Psalms 64:5
in Psalms 64They hold fast to their evil purpose; they speak of hiding their snares. “Who will see them?” they say.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
They encourage themselves in an evil purpose; They commune of laying snares privily; They say, Who will see them?
KJV
They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them?
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This verse in Psalms 64
Commentary
10 notes on this verseThey encourage themselves in an evil matter. Good men are frequently discouraged, and not infrequently discourage one another, but the children of darkness are wise in their generation and keep their spirits up, and each one has a cheering word to say to his fellow villain. Anything by which they can strengthen each other's hands in their one common design they resort to; their hearts are thoroughly in their black work. They commune of laying snares privily. Laying their heads together they count and recount their various devices, so as to come at some new and masterly device.
This site's exposition
sharpen their tongues like swords
on Psalms 64:3-6
Their speech is the weapon. They sharpen the tongue to a sword, shoot the bitter word like an arrow, and ambush the innocent in seclusion, asking who will see them. Gill takes the deep heart of verse 6 as a plan no one outside the man can trace.
This site's exposition
they speak of hiding their snares
Charles Spurgeon sets the wicked beside the good. The good often discourage one another, while those who hold fast to an evil purpose keep each other's spirits up and speak of their snares.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"They told, in order that they might hide traps: they said, Who shall see them?" [Psalm 64:5]. They thought they would escape Him, whom they were killing, that they would escape God. Behold, suppose Christ was a man, like the rest of men, and knew not what was being contrived for Him: does God also know not? O heart of man! Wherefore have you said to yourself, Who sees me? When He sees that has made you? "They said, Who shall see them?" God did see, Christ also was seeing: because Christ is also God. But wherefore did they think that He saw not? Hear the words following.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
It is the office of conscience to discourage men in an evil matter, but, when that is baffled, the case is desperate. (2.) They consult with themselves and one another how to do the most mischief and most effectually: They commune of laying snares privily. All their communion is in sin and all their communication is how to sin securely.
They encourage themselves in an evil matter,....
By the spirit of prophecy he foretels their destruction, which would redound to the glory of God and the encouragement of his people,
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
They encourage themselves in an evil matter. Good men are frequently discouraged, and not infrequently discourage one another, but the children of darkness are wise in their generation and keep their spirits up, and each one has a cheering word to say to his fellow villain. Anything by which they can strengthen each other's hands in their one common design they resort to; their hearts are thoroughly in their black work. They commune of laying snares privily. Laying their heads together they count and recount their various devices, so as to come at some new and masterly device. They know the benefit of cooperation, and are not sparing in it; they pour their experience into one common fund, they teach each other fresh methods. They say, Who shall see them? So sedulously do they mask their attacks, that they defy discovery; their pitfalls are too well hidden, and themselves too carefully concealed to be found out. So they think, but they forget the all seeing eye, and the all discovering hand, which are ever hard by them. Great plots are usually laid bare. As in the Gunpowder Plot, there is usually a breakdown somewhere or other; among the conspirators themselves truth finds an ally, or the stones of the field cry out against them. Let no Christian be in bondage through fear of deep laid Jesuitical schemes, for surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, nor divination against Israel; the toils of the net are broken, the arrows of the bow are snapped, the devices of the wicked are foiled. Therefore, fear not, ye tremblers; for the Lord is at your right hand, and ye shall not be hurt of the enemy.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
They commune of laying snares - They lay snares to entrap those whom they cannot slay by open attack or private ambush.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
They encourage themselves - literally, they strengthen themselves, or make themselves strong. That is, they take counsel; they encourage each other; they urge one another forward; they suggest to each other methods by which what they purpose may be done, and by which difficulties may be overcome. This was a part of their “secret counsel” or their consultation, Psa 64:2. In an evil matter - Margin, as in Hebrew, speech. The reference is to their purpose or plan. They strengthen themselves for doing what they know to be a wrong or wicked thing. They commune - literally, they tell or speak. That is, they tell each other how it may be done, or suggest different methods by which it may be successfully accomplishled. They compare views, that they may select that which will be most likely to be successful. All this indicates plan, consultation, design. Of laying snares privily - Margin, as in Hebrew, to hide snares. This is a figure derived from the method of taking wild beasts. See Psa 7:15, note; Psa 38:12, note. The reference here is to some secret plan by which they intended that the author of the psalm should be entrapped and ruined. It was not a plan of open and manly warfare, but a purpose to destroy him when he would have no opportunity of defense. They say, Who shall see them? - That is, who will see the snares or pit-falls? Who will be aware of their existence? They sought to make the plan so secret that no one could discover it, or even suspect it; to keep it so concealed that he for whom it was intended could not be put on his guard. Compare Psa 10:8-9.
The words behind it
11 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יְחַזְּקוּ־ | yechazeku- | they strengthen | H2388 → | 291 times |
| לָ֨מוֹ׀ | lamo | for <the> themselves | ||
| דָּ֘בָ֤ר | davar | a matter | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| רָ֗ע | ra' | evil | H7451 → | 662 times |
| יְֽ֭סַפְּרוּ | yesaperu | they speak | H5608 → | 159 times |
| לִטְמ֣וֹן | litmon | to hide | H2934 → | 31 times |
| מוֹקְשִׁ֑ים | mokshim | snares | H4170 → | 27 times |
| אָ֝מְר֗וּ | ʾameru | they say | H559 → | 5305 times |
| מִ֣י | mi | who? | H4310 → | 423 times |
| יִרְאֶה־ | yireh- | will he see | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| לָּֽמוֹ׃ | lamo | <to> <the> them |
יְחַזְּקוּ־they strengthen
yechazeku-H2388 →291 times
לָ֨מוֹ׀for <the> themselves
lamo
דָּ֘בָ֤רa matter
davarH1697 →1440 times
רָ֗עevil
ra'H7451 →662 times
יְֽ֭סַפְּרוּthey speak
yesaperuH5608 →159 times
לִטְמ֣וֹןto hide
litmonH2934 →31 times
מוֹקְשִׁ֑יםsnares
mokshimH4170 →27 times
אָ֝מְר֗וּthey say
ʾameruH559 →5305 times
מִ֣יwho?
miH4310 →423 times
יִרְאֶה־will he see
yireh-H7200 →1300 times
לָּֽמוֹ׃<to> <the> them
lamo
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Job 22:13Yet you say: ‘What does God know? Does He judge through thick darkness?
it leads to
- Ezekiel 8:12
“Son of man,” He said to me, “do you see what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the darkness, each at the shrine of his own idol? For they are…
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 10:11
He says to himself, “God has forgotten; He hides His face and never sees.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 73:11
The wicked say, “How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ezekiel 8:12
Through
Ezekiel 8:12“Son of man,” He said to me, “do you see what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the darkness, each at the shrine of his own idol? For they are…
it leads to
- Isaiah 29:15
Woe to those who dig deep to hide their plans from the LORD. In darkness they do their works and say, “Who sees us, and who will know?”
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Ezekiel 9:9
He replied, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great. The land is full of bloodshed, and the city is full of perversity. For they say, ‘The LORD has forsaken…
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 29:15
Through
Psalms 140:5The proud hide a snare for me; the cords of their net are spread along the path, and lures are set out for me. Selah
it leads to
- Psalms 35:7
For without cause they laid their net for me; without reason they dug a pit for my soul.
- Psalms 142:3
Although my spirit grows faint within me, You know my way. Along the path I travel they have hidden a snare for me.
- Psalms 35:7
Through
Psalms 94:7They say, “The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob pays no heed.”
it leads to
- Luke 18:3–4
And there was a widow in that town who kept appealing to him, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’
- Luke 18:3–4
About Psalms
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 64; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 3; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.