Psalms 64 (ASV)

Chapter Text

64:1 Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint: Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.

64:2 Hide me from the secret counsel of evil-doers, From the tumult of the workers of iniquity;

64:3 Who have whet their tongue like a sword, And have aimed their arrows, even bitter words,

64:4 That they may shoot in secret places at the perfect: Suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.

64:5 They encourage themselves in an evil purpose; They commune of laying snares privily; They say, Who will see them?

64:6 They search out iniquities; We have accomplished, [say they], a diligent search: And the inward thought and the heart of every one is deep.

64:7 But God will shoot at them; With an arrow suddenly shall they be wounded.

64:8 So they shall be made to stumble, their own tongue being against them: All that see them shall wag the head.

64:9 And all men shall fear; And they shall declare the work of God, And shall wisely consider of his doing.

64:10 The righteous shall be glad in Jehovah, and shall take refuge in him; And all the upright in heart shall glory. Psalm 65 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm. A song of David.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "purpose", "wounded", "iniquities", "hear", "voice", "complaint", "preserve", and "life". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "purpose" and "wounded", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The local ASV text gives this verse as the immediate unit, so "purpose" and "wounded" carries the first interpretive weight. In Psalms context, the local focus is worship, trust, the LORD's kingship, and covenant mercy.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "purpose" and "wounded" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.