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Psalm Sixty-four
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 64
To the chief Musician
A Psalm of David. 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 searched diligently for occasions against him and his
people
which issued in his own destruction. The ancient MidrashF25Apud
Jarchium & Yalkut Simeoni in loc. 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. The Arabic versions call it a psalm of David
when
Saul persecuted him; and the Syriac version refers it to the time when Gad said
to him
abide not in the hold
1 Samuel 22:5. He
is the perfect man
who was upright and innocent as to what he was charged with
in respect to Saul; who is the enemy
from the fear of whom he desires his life
might be preserved; and who with his courtiers took counsel against him
and
laid deep schemes to destroy him
but at last were destroyed themselves.
Moreover
the psalm may very well be applied to the Messiah
the son of David
and who was his antitype
and especially in his sufferings: he is the perfect
man in the highest sense; the Jews were the enemies that took counsel
and
searched for occasions against him
and accomplished their designs in a good
measure; for which wrath came upon them to the uttermost. The psalmist also may
be very well thought to represent the church and people of God; who in all ages
have had their enemies and their fears; against whom wicked men have devised
mischief
and levelled their arrows of persecution; though no weapon formed
against them shall prosper.
Psalm 64:1 Hear
my voice
O God
in my meditation; Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
YLT
1To the Overseer. -- A Psalm
of David. Hear
O God
my voice
in my meditation
From the fear of an enemy
Thou keepest my life
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 wordF26בשיחי "in querimonia
mea"
Tigurine version; "in oratione mea gemebunda"
Gejerus; so
Michaelis. 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.
Psalm 64:2 2 Hide me from the secret
plots of the wicked
From the rebellion of the workers of iniquity
YLT
2Hidest me from the secret
counsel of evil doers
From the tumult of workers of iniquity.
Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked
.... The word
used denotes both the place where wicked men meet together for consultation;
see Genesis 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 Matthew 26:3;
from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity; their noise
rage
and tumult; see Psalm 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
Matthew 7:22; and
who are further described in the next verses.
Psalm 64:3 3 Who sharpen their tongue
like a sword
And bend their bows to shoot their arrows—bitter words
YLT
3Who sharpened as a sword
their tongue
They directed their arrow -- a bitter word.
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 PotidaeaF1Herodot. Urania
sive l. 8. c. 128. : and after the
same manner
the Jews sayF2Derash R. Aba in Kimchi in Psal. xi. 2.
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.
Psalm 64:4 4 That they may shoot in
secret at the blameless; Suddenly they shoot at him and do not fear.
YLT
4To shoot in secret places
the perfect
Suddenly they shoot him
and fear not.
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.
Psalm 64:5 5 They encourage themselves in
an evil matter; They talk of laying snares secretly; They say
“Who will see
them?”
YLT
5They strengthen for
themselves an evil thing
They recount of the hiding of snares
They have said
`Who doth look at it?'
They encourage themselves in an evil matter
.... Or
"strengthen him"F3יהזקו למו "firmant illi"
Muis. ; 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
Ecclesiastes 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 Psalm 10:11.
Psalm 64:6 6 They devise iniquities: “We
have perfected a shrewd scheme.” Both the inward thought and the heart of man
are deep.
YLT
6They search out perverse
things
`We perfected a searching search
' And the inward part of man
and the
heart [are] deep.
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
Romans 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 Psalm 5:9.
Psalm 64:7 7 But God shall shoot at
them with an arrow; Suddenly they shall be wounded.
YLT
7And God doth shoot them
[with] an arrow
Sudden have been their wounds
But God shall shoot at them with an arrow
.... With one
or other of his four judgments; famine
pestilence
sword
and wild beasts
Ezekiel 14:21;
which he brings upon wicked men; and may be compared to arrows
as they are
Ezekiel 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
2 Kings 13:17; when
God draws the bow and shoots
execution is done. This is said in opposition to
what wicked men do
Psalm 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.
Psalm 64:8 8 So He will make them
stumble over their own tongue; All who see them shall flee away.
YLT
8And they cause him to
stumble
Against them [is] their own tongue
Every looker on them fleeth away.
So shall they make their own tongue to fall upon themselves
.... The evil
things they have wished for
threatened unto
and imprecated on others
shall
come upon themselves; the curses they have cursed others with shall come upon
themselves; the pit they have dug for others
they fall into. So Haman
to whom
some apply the psalm
was hanged on the gallows he made for Mordecai; and the
accusers of Daniel
to whom others apply it
were cast into the same den of
lions they procured for him; and Babylon
who has been drunk with the blood of
the saints
shall have blood given her to drink.
all that see them shall flee away; not being able to help
them
nor to bear the horrible sight
and fearing the same judgments should
fall on themselves; see Numbers 16:34. Or
"they shall move themselves"F4יתנודרו
"amovebunt se"
Montanus; "commovebuntur"
Vatablus. ;
shake their heads in a way of derision
as Jarchi interprets it; or skip for
joy
as the word is rendered in Jeremiah 48:27; and
then it must be understood of the righteous; who
seeing the vengeance on the
wicked
rejoice
as in Psalm 52:6; though
as they are afterwards particularly mentioned
others seem to be designed. The
word is used for lamenting and bemoaning one's self
in Jeremiah 31:18; and
so may be applied to the friends of the wicked lamenting and bemoaning their
ruin
and their being bereaved of them
Revelation 18:9.
Psalm 64:9 9 All men shall fear
And
shall declare the work of God; For they shall wisely consider His doing.
YLT
9And all men fear
and
declare the work of God
And His deed they have considered wisely.
And all men shall fear
.... Either God himself
or his judgments: they shall be frightened at them
learn righteousness by
them
worship God
and give glory to him; they shall fear him as King of
saints
his judgments being made manifest; not with a slavish fear
but with
reverence and godly fear; see Revelation 11:13;
and shall declare the work of God; the punishments
inflicted on wicked men; his work of justice and judgment
which is his work
his strange work; for there is no evil of punishment but the Lord has done it
Isaiah 28:21;
for they shall wisely consider of his doings; consider that
it is done by him
and done well and wisely
after the counsel of his own will;
and so consider it as to be admonished
and take warning and caution by it.
This is the use men in general should make of such dispensations of Providence;
the use the righteous in particular make of them follows:
Psalm 64:10 10 The righteous shall be
glad in the Lord
and trust in Him. And all the upright in heart shall glory.
YLT
10The righteous doth rejoice
in Jehovah
And hath trusted in Him
And boast themselves do all the upright of
heart!
The righteous shall be glad in the Lord
.... They
rejoice at the vengeance executed on the wicked; but then their joy centres in
the Lord: it is not at the ruin of the wicked
simply considered
but because of
the glory of God's justice displayed therein
and of his grace and mercy to
them. They rejoice in the Lord
because of what he is unto them
and because of
what he has done for them; because of his righteousness they are clothed with
from whence they are denominated righteous ones; and because of the salvation
he has wrought out for them; and they are the more affected with it when they
see the calamities
woes
and destruction of wicked men; See Gill on Psalm 32:11;
and shall trust in him; who is known by his
judgments he executes on the wicked; and the more he is known
be it in what
way it will
the more is he trusted in
Psalm 9:10. The
Targum paraphrases it
"and
shall trust in his Word;'
either
in his word of promise
or rather in his essential Word
Christ;
and all the upright in heart shall glory; not in men
nor in themselves
nor in any creature
or creature enjoyments; nor in their
wisdom
strength
riches
nor righteousness; but in Christ
in his wisdom
righteousness
and strength; in whom all the seed of Israel are justified and
glory; and in what he is to them
and has done for them; of the upright in
heart; see Gill on Psalm 32:11.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》