Read Psalm 64 at Bible Gateway.
Hebrew paragraph divisions:
1 Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation; Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
2 Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, From the rebellion of the workers of iniquity,
3 Who sharpen their tongue like a sword, And bend their bows to shoot their arrows—bitter words,
4 That they may shoot in secret at the blameless; Suddenly they shoot at him and do not fear.
5a They encourage themselves in an evil matter; They talk of laying snares secretly; {n}
5b They say, “Who will see them?”
6a They search out iniquities; they have accomplished a diligent search; {n}
6b Even in the inward thought and the deep heart of man.
7 But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; Suddenly they shall be wounded.
8 So He will make them stumble over their own tongue; All who see them shall shake the head.
9 All men shall fear, And shall declare the work of God; For they shall wisely consider His doing.
10 The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and trust in Him. And all the upright in heart shall glory. {p}
chiastic structure:
introduction) Psa 64:1a, Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation;
1a) Psa 64:1b-2. Preserve me from fear of the enemy/ hide me from their secret plots;
1b) Psa 64:3a, Who sharpen their tongue like a sword;
1c) Psa 64:3b-4, And shoot their arrows—bitter words/ suddenly they shoot in secret at the blameless;
1d) Psa 64:5a, They encourage themselves in evil/ laying snares secretly; {n}
central axis) Psa 64:5b, They say, “Who will see them?”
2d) Psa 64:6, They diligently search out iniquities; {n} Even in the inward thought and the deep heart of man;
2c) Psa 64:7, God shall shoot at them with an arrow/ Suddenly they shall be wounded;
2b) Psa 64:8, He will make them stumble over their own tongue; all who see them shall shake the head;
2a) Psa 64:9, All men shall fear + declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider it;
conclusion) Psa 64:10, The righteous shall be glad + trust in the Lord/ All the upright in heart shall glory. {p}
The Psalmist’s prayer begins as a plea, not to fall into fear of what the enemy might do (1A). In contrast, when God brings justice on the wicked, it is He whom all men learn to fear (2A). We learn that the wicked do wickedly, because they have a misunderstanding or are willfully ignorant about God. They think no one will see them hatch and work their evil schemes (central axis). But no matter how careful they are, God will always see, and bring the evil they did to others back upon their own head. All who are wise will consider this!
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