Psalms Reading – 3.1.2022
Psalm 64
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 Hear me, my God, as I voice my complaint;
protect my life from the threat of the enemy.
protect my life from the threat of the enemy.
2 Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked,
from the plots of evildoers.
3 They sharpen their tongues like swords
and aim cruel words like deadly arrows.
4 They shoot from ambush at the innocent;
they shoot suddenly, without fear.
from the plots of evildoers.
3 They sharpen their tongues like swords
and aim cruel words like deadly arrows.
4 They shoot from ambush at the innocent;
they shoot suddenly, without fear.
5 They encourage each other in evil plans,
they talk about hiding their snares; they say, “Who will see it?”
6 They plot injustice and say,
“We have devised a perfect plan!”
Surely the human mind and heart are cunning.
they talk about hiding their snares; they say, “Who will see it?”
6 They plot injustice and say,
“We have devised a perfect plan!”
Surely the human mind and heart are cunning.
7 But God will shoot them with his arrows;
they will suddenly be struck down.
8 He will turn their own tongues against them
and bring them to ruin;
all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.
9 All people will fear;
they will proclaim the works of God
and ponder what he has done.
they will suddenly be struck down.
8 He will turn their own tongues against them
and bring them to ruin;
all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.
9 All people will fear;
they will proclaim the works of God
and ponder what he has done.
10 The righteous will rejoice in the Lord
and take refuge in him; all the upright in heart will glory in him!
and take refuge in him; all the upright in heart will glory in him!
This is the final psalm in a series dealing with David’s enemies. Here, David faces a threat from those who conspire against him. He focuses on what their cruel and unbridled tongues cause as they make their unjust plans and, even, boast about them.
David has already spoken much about the pain others cause with their cunning talk in trying to defeat him. Such talk is like a sharp and dangerous arrow which inflicts great damage. We may know from our personal experience such emotional pain of having others shoot us with ungodly and unjust lies. The Lord’s brother, James, spoke about the potential evil of the tongue this way,
James 3:9-10, “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.”
David believes that one day God’s justice will prevail, and those who shoot evil arrows will themselves be inflicted with their own tongues. Others who see this judgment will fear and proclaim God’s greatness. The righteous will rejoice, take refuge, and glory in the beauty and wonder of God.
If unjust things are being said against you, trust in the Lord that He will provide justice in due time. It is not going unnoticed. It will be dealt with accordingly in God’s time and way.
Memory Verse: Psalm 63:7, Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.
Question(s) to Consider: How can you relate to David’s experience of ungodly and unjust words being spoken against you? How did you respond? How will you respond in the future?