5 They encourage themselves in evil plans. They talk about laying snares secretly. They say, "Who will see them?"
He says in his heart, "God has forgotten. He hides his face. He will never see it."
The proud have hidden a snare for me, They have spread the cords of a net by the path. They have set traps for me. Selah.
Please come now therefore curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may strike them, and that I may drive them out of the land; for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.
Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doesn't David hide himself with us in the strongholds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of the desert? Now therefore, O king, come down, according to all the desire of your soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him up into the king's hand. Saul said, Blessed be you of Yahweh; for you have had compassion on me. Please go make yet more sure, and know and see his place where his haunt is, [and] who has seen him there; for it is told me that he deals very subtly. See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking-places where he hides himself, and come you again to me of a certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall happen, if he be in the land, that I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.
Behold, they spew with their mouth. Swords are in their lips, "For," they say, "who hears us?"
They say, "Yah will not see, Neither will Jacob's God consider."
If they say, "Come with us, Let's lay in wait for blood; Let's lurk secretly for the innocent without cause; Let's swallow them up alive like Sheol, And whole, like those who go down into the pit. We'll find all valuable wealth. We'll fill our houses with spoil. You shall cast your lot among us. We'll all have one purse."
They help everyone his neighbor; and [every one] says to his brother, Be of good courage.
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel around by sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much of a son of Gehenna as yourselves.
Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people were gathered together in the court of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas. They took counsel together that they might take Jesus by deceit, and kill him.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 64
Commentary on Psalms 64 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 64
Ps 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.
1. preserve … fear—as well as the danger producing it.
2. insurrection—literally, "uproar," noisy assaults, as well as their secret counsels.
3, 4. Similar figures for slander (Ps 57:4; 59:7).
bend—literally, "tread," or, "prepared." The allusion is to the mode of bending a bow by treading on it; here, and in Ps 58:7, transferred to arrows.
4. the perfect—one innocent of the charges made (Ps 18:23).
fear not—(Ps 55:19), not regarding God.
5. A sentiment here more fully presented, by depicting their deliberate malice.
6. This is further evinced by their diligent efforts and deeply laid schemes.
7. The contrast is heightened by representing God as using weapons like theirs.
8. their … tongue to fall, &c.—that is, the consequences of their slanders, &c. (compare Ps 10:2; 31:16).
all that see … away—Their partners in evil shall be terrified.
9, 10. Men, generally, will acknowledge God's work, and the righteous, rejoicing in it, shall be encouraged to trust Him (Ps 58:10).