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Psalms

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Psalm 64

Psa 64:1

SUPERSCRIPTION: "A PSALM OF DAVID".

Historical context: Absalom's rebellion.

HEAR ME, O GOD: Cp Psa 55:1,2: another "Absalom" psalm.

COMPLAINT: "Sichah", a rather uncommon word (sw Psa 55:17; Job 15:4).

PROTECT MY LIFE FROM THE THREAT OF THE ENEMY: Not "from the enemy", but from the paralyzing fear or "dread" provoked by the situation of that enemy's hostility: ie Ahithophel's words -- "I will come upon him while he is weary... and will make him afraid" (2Sa 17:2).

Psa 64:2

HIDE ME FROM THE CONSPIRACY OF THE WICKED: That is, from their covert plotting, followed by their open rebellion (2Sa 15:1-12; 17:1-14).

(NT) The insurrection against the King of the Jews: Luk 19:14,27. This is the sw as the "tumultuous assembly" described in Psa 2:1 (AV mg.).

CROWN OF EVILDOERS: "The workers of iniquity" (AV): so described also in another "Absalom" Psa (Psa 6:8). They are "those who make sin their labour, their daily employment" (Clarke).

Psa 64:3

The campaign of slander against the king (2Sa 15:1-6; 16:5-13). Cp similar figures of speech in Psa 55:21; 57:4; 59:7.

THEY SHARPEN THEIR TONGUES: (NT) A vivid figure for diligent unremitting plotting and preparation: Joh 11:50.

Psa 64:4

SHOOT: Cp Psa 10:8,9. Here the Heb is 'yarach', which also means 'to teach a lesson'. JT has an interesting section on this juxtaposition of ideas, in Eur 2:128-131 -- as does WRev 75.

WITHOUT FEAR: They showed no fear of David because of his dire sickness. Neither did they show any fear of God.

Psa 64:5

WHO WILL SEE THEM?: (NT) Although "men of God", the adversaries of the Lord Jesus were essentially godless. The profession of religion -- even the unabashed and insistent profession of religion -- is no guarantee of godliness, or even of honesty and integrity.

Psa 64:6

"They search out iniquities" (AV). That is, the iniquities of David, so as to blacken his character. And there were iniquities to make capital of! "Both the inward (thought) of everyone (of them) and the heart, is deep" (AV). Notice the italics in this v in KJV. The depths of wickedness in the human heart -- particularly one like Absalom's, so festering with malignity -- are unfathomable. In the words of Jeremiah: "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jer 17:9). Also see Isa 29:15.

(NT) Against Christ his enemies sent forth spies, "waiting to catch him in something he might say" (Luk 11:54; cp Luk 20:20). But even so they could not convict him of even one sin (Joh 8:46)! And still they exerted every ounce of diligence they possessed to pin guilt upon one they knew to be innocent: see Mat 26:59,60.

Psa 64:7

GOD WILL SHOOT THEM WITH ARROWS: God's unseen angel-marksman intervening on David's side, bringing divine retribution in kind (ct vv 3,4) to his enemies. Here is described the fate of Absalom (2Sa 18:9-15). "The godly man will always have at least one friend to avenge the wrongs done him" (Caryl).

(NT) "Joseph, a type of Christ, has been 'shot at' by the archers who hated him; but his own bow, held by hands 'made strong by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob', has prevailed (Gen 49:22-24). Jesus Christ, the man whom Yahweh 'made strong for Himself', was as a 'polished arrow' in Yahweh's quiver, and he has destroyed the enemy (Isa 49:1,2)" (Wilson).

Psa 64:8

HE WILL TURN THEIR OWN TONGUES AGAINST THEM: (NT) They had made their tongues so "sharp" (v 3) that they cut their own throats! "His blood be upon us and upon our children" (Mat 27:25) were words which, had they believed in Jesus, would have operated with all the blessing of a Passover lamb, delivering them from the wrath to come. But instead, they acted as a terrible curse!

"All that see them shall flee away" (AV). The sudden collapse of support for the revolution: 2Sa 18:8,17 (cp Num 16:24). Another poss meaning (there being two nearly identical Heb verbs) is "shall shake their heads" (NIV), ie, in derision at their failure (Jer 48:27) or in shocked concern (Jer 31:18; Job 16:4). Leupold has: "All that saw them shuddered."

Psa 64:9

The outcome of this revolution and its failure will be beneficial; it will do all the nation good. "When thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness" (Isa 26:9).

(NT) "All mankind" has special ref to Gentiles becoming aware of God's judgments upon Israel, and learning lessons therefrom. What may appear to be mere human contrivance is seen, with the eye of faith, to be God at work (Act 2:23,24) -- "He hath done this" (Psa 22:31).

Psa 64:10

The prayer of v 1 is now answered. "The righteous" is singular (David); "all the upright" is plural (his loyal supporters).

(NT) The "righteous" (singular) is Christ; and "all the upright" (plur) are those who trust in him.

SUBSCRIPTION: "FOR THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC."

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