Psalm 64:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: shooting from ambush at the blameless, shooting at him suddenly and without fear.

NIV: They shoot from ambush at the innocent; they shoot suddenly, without fear.

NASB: To shoot from concealment at the innocent; Suddenly they shoot at him, and do not fear.

CSB: shooting from concealed places at the blameless. They shoot at him suddenly and are not afraid.

NLT: They shoot from ambush at the innocent, attacking suddenly and fearlessly.

KJV: That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.

NKJV: That they may shoot in secret at the blameless; Suddenly they shoot at him and do not fear.

Not only were David's enemies telling lies (Psalm 64:1–3), but their slander was brought out by surprise. These opponents used well-timed criticisms the same way an assassin might ambush their target by firing arrows at them from a hidden spot. David experienced this in a physical way when king Saul suddenly threw a spear with the intent to kill (1 Samuel 18:10–11). The rebellion of David's son, Absalom, also came so quickly that it forced a hasty evacuation (2 Samuel 15:13–14). These enemies do so without concern that they are immoral and subject to judgment (Psalm 10:7–11).

It's possible that Saul's appointment of David to a fighting position was a sneaky attempt to have him killed (1 Samuel 18:12–13). But the Lord protected David and gave him great military success (1 Samuel 18:14). David's downfall was the goal behind Saul's dangerous, bizarre request regarding David's marriage to Michal (1 Samuel 18:25). In fact, the marriage, itself, was part of Saul's plot to weaken David (1 Samuel 18:21). First Samuel 19 makes it clear that Saul lied to his son Jonathan when he said he would not put David to death. Despite the king's words, when David returned to Saul's palace, Saul tried to murder him again (1 Samuel 19:10). Later, he sent spies and assassins to David's house to kill him (1 Samuel 19:11).

Psalm 64:1–6 is a prayer for safety from conspiring enemies. David spells out his enemies' crimes, which seem to revolve around plots, evil words, surprise attacks, and deception. They are confident in their planning. These opponents act as if no one will ever find out what they have done.

David prays for rescue from his enemies. He accuses them of slanderous and evil words, aimed at his own destruction. These men think they are hidden and that their plots will not be uncovered. Yet David trusts that the Lord will expose evil and make an example of these wicked attackers. This is cause for all believers to trust in God and praise Him.

Unlike some psalms which mention God's judgment on David's enemies, this psalm is not explicitly connected to any moment in David's life. Themes of ambush, conspiracy, and lies suggest his experiences with both Saul (1 Samuel 19:11) and Absalom (2 Samuel 15:13–14). This song repeats themes common to David's writing, such as his faith that God will expose his enemies and make examples of them to the world (Psalm 40:3; 52:6–7; 58:10–11).

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.