1 (64-1) For the Leader. A Psalm of David. (64-2) Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint; preserve my life from the terror of the enemy. 2 (64-3) Hide me from the council of evil-doers; from the tumult of the workers of iniquity; 3 (64-4) Who have whet their tongue like a sword, and have aimed their arrow, a poisoned word; 4 (64-5) That they may shoot in secret places at the blameless; suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not. 5 (64-6) They encourage one another in an evil matter; they converse of laying snares secretly; they ask, who would see them. 6 (64-7) They search out iniquities, they have accomplished a diligent search; even in the inward thought of every one, and the deep heart. 7 (64-8) But God doth shoot at them with an arrow suddenly; thence are their wounds. 8 (64-9) So they make their own tongue a stumbling unto themselves; all that see them shake the head. 9 (64-10) And all men fear; and they declare the work of God, and understand His doing. 10 (64-11) The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall take refuge in Him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.
Psalm 64 JPS Tanakh (1917)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (2)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
- Numbers like (22-2) in the text give the Hebrew verse numbering where it differs.
Cross references (10)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Psalm 34:4; Psalm 143:1–3; Psalm 130:1–2; Psalm 141:1; Lamentations 3:55–56
- 2 Psalm 109:2–3; Psalm 143:9; Psalm 59:2; Psalm 31:20; Psalm 27:5
- 3 Jeremiah 9:3; Psalm 57:4; Psalm 58:7; James 3:6–8; Psalm 11:2
- 4 1 Peter 2:22–23; Psalm 55:19; Psalm 10:8–9; Psalm 11:2; John 19:6
- 5 Psalm 140:5; Psalm 10:11; Job 22:13; Ezekiel 8:12; Psalm 94:7
- 6 Matthew 26:59; Jeremiah 17:9–10; Psalm 5:9; Isaiah 29:15; Daniel 6:4–5
- 7 Proverbs 6:15; Psalm 7:12–13; 1 Thessalonians 5:2–3; Psalm 18:14; Job 6:4
- 8 Proverbs 18:7; Proverbs 12:13; Psalm 140:9; Psalm 31:11; Nahum 3:7
- 9 Jeremiah 51:10; Hosea 14:9; Psalm 40:3; Psalm 107:42–43; Isaiah 5:12
- 10 Psalms 32:11–33:1; Psalm 40:3; 1 Corinthians 1:30–31; Psalm 25:20; Psalm 112:2
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
This psalm hath the title, "For David himself, when he was in the desert of Idumæa." By the name of Idumæa is understood this world. For Idumæa was a certain nation of men going astray, where idols were worshipped. In no good sense is put this Idumæa.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
For these meaner things have their delights, but not like unto my God, who hath created all things; for in Him doth the righteous delight, and He is the sweetness of the upright in heart.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)