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

Hide Me from the Wicked

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

64 Hear my voice, O God, in my (A)complaint;
    preserve my life from dread of the enemy.
Hide me from (B)the secret plots of the wicked,
    from the throng of evildoers,
who (C)whet their tongues like swords,
    who (D)aim bitter words like arrows,
shooting from (E)ambush at the blameless,
    shooting at him suddenly and (F)without fear.
They (G)hold fast to their evil purpose;
    they talk of (H)laying snares secretly,
thinking, (I)“Who can see them?”
    They search out injustice,
saying, “We have accomplished a diligent search.”
    For (J)the inward mind and heart of a man are deep.

(K)But God shoots his arrow at them;
    they are wounded suddenly.
They are brought to ruin, with their own (L)tongues turned against them;
    all who (M)see them will (N)wag their heads.
Then all mankind (O)fears;
    they (P)tell what God has brought about
    and ponder what he has done.

10 Let (Q)the righteous one rejoice in the Lord
    and (R)take refuge in him!
Let all (S)the upright in heart exult!