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For the director of music. A psalm of David.

64 God, hear me as I tell you my problem.
    Don’t let my enemies kill me.
Hide me from evil people who talk about how to harm me.
    Hide me from those people who are planning to do evil.

They make their tongues like sharp swords.
    They aim their mean words like deadly arrows.
They shoot from their hiding places at people who aren’t guilty.
    They shoot quickly and aren’t afraid of being caught.

They help one another make evil plans.
    They talk about hiding their traps.
    They say, “Who can see what we are doing?”
They make plans to do what is evil.
    They say, “We have thought up a perfect plan!”
    The hearts and minds of people are so clever!

But God will shoot my enemies with his arrows.
    He will suddenly strike them down.
He will turn their own words against them.
    He will destroy them.
All those who see them will shake their heads
    and look down on them.

All people will respect God.
    They will tell about his works.
    They will think about what he has done.
10 Godly people will be full of joy because of what the Lord has done.
    They will go to him for safety.
    All those whose hearts are honest will be proud of what he has done.

Psalm 64[a]

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

Hear me, my God, as I voice my complaint;(A)
    protect my life from the threat of the enemy.(B)

Hide me from the conspiracy(C) of the wicked,(D)
    from the plots of evildoers.
They sharpen their tongues like swords(E)
    and aim cruel words like deadly arrows.(F)
They shoot from ambush at the innocent;(G)
    they shoot suddenly, without fear.(H)

They encourage each other in evil plans,
    they talk about hiding their snares;(I)
    they say, “Who will see it[b]?”(J)
They plot injustice and say,
    “We have devised a perfect plan!”
    Surely the human mind and heart are cunning.

But God will shoot them with his arrows;
    they will suddenly be struck down.
He will turn their own tongues against them(K)
    and bring them to ruin;
    all who see them will shake their heads(L) in scorn.(M)
All people will fear;(N)
    they will proclaim the works of God
    and ponder what he has done.(O)

10 The righteous will rejoice in the Lord(P)
    and take refuge in him;(Q)
    all the upright in heart will glory in him!(R)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 64:1 In Hebrew texts 64:1-10 is numbered 64:2-11.
  2. Psalm 64:5 Or us