Psalms 64
Psalm 64 begins with the psalmist asking God to protect him from the schemes and threats of the wicked. In the first half (verses 1–6), it depicts the enemies’ secret plans and how they attack the psalmist with their words and actions. In the second half (verses 7–10), a scene unfolds in which God directly intervenes to break the wicked’s plot, and instead of prevailing, they end up caught in the trap they themselves set up.
1verseFor the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. Hear my voice, God, in my complaint. Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
2verseHide me from the conspiracy of the wicked, from the noisy crowd of the ones doing evil;
3versewho sharpen their tongue like a sword, and aim their arrows, deadly words,
4verseto shoot innocent men from ambushes. They shoot at him suddenly and fearlessly.
5verseThey encourage themselves in evil plans. They talk about laying snares secretly. They say, “Who will see them?”
6verseThey plot injustice, saying, “We have made a perfect plan!” Surely man’s mind and heart are cunning.
7verseBut God will shoot at them. They will be suddenly struck down with an arrow.
8verseTheir own tongues shall ruin them. All who see them will shake their heads.
9verseAll mankind shall be afraid. They shall declare the work of God, and shall wisely ponder what he has done.
10verseThe righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall take refuge in him. All the upright in heart shall praise him!
Summary of the Main Content
| Paragraph | Content |
|---|---|
| Verses 1–2 | The psalmist prays to God to hear his voice and to hide him from the fear of the wicked. |
| Verses 3–6 | It reveals that the wicked attack with their tongue and words and that they secretly devise evil plans. |
| Verses 7–8 | God frustrates their plan by directly firing arrows at the wicked and striking them suddenly. |
| Verses 9–10 | Everyone fears God’s actions, and the righteous rejoice and praise God. |
Overall Meaning and Lesson
Psalm 64 shows, at the same time, the candid feelings of human beings who feel afraid in the face of the wicked’s hidden schemes and attacks of words, and God’s righteousness, which brings justice beyond human limits. While the psalmist acknowledges that there is such a thing as “hidden evil,” he also confesses that ultimate judgment and the sovereignty of salvation belong to God. Through this, we learn that even amid threats and unfairness, we can come to God and plead with Him.
Points for Reflection
- We can pay attention to the fact that deep wounds and dangers can also come through words and the tongue.
- Sometimes there is evil in the world that is not revealed, but God knows everything and brings about justice in due time.
- In situations that are unfair or filled with fear, we can raise our voice to God sooner than anyone else.
Try Applying It to Yourself
- Have you been experiencing wounds and unfairness caused by words from those around you? Instead of responding immediately in that moment, first bring your prayer to God.
- When it seems there is no way to resolve the unfairness, let’s check again the faith with which we can entrust it to God.
- Also, take time to pray to God for the difficult people around you.
