Psalms 64
[1]David prayeth for deliverance, complaining of his enemies: [7]he promiseth himself to see such an evident destruction of his enemies, that the righteous shall rejoice at it.
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.
1. Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
2. Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity:
3. Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:
4. That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.
5. They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them?
6. They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep.
7. But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded.
8. So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away.
9. And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing.
10. The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy. Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity: Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words: That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not. They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them? They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep. But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded. So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away. And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing. The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.
NKJV
1.
Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation;
Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
2.
Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked,
From the rebellion of the workers of iniquity,
3.
Who sharpen their tongue like a sword,
And bend their bows to shoot their arrows—bitter words,
4.
That they may shoot in secret at the blameless;
Suddenly they shoot at him and do not fear.
5.
They encourage themselves in an evil matter;
They talk of laying snares secretly;
They say, “Who will see them?”
6.
They devise iniquities:
“We have perfected a shrewd scheme.”
Both the inward thought and the heart of man are deep.
7.
But God shall shoot at them with an arrow;
Suddenly they shall be wounded.
8.
So He will make them stumble over their own tongue;
All who see them shall flee away.
9.
All men shall fear,
And shall declare the work of God;
For they shall wisely consider His doing.
10.
The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and trust in Him.
And all the upright in heart shall glory.
Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation;
Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
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.
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.
But God shall shoot at them with an arrow;
Suddenly they shall be wounded.
So He will make them stumble over their own tongue;
All who see them shall flee away.
All men shall fear,
And shall declare the work of God;
For they shall wisely consider His doing.
The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and trust in Him.
And all the upright in heart shall glory.
Metrical version
Psalm 64
C.M. Ballerma
When I to thee my prayer make, Lord, to my voice give ear; My life save from the enemy, of whom I stand in fear. Me from their secret counsel hide who do live wickedly; From insurrection of those men that work iniquity: Who do their tongues with malice whet, and make them cut like swords; In whose bent bows are arrows set, ev'n sharp and bitter words: That they may at the perfect man in secret aim their shot; Yea, suddenly they dare at him to shoot, and fear it not. In ill encourage they themselves, and their snares close do lay: Together conference they have; Who shall them see? they say. They have searched out iniquities, a perfect search they keep: Of each of them the inward thought, and very heart, is deep. God shall an arrow shoot at them, and wound them suddenly: So their own tongue shall them confound; all who them see shall fly. And on all men a fear shall fall, God's works they shall declare; For they shall wisely notice take what these his doings are. In God the righteous shall rejoice, and trust upon his might; Yea, they shall greatly glory all in heart that are upright.
This psalm contains, (1.) David's earnest supplications for preservation from his enemies, who were so spiteful in their calumnious reproaches; so close and subtile in their malicious plots; and so industrious and active, in executing their cruel projects, ver. 1-6. (2.) His predictions, that God, by just vengeance, would quickly render these enemies a terror to themselves and others, and an occasion of holy joy and confidence to the saints, ver. 7-10.
While I sing, let me commit my spiritual enemies into the hand of God, who is able to destroy them, and will quickly, to my everlasting comfort, tread them all under my feet.