Add parallel Print Page Options

Psalm 64

For the choir director: A psalm of David.

O God, listen to my complaint.
    Protect my life from my enemies’ threats.
Hide me from the plots of this evil mob,
    from this gang of wrongdoers.
They sharpen their tongues like swords
    and aim their bitter words like arrows.
They shoot from ambush at the innocent,
    attacking suddenly and fearlessly.
They encourage each other to do evil
    and plan how to set their traps in secret.
    “Who will ever notice?” they ask.
As they plot their crimes, they say,
    “We have devised the perfect plan!”
    Yes, the human heart and mind are cunning.

But God himself will shoot them with his arrows,
    suddenly striking them down.
Their own tongues will ruin them,
    and all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.
Then everyone will be afraid;
    they will proclaim the mighty acts of God
    and realize all the amazing things he does.
10 The godly will rejoice in the Lord
    and find shelter in him.
And those who do what is right
    will praise him.

Psalm 64

Protection from Evildoers

For the choir director. A psalm of David.

God, hear my voice when I am in anguish.(A)
Protect my life from the terror of the enemy.(B)
Hide me from the scheming of wicked people,(C)
from the mob of evildoers,(D)
who sharpen their tongues like swords
and aim bitter words like arrows,(E)
shooting from concealed places at the blameless.
They shoot at him suddenly and are not afraid.(F)
They adopt[a] an evil plan;
they talk about hiding traps and say,
“Who will see them?” [b](G)
They devise crimes and say,
“We have perfected a secret plan.”(H)
The inner man and the heart are mysterious.(I)

But God will shoot them with arrows;
suddenly, they will be wounded.(J)
They will be made to stumble;
their own tongues work against them.
All who see them will shake their heads.(K)
Then everyone will fear
and will tell about God’s work,
for they will understand what he has done.(L)

10 The righteous one rejoices in the Lord
and takes refuge in him;
all those who are upright in heart
will offer praise.(M)

Footnotes

  1. 64:5 Or They strengthen themselves with
  2. 64:5 Or it