Notes on the Book of Psalms, Psalm 64
The lxiv. PSALM.
David having some advertisement of great desig…s upon him by his …mies, prays God to preserve him from them, who are so wickedly, and mischievously bent against him, and accordingly is confident of his deliverance, and that Gods just and remarkable judgements shall be…al his adversaries, to the a…esting of some with fear, and others with joy.
Psalm lxiv. To the chief musician, A Psalm of David.To him that is the chief and principal of all the Quire, do I David that made this Psalm, recommend it for the care and ordering of it to be sung.
1HEar my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemie.1 O Lord, my present calamitie puts me upon great and earnest importunity, hear me I pray thee that am sore put to it, and therefore both with heart, and voice, press hard upon thee for the rescue of my life out of mine enemies hands, that endanger it greatly.
2Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked: from the insurrection of the workers of iniquitie.2 Let thy protection equal mine enemies projects, who turn every stone to compass mine undoing. They have their private plottings, & conspirings to surprize, or betray me; but Lord, do thou hide me, that these hidden stratagems may never find me, as also from their open violence, for such is their malice, and so cruelly are they bent, that nothing shall be unattempted upon me.
3 Incensing all they can against me,3Who whet their tongue like a sword: and bend their bow to shoot their arrows, even bitter words. with false and slanderous reports, to the wounding of mine innocencie, and set me up as a mark to discharge all their callumnies, and falshoods upon.
4 They know they believe me,4That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not. and yet though conscious to their own wickedness, and mine innocencie, they spare not to backbite me, and privily to inform all manner of untruths against me to Saul; they suggest and let flie any thing against me, that they either hear, or imagine, never caring to wrong me, nor fearing to offend God, and provoke his justice.
5 They animate one another,5They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily, they say, who shall see them. with hopes to prevail against me at last, and that I shall not scape them; they consult to ensnare me at unawares by fraud and treaherie (any way so it be done) and think to carry the matter so privately, and to cloak it so cunningly, as that none shall suspect them, nor nothing can prevent them of their hopes.
6 They contrive exceeding subtilly,6They search our iniquities, they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart is deep. and cast about in their thoughts and imaginations, with a great deal of studie and diligence, how and which way they may likeliest deceive, and destroy me, and many times make sure of it; and indeed, so close and dissembling they are, that it is impossible for me to know or avoid them by any skill or power of mine.
7 But though I miss the mark;7But God shall shoot at them with an arrow: suddenly shall they be wounded. and shoot far short of finding out their devices; and may be deceived by their dissemblings, I am sure God he knows them, they cannot scape him; for all they lye at a close ward, he knows how, when, and where to hit them, even when they are most confident, and least fear any ill to befall them, shall his judgements overtake them.
8So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flie away.8 This shall be the want of all their lying reports, and slanderous back-bitings, instead of bringing evil upon me, upon whom they design it, they shall bring sin, and that sin shall bring judgement upon themselves, yea, so remarkable shall the hand of God be upon them, that men shall shun them as they did Korah, and his complices.
9And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God: for they shall wisely cnsider of his doing.9 The justice and terrour of the Lord shall astonish men, and make them both fear themselves, and caveat others to beware of the judgements of God from this example; for it shall awaken the minds of men, and put them (all that have any eyes in their heads) to consider the justice, power, and terrour that accompanies this judgement, in bringing their wickedness thus upon themselves, and delivering me an innocent person.
10The righteous shall be glad in the Lord: and shall trust in him, and all the upright in heart shall glory.10 A wonderfull confirmation shall it be to all that are upright, and cause of rejoycing, to see the care that God hath over such, to vindicate their integrities against evil doers, and to deliver them out of their sufferings by executing apparent judgemens upon their enemies for their sakes; how shall this make them trust God, and trust in God, what ever betide them? Yea, it shall make all that are sincerely Godly, from this example of my deliverance, and mine enemies overthrow, with confidence to bear up themselves in God, and despise the power and malice of all wicked men, be they never so potent and politick.