rendered in two ways, as meaning either an assembly of men, or noise and
uproar. It comes from ‫,רגש‬ ragash, a root signifying to make a tumult. This would
suggest that the word ‫סוד‬ , sod, in the former clause, might refer to the clandestine
plots of the wicked, and ‫,רגשת‬ rigshath, in the latter, to their open violence; and that
David prayed to be protected, on the one hand, from the malicious purposes of his

enemies, and, on the other, from the forcible measures by which they proceeded to
put them into execution. But the meaning first given, and which I have adopted,
seems the most simple and natural, That he solicits the compassion of God, by
complaining of the number that were banded against him. Still his language implies
that he looked upon the protection of heaven as amply sufficient against the greatest
combination of adversaries. I may add, that there is an implied plea for
strengthening his cause in prayer, in what he says of the malice and wickedness of
those who were opposed to him; for the more cruel and unjust the conduct of our
enemies may be, we have proportionally the better ground to believe that God will
interpose in our behalf.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 1. Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer. It often helps devotion
if we are able to use the voice and speak audibly; but even mental prayer has a voice
with God which he will hear. We do not read that Moses had spoken with his lips at
the Red Sea, and yet the Lord said to him, "Why criest thou unto me?" Prayers
which are unheard on earth may be among the best heard in heaven. It is our duty
to note how constantly David turns to prayer; it is his battle axe and weapon of war;
he uses it under every pressure, whether of inward sin or outward wrath, foreign
invasion or domestic rebellion. We shall act wisely if we make prayer to God our
first and best trusted resource in every hour of need.
Preserve my life from fear of the enemy. From harm and dread of harm protect me;
or it may be read as an expression of his assurance that it would be so; "from fear of
the foe thou wilt preserve me." With all our sacrifices of prayer we should offer the
salt of faith.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS
Whole Psalm. This Psalm is applied by R. Obadiah to Haman and Mordecai. The
enemy is Haman, the perfect man shot at is Mordecai; about whom Haman
communed with his friends to lay snares for him, and search diligently for occasions
against him and his people, which issued in his own destruction. The ancient
Midrash of the Jews applies it to Daniel, when cast into the den of lions; and Jarchi
supposes that David, by a spirit of prophecy, foresaw it, and prayed for him who
was of his seed; and that everything in the Psalm beautifully falls in with that
account. Daniel is the perfect man aimed at; the enemy are the princes of Darius's
court, who consulted against him, communed of laying snares for him, and gained
their point, which proved their own ruin. But the Psalm literally belongs to David,
by whom it was composed. John Gill.
Whole Psalm. A cry of God's elect, when persecuted for righteousness' sake, to their
Deliverer and sure Avenger. The general principle stated is very clear. The Psalm
will adjust itself, as an experimental utterance, to the lips of Christian faith
wherever brought into contact with the evil forces of the prince of this world, so as
to suffer affliction for the gospel's sake; for it expresses the condition and the hope
of one actually imperilled for the truth. How aptly a portion of this Psalm applies to
the suffering Truth Himself in the days of his affliction, when, pierced in his spirit
by lying words, he endured the contradiction of sinners against himself, needs not
be pointed out. Arthur Pridham, in " otes and Reflections on the Psalms, "1869.
Ver. 1. Preserve my life. Hebrew, lives; so called for the many faculties, operations,

revolutions, and commodities of life. John Trapp.
K&D 1-4, "The Psalm opens with an octostich, and closes in the same way. The
infinitive noun ַ‫יח‬ ִ‫שׂ‬ signifies a complaint, expressed not by the tones of pain, but in
words. The rendering of the lxx (here and in Psa_55:3) is too general, ᅚν τሬ θέεσθαί µε.
The “terror” of the enemy is that proceeding from him (gen. obj. as in Deu_2:15, and
frequently). The generic singular ‫ב‬ֵ‫ּוי‬‫א‬ is at once particularized in a more detailed
description with the use of the plural. ‫ּוד‬‫ס‬ is a club or clique; ‫ה‬ ָ‫שׁ‬ְ‫ג‬ ִ‫ר‬ (Targumic = ‫ּון‬‫מ‬ ָ‫,ה‬ e.g.,
Eze_30:10) a noisy crowd. The perfects after ‫ר‬ ֶ‫שׁ‬ ֲ‫א‬ affirm that which they now do as they
have before done; cf. Psa_140:4 and Psa_58:8, where, as in this passage, the treading or
bending of the bow is transferred to the arrow. ‫ר‬ ָ‫מ‬ ‫ר‬ ָ‫ב‬ ָ is the interpretation added to the
figure, as in Psa_144:7. That which is bitter is called ‫ר‬ ַ‫,מ‬ root ‫,מר‬ stringere, from the
harsh astringent taste; here it is used tropically of speech that wounds and inflicts pain
(after the manner of an arrow or a stiletto), πικροᆳ λόγοι. With the Kal ‫ּות‬‫ר‬‫י‬ ִ‫ל‬ (Psa_11:2)
alternates the Hiph. ‫הוּ‬ ֻ‫ּר‬‫י‬. With ‫ּם‬‫א‬ ְ‫ת‬ ִ the description takes a new start. ‫אוּ‬ ָ‫יר‬ִ‫י‬ ‫ּא‬‫ל‬ְ‫,ו‬ forming
an assonance with the preceding word, means that they do it without any fear whatever,
and therefore also without fear of God (Psa_55:20; Psa_25:18).
COKE, "David prayeth for deliverance, complaining of his enemies: he promiseth
himself to see such an evident destruction of them, that the righteous shall rejoice at it.
To the chief musician, A Psalm of David.
Title. ‫למנצח‬ ‫מזמור‬ ‫לדוד‬ lamnatseach mizmor ledavid.— This psalm was probably written by David
when he was fallen into disgrace with Saul, and driven from his court, perhaps, through the
calumnies and falsehoods which Saul's courtiers vented against him, in order to ingratiate
themselves with the king. He complains in it greatly of the treachery of his enemies, which he
describes in strong metaphors to the 6th verse, after which follows the assurance of their
downfall, and the exaltation of the righteous.
Psalms 64:1. From fear of the enemy— The fear seems to be something contrived to destroy, by
way of terrifying. See Isaiah 24 where it is mentioned with the pit and the snare, as an engine of
destruction.
BENSON, "Psalms 64:1-4. Preserve my life from fear — That is, from danger: the act or
passion of fear being often put for its object, danger, as Psalms 14:5; 1 Peter 3:14, and
frequently elsewhere. Hide me from the secret counsels of the wicked — That is, from the
ill effects of their plots against me. Who shoot their arrows — Of which phrase, see notes
on Psalms 58:7. Even bitter words — Slanderous and pernicious speeches against me.

That they may shoot in secret — Lying in ambush, or hiding themselves in secret places,
as fowlers commonly do; at the perfect — Or, upright man; that is, at me, who, in spite of
all their calumnies, dare avow that my heart is perfect with God, and that I am blameless
as to them, having given them no just provocation; suddenly — At the very first
opportunity; do they shoot at him, and fear not — Neither fear men, because they
conceal their actions from them, as appears from the foregoing and following words; nor
God, whose judgments they despise.
BI 1-10, "Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the
enemy.
Man’s enmity towards man
We see this enmity here in three aspects.
I. Piously dreaded. David prays against it. He prays for his own protection. Self-
preservation is a natural instinct, and it is right that it should have a religious
expression.
II. Characteristically working. How does enmity work generally?
1. Clandestinely (Psa_64:2). Enmity in the heart, like poison in the serpent, has
within it the instinct of cunning.
2. Slanderously (Psa_64:3-4). “Slander, whose edge,” says Shakespeare, “is sharper
than a sword.” It strikes at the reputation of the foe, and reputation is as dear as life.
3. Plottingly (Psa_64:5). It lays traps and snares for the foe everywhere—snares by
which a man may lose his commercial credit, his domestic peace, his social
reputation.
4. Diligently (Psa_64:6). Enmity is not dormant or lazy, nor a spasmodic agent, it is
systematically and persistently active: it pursues its victim, tracks him until it finds
him out, however labyrinthian the course.
III. Divinely thwarted. “God shall shoot at them with an arrow.”
1. Unawares (Psa_64:7). Divine judgment will Strike at the malignant man when he
least expects it.
2. By its own agency (Psa_64:8). The malicious man must destroy himself. This is
God’s law (Job_5:12-13).
3. in such a way as shall make an impression upon all (Psa_64:9-10). What David
here predicates of his enemies applies to all malignant men. Divine retribution will
overtake them; they shall be baffled, thwarted, confounded, ruined, (Homilist.)
COFFMAN, "EVIL SLANDERERS JUDGED BY THE LORD
SUPERSCRIPTION: FOR THE CHIEF MUSICIAN. A PSALM.
A SONG OF DAVID.

Again, there is no legitimate objection to receiving the superscription as correct. It is an
older opinion, by many centuries, than those hypothetical ascriptions which represent it
as "reflecting the situation between Mordecai and Haman,"[1] or as concerning the
conflict "Between Daniel and his enemies in Babylon which found its climax in the lion's
den."[2]
Not only are the words of this psalm applicable to both Mordecai and Daniel, but to
many other persons and situations also.
David's life was troubled by many situations in which the words of this psalm might have
been inspired; but very few scholars have even hazarded a guess as to what, exactly, the
real occasion was. We respect the words of Rawlinson who named it.
"The author is probably David, as asserted in the title; and the occasion or time was that
period a little preceding the open revolt of Absalom."[3]
The frequent mention of the "secrecy" of the enemies in the first part of the Psalm might
indicate that the revolt of Absalom was in its formative stages. It is also true that there
could have been many other occasions in the psalmists reign when similar opposition
was manifested.
Seemingly, the most natural divisions of the psalm are (1) Psalms 64:1-4; (2) Psalms
64:5-6; and (3) Psalms 64:7-10.
Psalms 64:1-4
"Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint:
Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
Hide me from the secret counsel of evil-doers,
From the tumult of the workers of iniquity;
Who have whet their tongues like a sword,
And have aimed their arrows, even bitter words,
That they may shoot in secret places at the perfect:

Suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not."
"Preserve my life from fear of the enemy" (Psalms 64:1). The interest in this verse is that
the psalmist does not pray for protection against the enemy, but that he may be
delivered from the fear that might be caused by the situation. "This makes good sense,
because such deliverance would put an end to all impediments to clear thinking and firm
resistance."[4]
"Secret counsel ... secret places" (Psalms 64:1,4). A prominent feature of the activity of
the evil-doers here is their secrecy. They did not come out openly against David, but
contrived many devices by which they hoped to undermine his authority and eventually
destroy him.
"They whet their tongues ... aim their arrows ... even bitter words" (Psalms 64:3). A
second prominent feature of this conspiracy was simple enough. It was a campaign of
secret slander. Spurgeon has a priceless little paragraph about that type of campaign.
"Is it possible for justice to invent a punishment sufficiently severe to meet the case of
the dastard who defiles my good name and remains himself in concealment? An open
liar is an angel compared with this demon. Vipers and cobras are harmless and lovable
creatures compared with such a reptile. The devil himself might blush at being the father
of so base an offspring."[5]
"In this situation, the psalmist knows of his enemies but not when they may strike."[6]
That is why he prays to be hidden (Psalms 64:2).
Speaking of all that activity of the enemies mentioned in Psalms 64:3, Matthew Henry
observed: "If they spent half that much energy in the pursuit of righteousness, it might
serve to save them."[7]
EBC, "FAMILIAR notes are struck in this psalm, which has no very distinctive features.
Complaint of secret slanderers, the comparison of their words to arrows and swords,
their concealed snares, their blasphemous defiance of detection, the sudden flashing out
of God’s retribution, the lesson thereby read to and learned by men, the vindication of
God’s justice, and praise from all true hearts, are frequent themes. They are woven here
into a whole which much resembles many other psalms. But the singer’s heart is none
the less in his words because many others before him have had to make like complaints
and to stay themselves on like confidence. "We have all of us one human heart," and
well-worn words come fresh to each lip when the grip of sorrow is felt.
The division into pairs of verses is clear here. The burdened psalmist begins with a cry
for help, passes on to dilate on the plots of his foes, turns swiftly from these to
confidence in God, which brings future deliverance into present peril and sings of it as

already accomplished, and ends with the assurance that his enemies’ punishment will
witness for God and gladden the upright.
In the first pair of verses complaint is sublimed into prayer, and so becomes
strengthening instead of weakening. He who can cry "Hear, O God, guard, hide" has
already been able to hide in a safe refuge. "The terror caused by the enemy" is already
dissipated when the trembling heart grasps at God; and escape from facts which warrant
terror will come in good time. This man knows himself to be in danger of his life. There
are secret gatherings of his enemies, and he can almost hear their loud voices as they
plan his ruin. What can he do, in such circumstances, but fling himself on God? No
thought of resistance has he. He can but pray, but he can pray; and no man is helpless
who can look up. However high and closely engirdling may be the walls that men or
sorrows build around us, there is always an opening in the dungeon roof, through which
heaven is visible and prayers can mount.
GUZIK, "Psalm 64 - Secret Plots and Sudden Shots
This Psalm is titled, To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. As with many of David's
Psalms, it concerns a crisis that made him cry out to God. It is impossible to connect this
Psalm to a specific event in David's life with certainty.
A. The wicked attack.
1. (1-4) Word weapons of the wicked.
Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation;
Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked,
From the rebellion of the workers of iniquity,
Who sharpen their tongue like a sword,
And bend their bows to shoot their arrows—bitter words,

That they may shoot in secret at the blameless;
Suddenly they shoot at him and do not fear.
a. Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation: This is an interesting turn of phrase. Either
David meant that his meditation was vocal so that God could hear his voice, or that God
would hear the silent expression of his heart as his voice. Either way, as with many times
in the Psalms, David cried out to God for help.
i. "He can but pray, but he can pray; and no man is helpless who can look up. However
high and closely engirdling may be the walls that men or sorrows build around us, there
is always an opening in the dungeon roof, through which heaven is visible and prayers
can mount." (Maclaren)
b. Preserve my life from fear of the enemy: The word fear is commonly translated dread
and speaks of something greater than the normal fear of battle. David knew how
crippling this kind of dread could be and prayed to be kept from it.
i. "In the second line, note the word dread, which is paralyzing, whereas fear can be
sobering and healthy." (Kidner)
ii. "Every sentence reveals the relentless fury and remorseless subtlety and cruelty of the
foes by whom he was surrounded. Conscious of all this he had one fear, and that was
that he should be afraid of them." (Morgan)
iii. "We need to pray as the psalmist does, not so much for the deliverance from enemies
as for deliverance from fear of them." (Morgan)
c. Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked: David knew there were dangerous
enemies plotting his destruction. He felt powerless to make them stop, so he prayed. The
NIV gives a good sense of this in translating, Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked.

i. "This is the singer's distress. The warfare is unequal. His foes are not out in the open,
but under cover." (Morgan)
ii. "Their methods cannot afford to be those of honest opposition ('the open statement of
the truth', 2 Corinthians 4:2; cf. 'I opposed him to his face', Galatians 2:11)." (Kidner)
d. Who sharpen their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows --
bitter words: The secret plots against David consisted in words and lies against him, all
pushing towards his destruction and death. This was not a case of mere words not
hurting; this was an active conspiracy to kill.
i. "In the context of this war of lies and innuendo the ambush will be either the prepared
situation which 'frames' an innocent man, or the shelter of anonymity from which a
rumour can be launched without fear." (Kidner)
ii. "An open liar is an angel compared with this demon. Vipers and cobras are harmless
and amiable creatures compared with such a reptile. The devil himself might blush at
being the father of so base an offspring." (Spurgeon)
e. Suddenly they shoot at him and do not fear: David knew that his enemies fired their
bitter words as arrows against him, and when they did it didn't bother them in the least.
They did not fear either David or God.
i. Psalm 64 emphasizes the devious nature of David's enemies. They use secret plots.
They shoot in secret. They attack suddenly. Especially because David mentioned an
attack by arrows from a hidden or secret position, his enemies acted like the ancient
version of snipers.
ii. "The key word in Psalm 64 is suddenly, meaning 'unexpectedly' or 'without warning.'"
(Boice) "Suddenly; shortly and unexpectedly." (Poole)
iii. David knew how dangerous it was in battle if there was a hidden archer working as a
sniper. If he could see and confront his enemy one-on-one, a warrior such as David liked

his chances. The hidden sniper was of great concern, to be put down by an arrow you
never saw coming.
iv. David's enemies didn't use literal arrows, but they attacked him secretly,
anonymously, without the courage to say things to his face. They shot at him like a
sniper shoots at a man who has no way to defend himself.
NISBET, "GOD THE DEFENCE OF THE PERSECUTED
‘Preserve my life.’
Psalms 64:1
I. This is the cry of distress, and yet not of despair.—The Psalmist is beset by wily
enemies who plan and plot against him with malicious and persistent determination. In
great detail he describes their method. It is that of secret counsel and studied cruelty.
They have one object, that of harming the righteous by shooting at him from secret
places. They strengthen themselves by declaring that none can see them. This is his
distress. The warfare is unequal. His foes are not in the open, but under cover. At verse
seven we have the beginning of his account of the reason why his distress is not despair.
Over against their evil determination to shoot at the righteous is the fact that God shall
shoot at them. That is the security of the trusting soul.
II. In New Testament times the truth is expressed differently, but the principle abides, ‘If
God be for us, who can be against us?’—The practical application of this to the righteous
is that there is no need for them to attempt to take vengeance on their enemies. Their
one care is to trust in God. Such trust will issue in gladness, and the inevitable
vindication of their faith. In order to this we ever need to pray, as the Psalmist does, not
so much for deliverance from enemies as for deliverance from fear of them.
Illustration
‘The Divine deed, patent to all, of judicial retribution, becomes a blessing to humanity.
Passed on from mouth to mouth it becomes a warning. For the righteous in particular it
becomes a consoling and joyous confirmation of faith. The righteous rejoices in his God,
Who by judging and redeeming in this fashion makes history the history of redemption;
with so much the more confidence he hides himself in Him; and all the upright glory in
God, Who looks into the heart, and in deeds acknowledges those whose hearts are
conformed to Him.’
PETT, "Heading.
‘For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.’
Once again the Psalm is dedicated to the Chief Musician, but we are told nothing about it
except that it is a Psalm of David.

The Psalm can be divided into four sections as follows:
1) David Prays For Deliverance From Those Who Plot Against Him And Attack Him
Verbally Behind His Back (Psalms 64:1-4).
2) The Psalmists Description Of The Whisperers Who Think That Their Schemes
Are Undetected (64-5-6).
3) But God Has Taken Note And Will Turn Their Schemes Back On Their Own
Heads So That All Will See Their Folly And Recognise In Their Demise The Hand Of God
(Psalms 64:7-9).
4) What Happens In Respect Of David Will Encourage The Righteous Who As A
Consequence Will Rejoice In YHWH And Take Refuge In Him (Psalms 64:10).
David Prays For Deliverance From Those Who Plot Against Him And Attack Him
Verbally Behind His Back (Psalms 64:1-4).
We are given no clue as to what situation in life caused the Psalm to be composed, but
the words are from one who is facing verbal assault, albeit indirectly. They snipe at him
secretly behind his back. They ‘shoot at him in secret places’. They lay ‘secret snares’
saying “Who will see them?” Whenever we find ourselves the subjects of innuendoes
hurled at us behind our backs, we can find comfort in this Psalm. Such a situation has
been the lot of God’s people throughout all centuries.
Psalms 64:1-4
‘Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint,
Hide me from the secret counsel of evildoers,
From the tumult of the workers of iniquity,
Who have whet their tongue like a sword,
And have aimed their arrows, even bitter words,
That they may shoot in secret places at the blameless,
Suddenly do they shoot at him, and are not afraid.’
The Psalm opens with a prayer that God will hear the complaint that the Psalmist makes
against the whisperers who whisper behind his back, and calls on God to enable him not
to be afraid of them, ‘preserve my life from the fear of the enemy’. They are not out to
attack him physically, but by whispered innuendo, and secret plots behind his back.
David experienced such behaviour when he was a Commander under Saul. He
experienced it at the time of Absalom’s rebellion. And anyone who is in a position of
authority is liable to be subject to such treatment, especially those who are faithful to
God. It is a reminder that we can bring such matters to God and leave then there.

So he calls on God to hide him from the ‘secret counsel of evildoers’, from the
consequences of their secret planning; to protect him from the vicious disturbing harsh
whispers and innuendoes (‘tumult’) of ‘workers of iniquity’. Note God’s verdict on
whisperers. They are ‘evildoers’ and ‘workers of iniquity’, as are all whisperers.
Whisperers in churches should take note of this. If they have complaints they should
bring them out openly, not seek to undermine the authority of those in positions of
responsibility by surreptitious means, otherwise they too are doing evil and working
iniquity.
There was nothing haphazard about these whispers. Those who whispered behind closed
doors took a great deal of trouble about it. They sharpened their tongues as they would a
sword. Their words were carefully aimed and let loose in order to cause the most
damage. They shot from secret places where they could not be seen and identified. And it
was all aimed at one who was blameless of what they accused him of. They spoke
innuendoes and lies.
‘They shoot at him, and are not afraid.’ They are brazen in their efforts, and confident
that they will not be identified. Thus they have no fear. But they are clearly afraid to
come out into the open.
LANGE, "Its Contents.—Owing to the absence of all historical references, we cannot
state any particular time in the life of David for its composition. The Psalm which have
corresponding figures and features belong to very different periods. The situation of the
Psalmist is one which frequently recurs in the life of David. In lamentation to God he
implores protection against a throng of wicked men who threaten his life, ( Psalm 64:1-
2), who seek to destroy him, especially by ill report and other secret devices ( Psalm
64:3; Psalm 64:6). On this account the judgment of God will overtake them ( Psalm
64:7-8), the knowledge of which will serve as a warning to all men ( Psalm 64:9), but will
strengthen the faith of the righteous, rejoicing them and encouraging them.
[Str. I. Psalm 64:1. In my lamentation.—Delitzsch: “The infin. nom.ַ‫יח‬ ִ‫ׂש‬ means
lamentation, complaint, not in sounds of pain, but in words of pain.” See Psalm 51:2.
2 Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked,
from the plots of evildoers.

BAR ES, "Hide me - Or, more literally, thou wilt hide me. There is both an implied
prayer that this might be done, and a confident belief that it would be done. The idea is,
Protect me; guard me; make me safe - as one is who is hidden or concealed so that his
enemies cannot find him.
From the secret counsel - The word used here - ‫סוד‬ sôd - means properly couch,
cushion; and then, a divan, a circle of friends sitting together on couches for familiar
conversation, or for counsel. See Psa_25:14, note; Psa_55:14, note; compare Job_15:8;
Job_29:4. Here the reference is to the consultations of his enemies for the purpose of
doing him wrong. Of course, as they took this counsel together, he could not know it,
and the word secret is not improperly applied to it. The idea here is, that although he did
not know what that counsel or purpose was, or what was the result of their
consultations, yet God knew, and he could guard him against it.
Of the wicked - Not the wicked in general, but his particular foes who were
endeavoring to destroy him. Luther renders this, “from the assembling of the wicked.”
From the insurrection - The word used here - ‫רגשׁה‬ rigshâh - means properly a
“noisy crowd, a multitude.” The allusion is to such a crowd, such a disorderly and violent
rabble, as constituted a mob. He was in danger not only from the secret purposes of the
more calm and thoughtful of his enemies who were plotting against him, but from the
excited passions of the multitude, and thus his life was in double danger. If he escaped
the one, he had no security that he would escape the other. So the Redeemer was
exposed to a double danger. There was the danger arising from the secret plottings of the
Scribes and Pharisees assembled in council, and there was also the danger arising from
the infuriated passions of the multitude. The former calmly laid the plan for putting him
to death by a judicial trial; the others took up stones to stone him, or cried, “Crucify him,
crucify him!” The word insurrection here does not well express the idea. The word
tumult would better represent the meaning of the original.
Of the workers of iniquity - That is, of those who were arrayed against him.
CLARKE, "Hide me from the secret counsel - They plotted his destruction, and
then formed insurrections in order to accomplish it.
Workers of iniquity - Those who made sin their labor, their daily employment; it
was their occupation and trade. It is supposed that by this title the Babylonians are
intended. See Psa_6:3; Psa_14:4; Psa_36:12; Psa_53:4; Psa_59:2.
GILL, "Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked,.... The word used
denotes both the place where wicked men meet together for consultation; see Gen_49:6;
and the counsel itself they there take; from the bad effects of which the psalmist desired
to be hid and preserved. So Saul and his courtiers secretly took counsel against David,
and the Jews against Christ, and that very privily and secretly; see Mat_26:3;
from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity; their noise, rage, and tumult;
see Psa_2:1. The former phrase denotes their secret machinations and designs, and this
their open violence; and the persons that entered into such measures are no other than
evildoers and workers of iniquity; though they might be under a profession of religion,

as David's enemies, and the Jews, who were Christ's enemies, were, Mat_7:22; and who
are further described in the next verses.
JAMISO , "insurrection — literally, “uproar,” noisy assaults, as well as their secret
counsels.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 2. Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked. From their
hidden snares hide me. Circumvent their counsel; let their secrets be met by thy
secret providence, their counsels of malice by thy counsels of love.
From the insurrection of the workers of iniquity. When their secret counsels break
forth into clamorous tumults, be thou still my preserver. When they think evil, let
thy divine thoughts defeat them; and when they do evil, let thy powerful justice
overthrow them: in both cases, let me be out of reach of their cruel hand, and even
out of sight of their evil eye. It is a good thing to conquer malicious foes, but a better
thing still to be screened from all conflict with them, by being hidden from the strife.
The Lord knows how to give his people peace, and when he wills to make quiet, he is
more than a match for all disturbers, and can defeat alike their deep laid plots and
their overt hostilities.
WHEDO , "2. Secret counsel—Conspiracy, dark plotting.
Insurrection—The word signifies a tumultuous assembly, a rushing together of the
masses, as Psalms 2:1; a noisy crowd, Psalms 55:14. The secret counsel of Saul and
the leaders of the nation gave birth to open demonstrations on the part of the
people, both which are here deprecated.
LA GE, "Psalm 64:2. From the secret league of the wicked—from the tumultuous
throng of evil doers.—Delitzsch: “‫סוֹד‬ is the club or clique, ‫ה‬ָ‫ְשׁ‬‫ג‬ ִ‫ר‬ the noisy crowd.”
Perowne translates ‫סוֹד‬ as conspiracy; this is the sense, but it is better to employ the
more general meaning of the word referring to secret converse in the intimacy of
friendship on the one hand, and of devising, planning, plotting on the other. See
Psalm 25:14.
3 They sharpen their tongues like swords
and aim cruel words like deadly arrows.

BAR ES, "Who whet their tongue like a sword - Who sharpen their tongue;
that is, they utter words that will cut deep, or penetrate the soul. The idea is that of
slander or reproach - the same idea which we have in Shakespeare (Cymbeline):
“‘Tis slander;
Whose edge is sharper than the sword.”
This comparison is a favorite one with David. Compare Psa_52:2; Psa_57:4; Psa_
59:7.
And bend their bows ... - That is, they prepare for this - as they make ready to
shoot who bend their bows, and fix their arrows on the string. The idea here is, that this
was deliberate, or was the result of counsel and purpose. It was not an outbreak of mere
passion and excitement; it was by fixed design and careful preparation. See Psa_11:2,
note; Psa_58:7, note.
Even bitter words - We apply the same term bitter now to words of malice and
reproach.
CLARKE, "Who whet their tongue like a sword - They devise the evil they shall
speak, and meditate on the most provoking, injurious, and defamatory words; as the
soldier whets his sword that he may thereby the better cut down his enemies.
Their arrows - bitter words - Their defamatory sayings are here represented as
deadly as poisoned arrows; for to such is the allusion here made.
GILL, "Who whet their tongue like a sword,.... Use cutting, wounding, killing,
and devouring words; on which they set an edge, and make them keener and keener to
hurt and ruin the characters and reputations of good men, and grieve and distress their
minds;
and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words; such are the
these doctrines of heretical men, which are roots of bitterness, that defile some and
trouble others; such are the oaths and curses of profane sinners, whose mouths are full
of cursing and bitterness; and such are the blasphemies of antichrist against God,
against his tabernacle, and against them that dwell therein; and such are the hard
speeches spoken by ungodly sinners against Christ and his people; these are like arrows
shot from a bow, and full of deadly poison. The Targum is
"they stretch out their bows, they anoint their arrows with deadly and bitter poison.''
There seems to be an allusion to fixing letters in arrows, and so shooting or directing
them where it was desired they should fall and be taken up; so Timoxenus and Artobazus
sent letters to one another in this way, at the siege of Potidaea (a): and after the same
manner, the Jews say (b), Shebna and Joab sent letters to Sennacherib, acquainting him

that all Israel were willing to make peace with him; but Hezekiah and Isaiah would not
allow them to.
HE RY, " He complains of the great malice and wickedness of his enemies: “Lord,
hide me from them, for they are the worst of men, not fit to be connived at; they are
dangerous men, that will stick at nothing; so that I am undone if thou do not take my
part.”
1. They are very spiteful in their calumnies and reproaches, Psa_64:3, Psa_64:4. They
are described as military men, with their sword and bow, archers that take aim exactly,
secretly, and suddenly, and shoot at the harmless bird that apprehends not herself in any
danger. But, (1.) Their tongues are their swords, flaming swords, two-edged swords,
drawn swords, drawn in anger, with which they cut, and wound, and kill, the good name
of their neighbours. The tongue is a little member, but, like the sword, it boasts great
things, Jam_3:5. It is a dangerous weapon. (2.) Bitter words are their arrows -
scurrilous reflections, opprobrious nicknames, false representations, slanders, and
calumnies, the fiery darts of the wicked one, set on fire to hell. For these their malice
bends their bows, to send out these arrows with so much the more force. (3.) The
upright man is their mark; against him their spleen is, and they cannot speak peaceably
either of him or to him. The better any man is the more he is envied by those that are
themselves bad, and the more ill is said of him. (4.) They manage it with a great deal of
art and subtlety. They shoot in secret, that those they shoot at may not discover them
and avoid the danger, for in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird. And suddenly
do they shoot, without giving a man lawful warning or any opportunity to defend
himself. Cursed be he that thus smites his neighbour secretly in his reputation, Deu_
27:24. There is no guard against a pass made by a false tongue. (5.) Herein they fear not,
that is, they are confident of their success, and doubt not but by these methods they shall
gain the point which their malice aims at. Or, rather, they fear not the wrath of God,
which they will be the portion of a false tongue. They are impudent and daring in the
mischief they do to good people, as if they must never be called to an account for it.
JAMISO , "Similar figures for slander (Psa_57:4; Psa_59:7).
bend — literally, “tread,” or, “prepared.” The allusion is to the mode of bending a bow
by treading on it; here, and in Psa_58:7, transferred to arrows.
CALVI , "3For they have whetted their tongue like a sword His enemies, in their
rage, aimed at nothing less than his life, and yet what he complains of, more than all
beside, is the poison with which their words were imbued. It is probable that he
refers to the calumnious reports which he knew to be falsely spread to his discredit,
and with a view of damaging his reputation with the people. Their tongues he likens
to swords; their bitter and venomous words to arrows. (440) And when he adds,
that, they shoot against the upright and innocent, he is to be considered as
contrasting his integrity with their unprincipled conduct. It inspired him with
confidence in his religious addresses, to know that he could exonerate his own
conscience from guilt, and that he was the object of undeserved attack by worthless
and abandoned men. In mentioning that they shoot secretly and suddenly, he refers
to the craft which characterised them. They were not only eagerly bent upon

mischief, and intent in watching their opportunities, but so expert and quick in their
movements, as to smite their victim before he could suspect danger. When we hear
that David, who was a man in every respect so much more holy and upright in his
conduct than ourselves, suffered from groundless aspersions upon his character, we
have no reason to be surprised that we should be exposed to a similar trial. This
comfort, at least, we always have, that we can betake ourselves to God, and obtain
his defense of the upright cause. He takes particular notice of another circumstance,
that they shot their empoisoned arrows from their lips without fear, or shame. This
self-secure spirit argued a degree of abandoned presumption, in so far as they could
persist in obstinately pursuing the conduct in which they had been repeatedly
detected, and renew their desperate attempts, to the disregard of all fear of God or
worldly shame.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 3. Who whet their tongue like a sword. Slander has ever been
the master weapon of the good man's enemies, and great is the care of the malicious
to use it effectively. As warriors grind their swords, to give them an edge which will
cut deep and wound desperately, so do the unscrupulous invent falsehoods which
shall be calculated to inflict pain, to stab the reputation, to kill the honour of the
righteous. What is there which an evil tongue will not say? What misery will it not
labour to inflict?
And bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words. Far off they dart their
calumnies, as archers shoot their poisoned arrows. They studiously and with force
prepare their speech as bent bows, and then with cool, deliberate aim, they let fly
the shaft which they have dipped in bitterness. To sting, to inflict anguish, to
destroy, is their one design. Insult, sarcasm, taunting defiance, nicknaming, all these
were practised among Orientals as a kind of art; and if in these Western regions,
with more refined manners, we are less addicted to the use of rough abuse, it is yet
to be feared that the less apparent venom of the tongue inflicts none the less
poignant pain. However, in all cases, let us fly to the Lord for help. David had but
the one resource of prayer against the twofold weapons of the wicked, for defence
against sword or arrow he used the one defence of faith in God.
Ver. 3. Who whet their tongue, etc. The verb means, says Parkhurst, "to whet,
sharpen, "which is performed by reiterated motion of friction; and by a beautiful
metaphor it is applied to a wicked tongue. It has, however, been rendered, vibrate,
as it is certain a serpent does his tongue. Richard Mant.
Ver. 3. The ingenuity of man has been wonderfully tasked and exercised in two
things, inventing destructive weapons of war, and devising various methods of
ruining men by wicked words. The list of the former is found in military writings.
But the various forms of evil speaking can hardly be catalogued. Evil speakers have
arrows, sharp, barbed, dipped in poison. They have "swords, flaming swords, two
edged swords, drawn swords, drawn in anger, with which they cut, and wound, and
kill the good name of their neighbour." Sins of the tongue are commonly very cruel.
When slander is secret, as it commonly is, you cannot defend yourself from its
assaults. Its canons are infernal. One of them is, "If a lie will do better than the
truth, tell a lie." Another is, "Heap on reproach; some of it will stick." William S.
Plumer.

Ver. 3-4. We saw in the Museum at Venice an instrument with which one of the old
Italian tyrants was accustomed to shoot poisoned needles at the objects of his
wanton malignity. We thought of gossips, backbiters, and secret slanderers, and
wished that their mischievous devices might come to a speedy end. Their weapons of
innuendo, shrug, and whisper, appear to be as insignificant as needles: but the
venom which they instil is deadly to many a reputation. C. H. Spurgeon, in
"Feathers for Arrows; or, Illustrations for Preachers and Teachers, "1870.
Ver. 3-4. David, upon sad experience, compares a wicked, reviling tongue to three
fatal weapons--a razor, a sword, and an arrow. To a razor, such a one as will take
off every little hair: so a reviling tongue will not only take advantage of every gross
sin committed by others, but those peccadilloes, the least infirmities which others
better qualified cannot so much as discern; secondly, to a sword that wounds: so the
tongues of reproaching men cut deeply into the credits and reputations of their
brethren, but a sword doth mischief only near hand, not afar off; and, therefore, it
is in the third place compared to an arrow, that can hit at a distance: and so revilers
do not ill offices to those only in the parish or town where they live, but to others far
remote. How much, then, doth it concern every man to walk circumspectly; to give
no just cause of reproach, not to make himself a scorn to the fools of the world; but,
if they will reproach (as certainly they will), let it be for forwardness in God's ways,
and not for sin, that so the reproach may fall upon their own heads, and their
scandalous language into their own throats. Jeremiah Burroughs.
Ver. 3,7-8. The most mischievous weapons of the wicked are words, even bitter
words; but the Word is the chief weapon of the Holy Spirit: and as with this sword
the great Captain foiled the tempter in the wilderness, so may we vanquish "the
workers of iniquity" with the true Jerusalem blade. J. L. K.
WEDO , "3. Bend their bows—Hebrew, They have bent their arrows. Same as
“bend the bow,” Psalms 7:13, or placing or aiming the arrow, Psalms 58:7.
Bitter words—Better, a bitter word. An evil tongue is sharper than a sword, and
“bitter words” enter deeper into the soul than barbed arrows.
EBC, "The next two pairs of verses (Psalms 64:3-6) describe the machinations of the
enemies in language for the most part familiar, but presenting some difficulties. The
metaphors of a slanderous tongue as a sword and mischief-meaning words as
arrows have occurred in several other psalms. {e.g., Psalms 55:21;, Psalms 57:4;,
Psalms 59:7} The reference may either be to calumnies or to murderous threats and
plans. The latter is the more probable. Secret plots are laid, which are suddenly
unmasked. From out of some covert of seeming friendship an unlooked-for arrow
whizzes. The archers "shoot, and fear not." They are sure of remaining concealed,
and fear neither man’s detection of them nor God’s.
PULPIT, "Psalms 64:3
Bitter words.
Of the ten commandments, two are directed against sins of speech—one against

profane words concerning God; the other against slanderous words concerning our
neighbours. o sins are apt to be thought more lightly of than sins of the tongue; yet
no sins are more severely and constantly denounced in Scripture. Probably no class
of sins does more mischief in the world. Our words are spoken of as the special
object of Divine knowledge (Psalms 139:4). The sinfulness of "bitter words" is seen
I. I THEIR SOURCE. St. James compares the heart to a fountain, and notes the
unnatural anomaly that from the same source should flow sweetness and bitterness,
blessing and cursing, praise and slander (James 3:8-12). If the heart harboured no
envy, malice, anger, pride, uncharitableness, ill-natured censorious judgments, how
sweet and refreshing would the flow of speech be (Ephesians 4:29-32; Matthew
15:18)!
II. I THEIR UTTERA CE. Our Lord speaks of the good man bringing forth
what is good from "the good treasure of his heart," and the evil man, that which is
evil "out of the evil treasure" (Matthew 12:35). Solomon marks it as one great
difference between a wise man and a fool, that the former knows how to hold his
tongue (Proverbs 10:19; Proverbs 29:11). A good man may be aware of envious evil,
uncharitable thoughts; but he is very careful how he gives them vent in bitter words.
His prayer is, "Keep the door of my lips" (Psalms 141:3). Some people not merely
find a pleasure in uttering all the sharp unkind things that occur to them; they
persuade themselves it is a duty. o matter how bitter the word may be, out it
comes, on the plea, "I must be honest; I must always speak my mind." Why must
you? It is not honesty; it is want of self-control, of sympathy, good feeling, Christian
and Christ-like consideration for others.
III. I THEIR RESULTS. The word once spoken, like the bolt overshot, cannot be
recalled. But the deadliest arrow can hit but one mark; the bitter word may fly from
lip to lip, growing as it flies, and inflict a thousand wounds before it is forgotten.
David suffered much from bitter words. He counts it a great instance of God's
goodness when he defends his servants "from the strife of tongues" (Psalms 31:20;
cf. Psalms 31:13, Psalms 31:18). Unjust, slanderous, cruel words are compared to
arrows, swords, spears, razors, serpents' teeth, burning coals (Psalms 52:2-4; Psalms
55:21; Psalms 57:4; Psalms 58:4; Psalms 120:4; Psalms 111:3).
Bitter words were no small part of the bitter cup which our Saviour drank for us,
and of which he warned his disciples they must taste. Spoken by the unbelieving
world, "falsely for his sake," they are the Christian's glory (Matthew 5:11; Matthew
10:25); but spoken by Christians of Christians, they are weapons put into the hand
of unbelief. The bitterness of controversy has perhaps been a greater hindrance to
truth than the assaults of atheism. Wherever this Marah flows—in the Church, the
home, the social circle, the nation—it poisons life. Seek to cast into it the healing
branch (Colossians 4:6).
LA GE, "Psalm 64:3-4. The figures of these Verses are favorite ones with David.
For the comparison of the tongue to a sharp sword, see Psalm 52:2; Psalm 57:4;
Psalm 59:7; for that of bitter words to fixed arrows, Psalm 58:7. As the robber lurks

in his haunts ( Psalm 10:8) or the hunter shoots from the thicket at the bird ( Psalm
11:2) so they lurk and watch for their opportunity to shoot forth their bitter words.
Unseen of men they fear not God and His retributive justice ( Psalm 55:19). C. A. B.]
4 They shoot from ambush at the innocent;
they shoot suddenly, without fear.
BAR ES, "That they may shoot in secret - From an unobserved quarter; from a
place where they are so concealed that it cannot be known where the arrows come from.
There was a purpose to ruin him, and at the same time to conceal themselves, or not to
let him know from what source the ruin came. It was not an open and manly fight, where
he could see his enemy, but it was a warfare with a concealed foe.
At the perfect - At the upright; at one who is perfect so far as his treatment of them
is concerned. Compare Psa_18:20, note; Psa_18:23, note.
Suddenly do they shoot at him - At an unexpected time, and from an unlooked-
for quarter. They accomplish what they intended; they carry out their design.
And fear not - They feel confident that they are not known, and that they will not be
detected. They have no fear of God or man. Compare Psa_55:19.
CLARKE, "That they may shoot in secret - They lurk, that they may take their
aim the more surely, and not miss their mark.
Suddenly - When there is no fear apprehended, because none is seen.
GILL, "That they may shoot in secret at the perfect,.... Meaning himself, who
though not without sin, and far from perfection in himself, in the sight of God and with
respect to his righteous law, which was exceeding broad; and therefore he saw an end of
all perfection, and desired that God would not enter into judgment with him; but yet, in
the case of Saul, he was quite clear and innocent, and without fault. Likewise the
Messiah, of whom David was a type, may be meant; who has all the perfections of the
divine and human nature in him, and is without sin, holy, harmless, pure, and undefiled:
and it may be applied to the church and people of God, who, though they are not perfect
in themselves, far from it, sin being in them, and their graces weak; unless it be in a

comparative sense; yet they are perfect in Christ Jesus, their souls being clothed with his
righteousness, and so are the spirits of just men made perfect. And this character may
also respect the truth and sincerity of grace in them, and the uprightness of their hearts
and conversation; and such as these wicked men level their arrows at, and direct their
spite and venom against, and that in the most private and secret manner;
suddenly do they shoot at him; as unseen by him, so unawares to him;
and fear not; neither God nor judgment to come. Though some understand this of the
perfect who, though shot at in this manner are intrepid and courageous, and have no
fear of their enemies; but the former sense seems best, which describes persons that
neither fear God, nor regard man.
JAMISO , "the perfect — one innocent of the charges made (Psa_18:23).
fear not — (Psa_55:19), not regarding God.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 4. That they may shoot in secret at the perfect. They lie in
ambush, with bows ready bent to aim a coward's shaft at the upright man. Sincere
and upright conduct will not secure us from the assaults of slander. The devil shot at
our Lord himself, and we may rest assured he has a fiery dart in reserve for us; He
was absolutely perfect, we are only so in a relative sense, hence in us there is fuel for
fiery darts to kindle on. Observe the meanness of malicious men; they will not
accept fair combat, they shun the open field, and skulk in the bushes, lying in
ambush against those who are not so acquainted with deceit as to suspect their
treachery, and are to manly to imitate their despicable modes of warfare.
Suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not. To secrecy they add suddenness. They
give their unsuspecting victim no chance of defending himself; they pounce on him
like a wild beast leaping on its prey. They lay their plans so warily that they fear no
detection. We have seen in daily life the arrow of calumny wounding its victim
sorely; and yet we have not been able to discover the quarter from which the
weapon was shot, nor to detect the hand which forged the arrowhead, or tinged it
with the poison. Is it possible for justice to invent a punishment sufficiently severe to
meet the case of the dastard who defiles my good name, and remains himself in
concealment? An open liar is an angel compared with this demon. Vipers and
cobras are harmless and amiable creatures compared with such a reptile. The devil
himself might blush at being the father of so base an offspring.
Ver. 3-4. See Psalms on "Psalms 64:3" for further information.
Ver. 3-4. See Psalms on "Psalms 64:3" for further information.
Ver. 4. That they may shoot in secret. The wicked are said to shoot their arrows in
secret at the perfect; and then "they say, Who shall see them?" Psalms 64:5. Thus
Satan lets fly a temptation so secretly, that he is hardly suspected in the thing.
Sometimes he useth a wife's tongue to do his errand; another while he gets behind
the back of a husband, friend, servant, etc., and is not seen all the while he is doing
his work. Who would have thought to have found a devil in Peter, tempting his
Master, or suspected that Abraham should be the instrument to betray his beloved

wife into the hands of a sin? yet it was so. ay, sometimes he is so secret, that he
borrows God's bow to shoot his arrows from, and the poor Christian is abused,
thinking it is God chides and is angry, when it is the devil tempts him to think so,
and only counterfeits God's voice. William Gurnall.
WHEDO , "4. Shoot in secret—A mark at once of treachery, cowardice, and
cruelty. See Psalms 10:8-10 and Psalms 11:2.
They… fear not— “They cast their arrows at men because they are not seen by
them, and they are not afraid of God, who does see them.”—Phillips, Psalms 55:19
5 They encourage each other in evil plans,
they talk about hiding their snares;
they say, “Who will see it[b]?”
BAR ES, "They encourage themselves - literally, they strengthen themselves, or
make themselves strong. That is, they take counsel; they encourage each other; they urge
one another forward; they suggest to each other methods by which what they purpose
may be done, and by which difficulties may be overcome. This was a part of their “secret
counsel” or their consultation, Psa_64:2.
In an evil matter - Margin, as in Hebrew, speech. The reference is to their purpose
or plan. They strengthen themselves for doing what they know to be a wrong or wicked
thing.
They commune - literally, they tell or speak. That is, they tell each other how it may
be done, or suggest different methods by which it may be successfully accomplishled.
They compare views, that they may select that which will be most likely to be successful.
All this indicates plan, consultation, design.
Of laying snares privily - Margin, as in Hebrew, to hide snares. This is a figure
derived from the method of taking wild beasts. See Psa_7:15, note; Psa_38:12, note. The
reference here is to some secret plan by which they intended that the author of the psalm
should be entrapped and ruined. It was not a plan of open and manly warfare, but a
purpose to destroy him when he would have no opportunity of defense.

They say, Who shall see them? - That is, who will see the snares or pit-falls? Who
will be aware of their existence? They sought to make the plan so secret that no one
could discover it, or even suspect it; to keep it so concealed that he for whom it was
intended could not be put on his guard. Compare Psa_10:8-9.
CLARKE, "They commune of laying snares - They lay snares to entrap those
whom they cannot slay by open attack or private ambush.
GILL, "They encourage themselves in an evil matter,.... Or "strengthen him" (c);
that is, Saul, by making use of arguments and reasonings to induce him to go on in his
wicked persecution of David; or they strengthened and hardened themselves in their
wickedness, as Saul's courtiers and the enemies of Christ did, and as all wicked men do,
when they observe the sentence against them is not speedily executed, Ecc_8:11;
they commune of laying snares privily; that is, they conversed together, and
consulted how to lay snares for the perfect man in the most private manner, that they
might entrap him and destroy him;
they say, who shall see them? either the snares laid, or the persons that laid them?
None; no, not even God himself; see Psa_10:11.
HE RY, "They are very close and very resolute in their malicious projects, Psa_64:5.
(1.) They strengthen and corroborate themselves and one another in this evil matter, and
by joining together in it they make one another the more bitter and the more bold.
Fortiter calumniari, aliquid adhaerebit - Lay on an abundance of reproach; part will
be sure to stick. It is bad to do a wrong thing, but worse to encourage ourselves and one
another in doing it; this is doing the devil's work for him. It is a sign that the heart is
hardened to the highest degree when it is thus fully set to do evil and fears no colours. It
is the office of conscience to discourage men in an evil matter, but, when that is baffled,
the case is desperate. (2.) They consult with themselves and one another how to do the
most mischief and most effectually: They commune of laying snares privily. All their
communion is in sin and all their communication is how to sin securely. They hold
councils of war for finding out the most effectual expedients to do mischief; every snare
they lay was talked of before, and was laid with all the contrivance of their wicked wits
combined. (3.) They please themselves with an atheistical conceit that God himself takes
no notice of their wicked practices: They say, Who shall see them? A practical disbelief
of God's omniscience is at the bottom of all the wickedness of the wicked.
JAMISO , "A sentiment here more fully presented, by depicting their deliberate
malice.
CALVI , "5They assure themselves in an evil work. He proceeds to complain of the
perverse determination with which they pursued their wickedness, and of their
combinations amongst themselves; remarking, at the same time, upon the
confidence with which they stirred one another up to the most daring acts of
iniquity. In this there can be little doubt that they were encouraged by the present

state of weakness to which David was reduced in his circumstances, taking occasion,
when they found him in poverty and exile, and without means of resistance, to
persecute him with the greater freedom. Having adverted to them as being beyond
hope of amendment, and incapable of any impressions of humanity, he speaks of
their meeting together to plot his destruction; and, in connection with this, of the
unbounded confidence which they were led to display, from a belief that their
designs were not seen. It is well known that one circumstance which strengthens the
false security of the wicked, and encourages them to triumph in their crafty policy
towards the simple and upright in heart, is their thinking that they can cover their
crimes by such pretexts as they have always at hand. They say, Who shall see them?
The word ‫למו‬ , lamo, them, may refer either to the workers of iniquity themselves, or
to the snares spoken of in the preceding clause. The first seems the preferable
meaning. They run recklessly, and without restraint, in the ways of sin, blinded by
their pride, and influenced neither by the fear of God nor a sense of shame.
In the verse which follows, he animadverts severely upon the deceit which they
practiced. He speaks of their having exhausted all the arts of mischief, so as to have
left nothing in this department to be discovered. The search referred to has relation
to the secret methods of doing evil. He adds, that their malice was deep. By the
inward part and the heart, which was deep, he means the hidden devices to which
the wicked have recourse for concealment. Some, instead of translating the words,
the inward part of each, etc., give a more indefinite sense to ‫,איש‬ ish, and read, the
inward part, and deep heart, of every one, is found in them; that is, his enemies
contrived to comprise in themselves all that men have ever displayed in the shape of
craft and subtilty. Either rendering may be adopted; for it is evidently David’s
meaning that his enemies practiced secret stratagem as well as open violence, to
compass his ruin, and showed themselves to be possessed of the deepest penetration
in discovering dark and unimagined methods of doing mischief.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 5. They encourage themselves in an evil matter. Good men are
frequently discouraged, and not infrequently discourage one another, but the
children of darkness are wise in their generation and keep their spirits up, and each
one has a cheering word to say to his fellow villain. Anything by which they can
strengthen each other's hands in their one common design they resort to; their
hearts are thoroughly in their black work.
They commune of laying snares privily. Laying their heads together they count and
recount their various devices, so as to come at some new and masterly device. They
know the benefit of cooperation, and are not sparing in it; they pour their
experience into one common fund, they teach each other fresh methods.
They say, Who shall see them? So sedulously do they mask their attacks, that they
defy discovery; their pitfalls are too well hidden, and themselves too carefully
concealed to be found out. So they think, but they forget the all seeing eye, and the
all discovering hand, which are ever hard by them. Great plots are usually laid bare.
As in the Gunpowder Plot, there is usually a breakdown somewhere or other;
among the conspirators themselves truth finds an ally, or the stones of the field cry
out against them. Let no Christian be in bondage through fear of deep laid Jesuitical

schemes, for surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, nor divination against
Israel; the toils of the net are broken, the arrows of the bow are snapped, the devices
of the wicked are foiled. Therefore, fear not, ye tremblers; for the Lord is at your
right hand, and ye shall not be hurt of the enemy.
ELLICOTT, "(5) They encourage themselves.—Literally, they strengthen for
themselves an evil thing (or “word,” margin, LXX., and Vulg.,) which evidently
means that they take their measures carefully, and are prepared to carry them out
resolutely.
They commune . . .—Better, they calculate how they may lay snares privily. The
conspirators carefully and in secret go over every detail of their plot.
Who shall see them?—Literally, who shall look to them? which seems at first glance
to mean, “who will see the snares?” but this is weak. It may be equivalent to, “who
is likely to see us?” the question being put indirectly. But in 1 Samuel 16:7, the
expression, “looketh on,” implies “regard for,” which may possibly be the meaning
here, “who careth for them?”
WHEDO , "5. They encourage themselves—They strengthen themselves in an evil
plot or counsel. This “hand to hand” wickedness, (Proverbs 11:21,) this
emboldening each other by mutual vows of support in crime, is the last degree of
depravity.
They commune—They reckon. “Each part of their evil plot being, as it were,
carefully gone over and enumerated.”— Perowne.
They say—They say “in their heart,” within themselves, as Psalms 10:6.
Who shall see them—Literally, Who will look to it; that is, judicially, in order to
punish it. See Psalms 10:11; Psalms 10:13; Psalms 73:11; Psalms 94:7
BE SO , "Psalms 64:5-6. They encourage themselves — Hebrew, ‫,יחזקו‬ jechazeku,
they strengthen, or fortify themselves, by firm resolutions, by assured confidence of
success, by uniting their counsels and forces together, and by mutual
encouragements and exhortations. They say, Who shall see them — Their snares are
so secretly laid, that they think David cannot discern, nor therefore avoid them.
They search out iniquities — They study diligently and constantly to find out either
matter which they may lay to my charge, or new ways and means of doing mischief.
They accomplish a diligent search — They have long and accurately searched, till at
last they have ripened and perfected their thoughts, and contrived a very cunning
and deep plot. Or, they say, We have accomplished our accurate search. By long
searching we have at last found what we desired. And the heart is deep — Deep as
hell, desperately wicked, who can know it? By their unaccountable wickedness, they
show themselves to be, both in subtlety and malignity, the genuine offspring of the
old serpent.

COFFMA , "Verse 5
"They encourage themselves in an evil purpose;
They commune of laying snares privily;
They say, Who will see them?
They search out iniquities;
We have accomplished, say they, a diligent search:
And the inward thought and the heart of every one is deep."
The theme of these verses is the traps which the enemies have set to destroy the
perfect man and the snares and pitfalls they have secretly deployed in the hope of
overcoming him. Their conversation with each other continually turns upon the
discussion of such things.
"We have accomplished, say they, a diligent search" (Psalms 64:6). Dummelow
rendered this, "We have perfected, say they, a careful device."[8] The plans made
by Absalom and his advisers were very brilliant. Rawlinson thought that it might
have been due to some carefully laid trap that David was induced to leave the city of
Jerusalem during that revolt.
"They say, Who will see them?" (Psalms 64:6). These wicked men did not believe in
God and were foolish enough to think that their wickedness and devilish plans were
not only hidden from men but from God also.
EBC, "The same ideas are enlarged on in the third verse pair (Psalms 64:5-6) under
a new metaphor. Instead of arrows flying in secret, we have now snares laid to catch
unsuspecting prey. "They strengthen themselves [in] an evil plan" (lit. word)
pictures mutual encouragement and fixed determination. They discuss the best way
of entrapping the psalmist, and, as in the preceding verse, flatter themselves that
their subtle schemes are too well buried to be observed, whether by their victim or
by God. Psalms 64:6 tells without a figure the fact meant in both figures. "They
scheme villainies," and plume themselves upon the cleverness of their unsuspected
plots. The second clause of the verse is obscure. But the suppositions that in it the
plotters speak as in the last clause of the preceding verse, and that "they say" or the
like expression is omitted for the sake of dramatic effect, remove much of the
difficulty. "We have schemed a well-schemed plan" is their complacent estimate.
GUZIK, ". (5-6) The secret plotting of an evil matter.
They encourage themselves in an evil matter;
They talk of laying snares secretly;

They say, Who will see them?
They devise iniquities:
We have perfected a shrewd scheme.
Both the inward thought and the heart of man are deep.
a. They encourage themselves in an evil matter: It would be bad enough that an
individual purposed this against David, but it was worse than that. Many people
had conspired against him, planning secret traps and snares, unafraid before God
or man (Who will see them?).
i. "They foolishly believe that they are not accountable to anyone, as is expressed by
their confident question." (VanGemeren)
ii. They encourage themselves: "Good men are frequently discouraged, and not
unfrequently discourage one another, but the children of darkness are wise in their
generation and keep their spirits up, and each one has a cheering word to say to his
fellow villain." (Spurgeon)
b. We have perfected a shrewd scheme: They were proud in their evil plotting. They
boasted of their sins, showing the dark depth of their thought and heart.
i. They devise iniquities: "They search the devil's skull for new inventions; who is
ready enough to lend them his seven heads to plot and his ten horns to push at good
people." (Trapp)
ii. The inward thought and heart of man are deep: "The Hebrew literally speaks of
men's hearts as being 'deep,' the idea being that they are almost bottomless in their
supply of evil deeds and cunning." (Boice)
PETT, "The Psalmists Description Of The Whisperers (64-5-6).
Here we have a description of ‘things done by them in secret’ (Ephesians 5:12).
They carefully prepare an evil scheme, seeking to ensure that it is strong enough for
the purpose. They discuss together, laying secret snares to trap the unwary and
undiscerning. They are confident that no one will know what they are doing. o one
will take note. They are constantly on the look for weaknesses in David’s position,
and search them out thoroughly. And they are all deep schemers. All is a carefully
planned attempt to undermine David’s authority and position. They have left no

stone unturned in their attempt to do so. Those who follow God wholly are often
subject to such attacks.
Psalms 64:5-6
‘They make strong for themselves (carefully prepare) an evil scheme,
They commune together of laying snares secretly,
They say, “Who will take note of them?”
They search out iniquities,
“We have accomplished,” (they say), “a diligent search,”
And the inward thought and the heart of each one is deep.’
‘They make strong for themselves (carefully prepare and ensure the strength of) an
evil scheme.’ Theirs is no off-the-cuff reaction. It is deep seated and determined.
They want to bring David down from his exalted position. And they secretly scheme
accordingly.
‘They commune together of laying snares secretly.’ They discuss together ways in
which they can win over the mass of the people by their schemes. They lay traps for
them so that they will be deceived by them. They possibly also invent schemes by
which David can be made to look foolish and incapable and uncaring. In the days of
Absalom he had become careless of the sensitivities of the people. In the days of Saul
he had not watched his back, trusting his compatriots.
‘They say, “Who will take note of them?” They are confident that they are
unobserved as they go about their schemes. They forget that God knows them
through and through, and is aware of all that they are doing. In a way they are
unconsciously challenging God.
‘They search out iniquities.’ This either means that they had sought to obtain details
of all the ways in which David has failed, or that they search out different ways of
carrying forward their evil.
Their claim is that “We have accomplished a diligent search.” They are either proud
of their ability to sink to the depths of iniquity (they are ‘workers of iniquity’ -
Psalms 64:2), or alternatively have researched in depths David’s failures and his
coming short in his responsibilities, ignoring, of course, his successes.
PULPIT, "They encourage themselves in an evil matter; or, in an evil scheme—the
plan of making David unpopular, and then raising the standard of open revolt
against him (2 Samuel 15:1-12). They commune of laying snares privily. The
ungodly continually set traps for the righteous, who are so simple that they often fall
into them. We do not know the exact proceedings of his enemies against David at the
time, the narrative of 2 Samuel 15:1-37 being so brief; but it was probably by some
trickery that David was induced to quit the stronghold of Jerusalem, and so yield
the seat of government, and many other advantages, to his rival. They say, Who
shall see them? (comp. Psalms 10:11; Psalms 59:7; Psalms 94:7). It is an inveterate
folly for men to imagine, either that God will not see their actions, or that he will

pay no heed to them. A spurious humility is brought into play in the latter case—
How can it be supposed that God will note the doings of such worms as men?
K&D 5-6, "The evil speech is one with the bitter speech in Psa_64:4, the arrow which
they are anxious to let fly. This evil speech, here agreement or convention, they make
firm to themselves (sibi), by securing, in every possible way, its effective execution. ‫ר‬ ֵ ִ‫ס‬
(frequently used of the cutting language of the ungodly, Psa_59:13; Psa_69:27; cf.
Talmudic ‫י‬ ִ‫ישׁ‬ ִ‫ל‬ ְ‫שׁ‬ ‫ּון‬‫שׁ‬ ָ‫ל‬ ‫ר‬ ֵ ִ‫,ס‬ to speak as with three tongues, i.e., slanderously) is here
construed with ְ‫ל‬ of that at which their haughty and insolent utterances aim. In
connection therewith they take no heed of God, the all-seeing One: they say (ask), quis
conspiciat ipsis. There is no need to take ‫ּו‬‫מ‬ ָ‫ל‬ as being for ‫ּו‬‫ל‬ (Hitzig); nor is it the dative of
the object instead of the accusative, but it is an ethical dative: who will see or look to
them, i.e., exerting any sort of influence upon them? The form of the question is not the
direct (Psa_59:8), but the indirect, in which ‫י‬ ִ‫,מ‬ seq. fut., is used in a simply future (Jer_
44:28) or potential sense (Job_22:17; 1Ki_1:20). Concerning ‫ּת‬‫ל‬‫ּו‬‫ע‬, vid., Psa_58:3. It is
doubtful whether ‫נוּ‬ ְ ַ
(Note: ‫נוּ‬ ְ ַ in Baer's Psalterium is an error that has been carried over from
Heidenheim's.)
is the first person (= ‫ּונוּ‬ ַ ) as in Num_17:13, Jer_44:18, or the third person as in Lam_
3:22 (= ‫וּ‬ ַ , which first of all resolved is ‫מוּ‬ְ‫נ‬ ַ , and then transposed ‫נוּ‬ ְ ַ , like ָ‫יה‬ֶ‫נ‬ְ‫ז‬ ֻ‫ע‬ ָ‫מ‬ = ָ‫יה‬ֶ‫ז‬ְ‫נ‬ ֻ‫ע‬ ָ‫מ‬
= ָ‫יה‬ִ ֻ‫ע‬ ָ‫,מ‬ Isa_23:11). The reading ‫נוּ‬ ְ‫ֽמ‬ ָ‫,ט‬ from which Rashi proceeds, and which Luther
follows in his translation, is opposed by the lxx and Targum; it does not suit the
governing subject, and is nothing but an involuntary lightening of the difficulty. If we
take into consideration, that ‫ם‬ ַ‫מ‬ ָ signifies not to make ready, but to be ready, and that
consequently ‫שׂ‬ ָ ֻ‫ח‬ ְ‫מ‬ ‫שׂ‬ ֶ‫פ‬ ֵ‫ח‬ is to be taken by itself, then it must be rendered either: they
excogitate knavish tricks or villainies, “we are ready, a clever stroke is concocted, and the
inward part of man and the heart is deep!” or, which we prefer, since there is nothing to
indicate the introduction of any soliloquy: they excogitate knavish tricks, they are ready -
a delicately devised, clever stroke (nominative of the result), and (as the poet ironically
adds) the inward part of man and the heart is (verily) deep. There is nothing very
surprising in the form ‫נוּ‬ ְ ַ for ‫וּ‬ ַ , since the Psalms, whenever they depict the sinful
designs and doings of the ungodly, delight in singularities of language. On ‫ב‬ ֵ‫ל‬ְ‫ו‬ (not ‫ב‬ ֵ‫ל‬ָ‫)ו‬ =
(‫ישׁ‬ ִ‫)א‬ ‫ב‬ ֵ‫ל‬ְ‫ו‬ = ‫ּו‬ ִ‫ל‬ְ‫,ו‬ cf. Psa_118:14.
BI, "They say, Who shall see them?
Omniscience ignored
I. It is a fact that this notion has great influence upon the conduct of man. They like to
cherish such notion, finding it convenient. Because they sometimes escape the eye of
man, they think it possible to escape the eye of God. The sinner persuades himself that
he has gained his end, escaped observation and avoided the punishment.

II. It is a fact that this notion is utterly untruthful and delusive. If God exist, this must
be so. The spirituality of His nature makers possible His onmipresence and omniscience.
III. God has often exposed this delusion, and the time is fixed for the complete
demonstration.
1. Character is often seen through by man.
2. Retribution often follows men’s deeds here and now.
3. The future state will show that God saw all. (Homiletic Magazine.)
LANGE, "Str. II. Psalm 64:5. They strengthen for themselves an evil thing.—Perowne:
“They take every means to secure their object, follow it up resolutely.” It is better to
understand this of their plan or purpose than of the bitter words which they have
spoken. They calculate how to lay snares privily.—They carefully go over each part of the
plan, that they make it successful in all its parts. And all this is in secret. None but the
conspirators are aware of these snares.—They say, who shall look at them?—The
question is interpreted very differently. Some refer the pronoun “them” to the snares laid
with so much care and craft that they can confidently ask who shall discover them; but
the analogy of Psalm 64:4 cand Psalm 10:11; Psalm 10:13; Psalm 59:8; Psalm 94:7,
favors the idea that they think that God does not observe or care for their actions. Some
interpreters then regard the question as indirect (Ewald, Delitzsch, Maurer, Olsh,
Perowne, et al.), the pronoun “them” referring to the evil doers themselves. But it is
better to refer the pronoun to the “snares” as the object of God’s observation. They think
that God does not care for them, does not observe them, will not attend to them, or
interfere with them.—C. A. B.]
6 They plot injustice and say,
“We have devised a perfect plan!”
Surely the human mind and heart are cunning.
BAR ES, "They search out iniquities - They search deep; they examine plans;
they rack their invention to accomplish it. The original word - ‫חפשׂ‬ châphaś - is a word
which is used to denote the act of exploring - as when one searches for treasure, or for

anything that is hidden or lost - implying a deep and close attention of the mind to the
subject. So here they examined every plan, or every way which was suggested to them, by
which they could hope to accomplish their purpose.
They accomplish - This would be better translated by rendering it, “We have
perfected it!” That is, We have found it out; it is complete; meaning that they had found
a plan to their liking. It is the language of self-congratulatlon.
A diligent search - Or rather, “The search is a deep search.” In other words, “The
plan is a consummate plan; it is just to our mind; it is exactly what we have sought to
find.” This, too, is language of self-congratulation and satisfaction at the plan which they
had thought of, and which was so exactly to their mind.
Both the inward thought - literally, the inside; that is, the hidden design.
And the heart - The plan formed in the heart; the secret purpose.
Is deep - A deep-laid scheme; a plan that indicates profound thought; a purpose that
is the result of consummate sagacity. This is the language of the author of the psalm. He
admitted that there had been great talent and skill in the formation of the plan. Hence, it
was that he cried so earnestly to God.
CLARKE, "They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search -
The word ‫חפש‬ chaphash, which is used three times, as a noun and a verb, in this
sentence, signifies to strip off the clothes. “They investigate iniquities; they perfectly
investigate an investigation.” Most energetically translated by the old Psalter: Thai
ransaked wickednesses: thai failled ransakand in ransaking. To ransack signifies to
search every corner, to examine things part by part, to turn over every leaf, to leave no
hole or cranny unexplored. But the word investigate fully expresses the meaning of the
term, as it comes either from in, taken privately, and vestire, to clothe, stripping the man
bare, that he may be exposed to all shame, and be the more easily wounded; or from the
word investigo, which may be derived from in, intensive, and vestigium, the footstep or
track of man or beast. A metaphor from hunting the stag; as the slot, or mark of his foot,
is diligently sought out, in order to find whither he is gone, and whether he is old or
young, for huntsmen can determine the age by the slot. Tuberville, in his Treatise on
Hunting, gives rules to form this judgment, To this the next verse seems to refer.
GILL, "They search out iniquities,.... The Targum adds,
"to destroy the just.''
Either occasions against them, by charging them with sin and hiring false witnesses
against them, as did the enemies both of David and Christ; they sought for proper time
and opportunity of committing the iniquities they were bent upon, and even searched for
new sins, being inventors of evil things, Rom_1:30;
they accomplish a diligent search; diligently searched out the perfect man, and
found him; and also false witnesses against him, and carried their point; which was
especially true with respect to Christ;
both the inward thought of everyone of them, and the heart, is deep; being

full of cunning, craftiness and wickedness, so as not to be searched out and fully known;
see Psa_5:9.
HE RY, "They are very industrious in putting their projects in execution (Psa_
64:6): “They search out iniquity; they take a great deal of pains to find out some iniquity
or other to lay to my charge; they dig deep, and look far back, and put things to the
utmost stretch, that they may have something to accuse me of;” or, “They are industrious
to find out new arts of doing mischief to me; in this they accomplish a diligent search;
they go through with it, and spare neither cost nor labour.” Evil men dig up mischief.
Half the pains that many take to damn their souls would serve to save them. They are
masters of all the arts of mischief and destruction, for the inward thought of every one
of them, and the heart, are keep, deep as hell, desperately wicked, who can know it? By
the unaccountable wickedness of their wit and of their will, they show themselves to be,
both in subtlety and malignity, the genuine offspring of the old serpent.
JAMISO , "This is further evinced by their diligent efforts and deeply laid schemes.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 6. They search out iniquities. Diligently they consider, invent,
devise, and seek for wicked plans to wreak their malice. These are no common
villains, but explorers in iniquity, inventors and concoctors of evil. Sad indeed it is
that to ruin a good man the evil disposed will often show as much avidity as if they
were searching after treasure. The Inquisition could display instruments of torture,
revealing as much skill as the machinery of our modern exhibitions. The deep places
of history, manifesting most the skill of the human mind, are those in which revenge
has arranged diplomacy, and used intrigue to compass its diabolical purposes.
They accomplish a diligent search. Their design is perfected, consummated, and
brought into working order. They cry "Eureka; "they have sought and found the
sure method of vengeance. Exquisite are the refinements of malice! hell's craft
furnishes inspiration to the artistes who fashion deceit. Earth and the places under
it are ransacked for the material of war, and profound skill turns all to account.
Both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep. o superficial
wit is theirs; but sagacity, sharpened by practice and keen hatred. Wicked men have
frequently the craft to hasten slowly, to please in order to ruin, to flatter that ere
long they may devour, to bow the knee that they may ultimately crush beneath their
foot. He who deals with the serpent's seed has good need of the wisdom which is
from above: the generation of vipers twist and turn, wind and wiggle, yet evermore
they are set upon their purpose, and go the nearest way to it when they wander
round about. Alas! how dangerous is the believer's condition, and how readily may
he be overcome if left to himself. This is the complaint of reason and the moan of
unbelief. When faith comes in, we see that even in all this the saints are still secure,
for they are all in the hands of God.
Ver. 6. They search out iniquities, etc. It is a sign that malice boils up to a great
height in men's hearts, when they are so active to find matter against their
neighbours. Love would rather not see or hear of others' failings; or if it doth and
must, busieth itself in healing and reforming them to the utmost of its power. John

Milward(--1684), in "Morning Exercises."
ELLICOTT, "(6) They search out iniquities—i.e., they plan wicked schemes.
They accomplish a diligent search.—See margin, which indicates the difficulty in
this clause. The versions and some MSS. also suggest a corruption of the tent. Read
“They have completed their subtle measures” (literally, the planned plan).
WHEDO , "6. They search out iniquities—Mentally, and with great labour, they
work out plans for accomplishing wicked ends, as Psalms 58:2.
They accomplish a diligent search—Literally, they have accomplished a search
searched out; that is, an exhaustive investigation. But the verb accomplished (ended,
finished) may be taken in the first person plural, as a soliloquy of the conspirators,
thus: We have finished a plot thoroughly wrought out! which gives dramatic effect.
Both the inward thought—The word “inward,” here, is the same as “inward part,”
Psalms 5:9, and is here synonymous with heart, the seat of thought and affection.
The inward part of a man, even the heart, is deep. This is the reflection of David
after reviewing the conduct of his enemies. See Jeremiah 17:9-10; Psalms 19:12;
Psalms 139:23-24. The preparations of his enemies are ended. The crisis has come. It
is now time for God to work.
LA GE, "Psalm 64:6. They have completed the contrived plan.—With the lect. rec.
‫נוּ‬ְ‫מ‬ַ‫תּ‬ which can only be1. plur. perf, we must in direct discourse think either of the
pious: we are finished, it is all over with us, that is to say: we are lost without God’s
help (J. H. Mich.), or of the ungodly: we have it ready (Geier, Rosenmüller, De
Wette), we are ready (Ewald, Köster, Hitzig), with the contrived plan, or likewise:
the plan is contrived! (De Wette), a thought out plan! (Hengst.), thoughts well
thought out! (Hitzig). There is nothing, however, to indicate a direct discourse like
this, and it would disturb the context. We must therefore either correct by ‫מּוּ‬ַ‫תּ‬ the3.
plur. perf. (Aben Ezra, Kimchi), or ‫גוּ‬ְ‫מ‬ָ‫ט‬ (Isaki, Luther) with many MSS. editions,
and interpreters. The latter suits the sense very well=they have hidden, but has not
sufficient critical evidence.—[Deep.—The heart, the inner man is deep as “the
source of this plan,” as the “invisible work-shop of the evil” which is now prepared.
It is like an “abyss of dark mystery and brooding wickedness,” (Hupfeld)].
7 But God will shoot them with his arrows;
they will suddenly be struck down.

BAR ES, "But God shall shoot at them with an arrow - That is, Instead of
their being able to carry out their purposes of shooting the arrows which they had
prepared against others, God will shoot his arrows against them. The tables will be
turned. They themselves will experience what they had intended to inflict on others. God
will deal with them as they intended to deal with others. The sentiment here is
substantially the same as in Psa_7:15; see the notes at that passage. It is also in
accordance with what we often find in the writings of David, when in the close of a psalm
he expresses a confident expectation that the prayer which he had offered in the
beginning would be heard, or rejoices in the assurance that he had been heard. The idea,
also, is involved in this part of the psalm that God will deal with men as they purpose to
deal with others; that is, according to their true character. Compare the notes at Psa_
18:25-26.
Suddenly shall they be wounded - Margin, their wound shall be. The Hebrew is,
“Suddenly shall be their wounds.” The idea is, that the wounds in the case would be
theirs; and would be inflicted suddenly. The blows which they thought to give to others
would come on themselves, and this would occur at an unexpected moment.
CLARKE, "But God shall shoot at them with an arrow - They endeavor to
trace me out, that they may shoot me; but God will shoot at them. This, if the Psalm
refer to the times of David, seems to be prophetic of Saul’s death. The archers pressed
upon him, and sorely wounded him with their arrows. 1Sa_31:3.
GILL, "But God shall shoot at them with an arrow,.... With one or other of his
four judgments; famine, pestilence, sword, and wild beasts, Eze_14:21; which he brings
upon wicked men; and may be compared to arrows, as they are, Eze_5:16; because they
move swiftly. The judgment of wicked men lingereth not, though it may seem to do so;
and because they often come suddenly and at an unawares, when men are crying Peace,
peace; and because they are sharp and piercing, penetrate deep and stick fast, and
wound and kill; they are not arrows of deliverance, unless to the Lord's people, who, by
his judgments on the wicked, are delivered from them; but destroying ones, 2Ki_13:17;
when God draws the bow and shoots, execution is done. This is said in opposition to
what wicked men do, Psa_64:3; and in just retaliation; they shoot at the perfect, and
God shoots at them;
suddenly shall they be wounded; with the wound of an enemy, with the
chastisement of a cruel one, with a deadly wound that shall never be healed; not with the
arrow of God's word, but with the stroke of his hand; which comes suddenly, falls heavy,
and makes the wound incurable.
HE RY, "I. The judgments of God which should certainly come upon these

Psalm 64 commentary

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Psalm 64 commentary