Psalms 64

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, The enemy of whom David hero complains, it is most probable, was Saul: whose hatred to him was very much heightened, and made more malignant, by the calumnies and false stories which were told of him by some ill men in his court: who were always plotting and contriving in their cabals (as we speak), how to compass his destruction (and found no means more effectual for that end than lies and calumnies); though, in truth, they >vere all that time (as ho foretold) devising their own. In memory of which he delivered this Psalm, together with several other (which he made on the same subject), to Iho master of music, to be sung in the tabernacle. Ver. 1* JUeAR my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear oftjie enemy.] O God, the governor of all the world, who s.eest the danger I am in by a dreadful enemy; be thou my friend, I humbly beseech thee; and preserve the life of thy persecuted servant, who by earnest prayer commends himself unto thy custody. The latter part of this excellent Hymn of Praise (as the, title calls it; see more, Psal.lxvii.) hath moved some judicious interpreters to think, that it was delivered by J)avid to the master of music, after some great drought; which had brought, or threatened to bring, a dearth upon the land: and there are those who imagine it relates to the three years’ famine after the rebellion of Absalom, (2 Sam. xxi.) which being removed by plentiful showers pf rain, the Psalmist gives God public thanks in this Hymn for sending them seasonably to his people; whom he had formerly obliged by several other great benefits, as he cloth all other nations; which David here first of all commemorates. 1 can find nothing more probable than this. For as to the title which we find in the Vulgar Latin, out of some Greek copies, that it is a Psalm sung by Jeremy mid Ezekiel ) with the people of the captivity, when they were about

Psalms 64:2

Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity. Protect me from the secret plots, and the open violence of those wicked men who make a great stir against me, and unjustly seek my ruin.

Psalms 64:3

Who whet t their tongue like a sxvord, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words. Their tongue is their principal weapon; which they have in readiness (as soldiers have their swords) upon all occasions, to wound my reputation: calumnies and slanders, like so many poisoned arrows, are.ever at their tongues’ end:

Psalms 64:4

That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not. Which, when they are in private with Saul, they shoot at me;.who never did him or them any wrong; but am perfectly guiltless of that which they charge me withal: yet I find these false accusations, which I never expected, spread abroad by those who have no fear of God to restrain them from doing mischief to their innocent neighbours.

Psalms 64:5

They encourage themselves in an cvilmattcr: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them?. lliey use their utmost-endeavours to make their calumnies be believed, and confirm one another in their resolved prosecution of their wicked design: which they consult how to effect, though it be by falsehood and treachery, or by wiles and crafty practices, so subtly contrived, that nobody, they hope, shall be able to discover them. Vor. G. TJtey search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the imvmrd thought of every one of them, and their heart, is deep.] They employ all their wit and diligence in these wicked devices: “and leave nothing unattempted to produce the most exquisite and absolute piece of villany that can be invented by men of the deepest reach and policy.

Psalms 64:7

But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; syddenly shall they be wounded. But all to no purpose; for, when they little think of it, they and all their projects shall perish, by a sudden stroke of the Divine vengeance.

Psalms 64:8

So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away. Their slanders shall reflect upon themselves; and their wicked counsels prove so pernicious to those that gave them, that they shall be forsaken even of their friends; and they that were wont to visit them, shall fly away from them.

Psalms 64:9

And oilmen sltallfear, and shalldeclare the work of God: for they shall wisely consider of his doing. And all other men shall be afraid to imitate them; not being able to deny the just vengeance of God, the judge of all, upon them: for they shall be convinced that it was not by chance, but by his counsel, that they were not only defeated, but ensnared in their own contrivances.

Psalms 64:10

The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory. Which shall both fill my heart, whom they unjustly maligned, with such joy in the Lord, as shall encourage me to commit myself unto him for ever in well-doing; and make all true lovers of piety triumph in the victory, which integrity and simplicity have gotten over falsehood an<J subtilty. _ PSALM LXV. To the chief Musician. A Psalm and Song of David,