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For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.

64 Hear my voice, God, in my complaint.
    Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked,
    from the noisy crowd of the ones doing evil;
who sharpen their tongue like a sword,
    and aim their arrows, deadly words,
    to shoot innocent men from ambushes.
    They shoot at him suddenly and fearlessly.
They encourage themselves in evil plans.
    They talk about laying snares secretly.
    They say, “Who will see them?”
They plot injustice, saying, “We have made a perfect plan!”
    Surely man’s mind and heart are cunning.
But God will shoot at them.
    They will be suddenly struck down with an arrow.
Their own tongues shall ruin them.
    All who see them will shake their heads.
All mankind shall be afraid.
    They shall declare the work of God,
    and shall wisely ponder what he has done.
10 The righteous shall be glad in Yahweh,
    and shall take refuge in him.
    All the upright in heart shall praise him!

Prayer for deliverance from secret enemies.

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

64 Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint:
Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
Hide me from the secret counsel of evil-doers,
From the [a]tumult of the workers of iniquity;
Who have whet their tongue like a sword,
And have aimed their arrows, even bitter words,
That they may shoot in secret places at the perfect:
Suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.
They encourage themselves in an evil purpose;
They commune of laying snares privily;
They say, Who will see them?
They search out iniquities;
[b]We have accomplished, say they, a diligent search:
And the inward thought and the heart of every one is deep.
But God will shoot at them;
With an arrow suddenly shall they be wounded.
So [c]they shall be made to stumble, their own tongue being against them:
All that see them shall [d]wag the head.
And all men shall fear;
And they shall declare the work of God,
And shall wisely consider of his doing.
10 The righteous shall be glad in Jehovah, and shall take refuge in him;
And all the upright in heart shall glory.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 64:2 Or, throng
  2. Psalm 64:6 Or, as otherwise read, They have accomplished (or have hidden)
  3. Psalm 64:8 Or, shall they against whom their tongue was make them to stumble
  4. Psalm 64:8 Or, flee away