Bible Commentaries

Psalms 64.

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. לדוד מזמור למנצח 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.

Psalms 64:3. Bend their bows, &c.— Direct their arrows, &c.

Psalms 64:4. At the perfect— The upright man. Houbigant and Mudge. David gives himself this high appellation, as referring to his integrity and uprightness; his perfect innocence of the crimes which his calumniators urged against him.

Psalms 64:6. They search out iniquities, &c.— They disguise their iniquities, and hide them with deep dissimulation: the inside and heart of every one of them is deep. See Mudge and Schultens.

Psalms 64:8. So they shall make their own tongue, &c.— And their own tongue shall cause it to fall upon them: all that see, &c.

Psalms 64:9. For they shall wisely consider of— For they shall understand, &c.

REFLECTIONS.—1st, We have here, 1. David, in fear, crying to God for protection and safety. 2. He opens before God the wickedness of his enemies. Note; (1.) The people of God have been in every age the butt of the malignant tongue; and bitter words of reproach and infamy have been liberally shot forth against them. (2.) Daring sinners harden each other; and, having cast off God's government, would fain flatter themselves they can elude his omniscience, and promise themselves impunity in their iniquities. (3.) They who are maliciously bent on mischief, stop at no pains to accomplish their designs: how few christians serve their Lord so assiduously, heart and hand, as the devil's servants do their master!

2nd, Though the wicked say, God shall not see, he will awfully convince them of their folly.

1. By his judgments. God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded: one of his arrows shall do more terrible execution than all theirs; it shall pierce their hearts, and lay them dead at his feet, in the midst of their false and fatal security. Note; (1.) When God strikes, he strikes home, and there is no escape. (2.) The horrid imprecations of the passionate and profane, bring upon their own souls that damnation which they so impiously and rashly denounce on others.

2. The effects of these judgments would be great; fear of their plagues shall make beholders flee to save themselves from perishing among them. All that see it, struck with conviction, shall consider, and own God's righteous vengeance, and declare it as an admonition to the rising generation. The righteous shall be glad at beholding God glorified, and shall rejoice in his salvation, thus manifested for them; and, by present experience of his gracious interposition, be encouraged to trust him in all future dangers. Note; (1.) It is wisdom to profit by the sufferings or punishments of others. (2.) Many a warning is lost by inconsiderateness. (3.) The persecutors of God's people should read and learn, and tremble, while the door of hope is yet open. (4.) Though the misery of an enemy, simply considered, cannot be a good man's delight; yet to be rescued from the oppressor, and to see God's righteous judgments executed, is just matter of joy. (5.) They who make God their trust, shall find him their glory.