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

To the Director: A Davidic Psalm.

A Prayer for Protection

64 Hear, God, as I express my concern;
    protect me[a] from fear of the enemy.
Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked,
    from the mob of those who practice evil,
who sharpen their tongues like swords,
    and aim their bitter words like arrows,
shooting at the innocent from concealment.

Suddenly they shoot, fearing nothing.
They concoct an evil scheme for themselves;
they enumerate their hidden snares;
    they say, “Who will see them?”[b]
They devise wicked schemes, saying,
    “We have completed our plans,
        hiding them deep in our hearts.”

But God shot an arrow at them,
    and they were wounded immediately.
They tripped over their own tongues,
    and everyone who was watching ran away.
Everyone was gripped with fear
    and acknowledged God’s deeds,
        understanding what he had done.
10 The righteous rejoiced in the Lord,
    because they had fled to him for refuge.
        Let all the upright in heart exult.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 64:1 Lit. my life
  2. Psalm 64:5 Lit. see him; or see it