Psalm 64: The righteous shall be glad in the Lord

This is another psalm about whose origins we know nothing. Clearly David is in

difficulty and needs protection from the wicked. He has been the victim of a conspiracy

but has ultimate confidence that he will be able to boast in God.

(1) <To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.> Hear my voice, O God, in

my prayer; preserve my life from fear of the enemy. (2) Hide me from the

secret counsel of the wicked, from the insurrection of the workers of

iniquity; (3) Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to

shoot their arrows, even bitter words; (4) That they may shoot in secret at

the perfect; suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.

• David prayed out loud, not just silently. This was his pattern, at least in times of

trouble. Certainly there was a time when he said, "My meditation of him shall be

sweet." (Psalm 104:34) But when he was in trouble he said, "I cried unto the

LORD with my voice, and He heard me out of his holy hill." (Psalm 3:4)

• David knew and experienced fear at many times. Simply because he was a man of

great faith, we should not imagine him to be a superhuman character who had no

fear. In reality, he should be more attractive to us for having overcome his fears,

or for pressing on despite them, through confidence in God. As we have recently

seen, David said, "What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee." (Psalm 56:3)
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• In verse 3 are common images of men preparing for warfare in the ancient world.

To whet means to sharpen, and this was done against special stones

(whetstones). Bending the bow, of course, means one is preparing to shoot.

• The weapons which are being shot are "bitter words." Spurgeon, in his Treasury

of David, says this about verse 3:

“Who whet their tongue like a sword.” Slander has ever been the master weapon

of the good man's enemies, and great is the care of the malicious to use it

effectively. As warriors grind their swords, to give them an edge which will cut

deep and wound desperately, so do the unscrupulous invent falsehoods which

shall be calculated to inflict pain, to stab the reputation, to kill the honor of the

righteous. What is there which an evil tongue will not say? What misery will it not

labor to inflict? “And bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words.”

Far off they dart their calumnies, as archers shoot their poisoned arrows. They

studiously and with force prepare their speech as bended bows, and then with

cool, deliberate aim, they let fly the shaft which they have dipped in bitterness. To

sting, to inflict anguish, to destroy, is their one design. Insult, sarcasm, taunting

defiance, nicknaming, all these were practiced among Orientals as a kind of art;

and if in these Western regions, with more refined manners, we are less addicted

to the use of rough abuse, it is yet to be feared that the less apparent venom of the

tongue inflicts none the less poignant pain. However, in all cases, let us fly to the

Lord for help. David had but the one resource of prayer against the twofold

weapons of the wicked, for defense against sword or arrow he used the one

defense of faith in God.

• Verse 4 shows the cowardliness of evil. In most cases, history shows that evil men

prefer the darkness, as Jesus taught, "And this is the condemnation, that light is

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come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their

deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to

the light, lest his deeds should be reproved." (John 3:19-20)

(5) They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they speak of laying

snares secretly; they say, "Who shall see them?" (6) They search out

iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of

every one of them, and the heart, is deep.

• In verse 5 we see how people encourage one another to do evil. Our mothers were

right when they warned us about "bad company." Scripture says, "He that

walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be

destroyed." (Proverbs 13:20) Christians need to be wary of those who encourage

them, however sweetly, to do what is wrong.

• The figure of "laying snares" comes from the trapping of animals. In their

arrogance, those who plot evil never suspect that their schemes will be

uncovered. Let us have faith that God will expose what the enemy has planned

against us.

• They search out iniquity. The word means to explore or seek out something like a

treasure. Imagine being so intent on doing evil that you search for it like a

treasure! Using the word iniquity, David means what is morally perverse and this

indicates evil that has been developed to such a degree as to warp a person’s

character – in other words, these are not “light” sins.

• This is the opposite of those who seek first the Kingdom of God, like a pearl of

great price. And it is a deep plan of evil, with much thought behind it. As human

beings we are all on a hunt or a quest for something.

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(7) But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be

wounded. (8) So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves;

all that see them shall flee away. (9) And all men shall fear, and shall

declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing. (10)

The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the

upright in heart shall glory.

• As we see often in David’s psalms, he expected them to be caught in the very way

they had devised for him. (We could call this the Haman principle!) Rather than

them shoot at David, it is God who will shoot at them.

• Three groups of people are affected when God moves in judgment: (1) the

followers of the wicked, who flee; (2) the great mass of mankind, who fear God

after seeing His work; and (3) the righteous, who are glad and boast (“glory”) in

Him.

Psalm 65: Praise is waiting for You, O God

A beautiful song about worship and the loving care of God.

(1) <To the chief Musician, A Psalm and Song of David.> Praise waits for

you, O God, in Zion; and to you shall the vow be performed. (2) O you who

hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come.

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• This means that everything has been prepared for the worship of God, and so he

is invited to come and receive our worship. The people are declaring to God that

all will worship him!

(3) Iniquities prevail against me; as for our transgressions, you shall purge

them away. (4) Blessed is the man whom you choose, and cause to

approach to you, that he may dwell in your courts; we shall be satisfied with

the goodness of your house, even of your holy temple.

• This does not mean that iniquities are prevailing against him, but words of

perversity. He is also confident that God will deal with their sins. He also speaks

of the man who is blessed by being summoned to approach God’s Presence.

(5) By terrible things in righteousness will you answer us, O God of our

salvation; who are the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of those

who are afar off upon the sea; (6) Who by his strength sets fast the

mountains; being girded with power; (7) Who stills the noise of the seas, the

noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people. (8) Those also that dwell

in the uttermost parts are afraid at your signs; you make the goings forth of

the morning and evening to rejoice.

• The answers to their prayers would be things that would terrify the enemies of

Israel, which He would do in His righteousness. He is described as the

confidence of all His people all over land and sea.

• David describes God’s power over nature. (The tossing waves of the sea are often

used as a picture of the wickedness of the Gentile nations who are opposed to

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God.) People in the remotest lands will be in fear when they see the great works

or signs that God does in the realm of nature. No doubt David was looking

through the prophetic telescope and seeing the great signs that would terrify

mankind at the approach of the Messiah to set up God’s Kingdom. “And there

shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth

distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's

hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming

on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see

the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” (Luke 21:25-27)

(9) You visit the earth, and water it; you greatly enrich it with the river of

God, which is full of water; you prepare them grain, when you have so

provided for it. (10) You water its furrows abundantly; you settle their

ridges; you make it soft with showers; you bless its springing forth. (11) You

crown the year with your goodness; and your paths drop fatness. (12) They

drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on

every side. (13) The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are

covered over with grain; they shout for joy, they also sing.

• This is a picture of God’s blessing in the realm of agriculture. God’s rains smooth

out the furrows of the field. His very paths are filled with fertility and growth.

David could picture the rains bringing the blessing of increased flocks and

abundance of grain.