Psalms 64:6
in Psalms 64They devise injustice and say, “We have perfected a secret plan.” For the inner man and the heart are mysterious.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
They search out iniquities; We have accomplished, say they, a diligent search: And the inward thought and the heart of every one is deep.
KJV
They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep.
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This verse in Psalms 64
Commentary
10 notes on this verseThey search out iniquities. Diligently they consider, invent, devise, and seek for wicked plans to wreak their malice. These are no common villains, but explorers in iniquity, inventors and concoctors of evil. Sad indeed it is that to ruin a good man the evil disposed will often show as much avidity as if they were searching after treasure. The Inquisition could display instruments of torture, revealing as much skill as the machinery of our modern exhibitions.
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
We have perfected a secret plan
Augustine of Hippo traces the plan to a darkened heart. A soul that does not see God thinks God does not see it, and so the wicked ask who will see them.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"They have searched out iniquity, they have failed, searching searchings:" that is, deadly and acute designs. Let Him not be betrayed by us, but by His disciple: let Him not be killed by us, but by the judge: let us do all, and let us seem to have done nothing. ...But what befell them? "They failed searching searchings." Whence? Because he saith, "Who shall see them?" that is, that no one saw them. This they were saying, this among themselves they thought, that no one saw them. See what befalleth an evil soul: it departeth from the light of truth, and because itself seeth not God, it thinketh that itself is not seen by God. ...
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
They search out iniquities,....
10 The righteous shall be glad in the L ORD , and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory. The judgments of God which should certainly come upon these malicious persecutors of David. Though they encouraged themselves in their wickedness, here is that which, if they would believe and consider it, was enough to discourage them.
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 search out iniquities. Diligently they consider, invent, devise, and seek for wicked plans to wreak their malice. These are no common villains, but explorers in iniquity, inventors and concoctors of evil. Sad indeed it is that to ruin a good man the evil disposed will often show as much avidity as if they were searching after treasure. The Inquisition could display instruments of torture, revealing as much skill as the machinery of our modern exhibitions. The deep places of history, manifesting most the skill of the human mind, are those in which revenge has arranged diplomacy, and used intrigue to compass its diabolical purposes. They accomplish a diligent search. Their design is perfected, consummated, and brought into working order. They cry "Eureka; "they have sought and found the sure method of vengeance. Exquisite are the refinements of malice! hell's craft furnishes inspiration to the artistes who fashion deceit. Earth and the places under it are ransacked for the material of war, and profound skill turns all to account. Both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep. No superficial wit is theirs; but sagacity, sharpened by practice and keen hatred. Wicked men have frequently the craft to hasten slowly, to please in order to ruin, to flatter that ere long they may devour, to bow the knee that they may ultimately crush beneath their foot. He who deals with the serpent's seed has good need of the wisdom which is from above: the generation of vipers twist and turn, wind and wiggle, yet evermore they are set upon their purpose, and go the nearest way to it when they wander round about. Alas! how dangerous is the believer's condition, and how readily may he be overcome if left to himself. This is the complaint of reason and the moan of unbelief.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search - The word חפש chaphash, which is used three times, as a noun and a verb, in this sentence, signifies to strip off the clothes. “They investigate iniquities; they perfectly investigate an investigation.” Most energetically translated by the old Psalter: Thai ransaked wickednesses: thai failled ransakand in ransaking. To ransack signifies to search every corner, to examine things part by part, to turn over every leaf, to leave no hole or cranny unexplored. But the word investigate fully expresses the meaning of the term, as it comes either from in, taken privately, and vestire, to clothe, stripping the man bare, that he may be exposed to all shame, and be the more easily wounded; or from the word investigo, which may be derived from in, intensive, and vestigium, the footstep or track of man or beast. A metaphor from hunting the stag; as the slot, or mark of his foot, is diligently sought out, in order to find whither he is gone, and whether he is old or young, for huntsmen can determine the age by the slot. Tuberville, in his Treatise on Hunting, gives rules to form this judgment, To this the next verse seems to refer.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
They search out iniquities - They search deep; they examine plans; they rack their invention to accomplish it. The original word - חפשׂ châphaś - is a word which is used to denote the act of exploring - as when one searches for treasure, or for anything that is hidden or lost - implying a deep and close attention of the mind to the subject. So here they examined every plan, or every way which was suggested to them, by which they could hope to accomplish their purpose. They accomplish - This would be better translated by rendering it, “We have perfected it!” That is, We have found it out; it is complete; meaning that they had found a plan to their liking. It is the language of self-congratulatlon. A diligent search - Or rather, “The search is a deep search.” In other words, “The plan is a consummate plan; it is just to our mind; it is exactly what we have sought to find.” This, too, is language of self-congratulation and satisfaction at the plan which they had thought of, and which was so exactly to their mind. Both the inward thought - literally, the inside; that is, the hidden design. And the heart - The plan formed in the heart; the secret purpose. Is deep - A deep-laid scheme; a plan that indicates profound thought; a purpose that is the result of consummate sagacity. This is the language of the author of the psalm. He admitted that there had been great talent and skill in the formation of the plan. Hence, it was that he cried so earnestly to God.
The words behind it
9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יַֽחְפְּֽשׂוּ־ | yachpesu- | they plot | H2664 → | 23 times |
| עוֹלֹ֗ת | olot | injustice<s> | H5766 → | 54 times |
| תַּ֭מְנוּ | tamnu | we have finished | H8552 → | 63 times |
| חֵ֣פֶשׂ | chefes | a plot | H2665 → | |
| מְחֻפָּ֑שׂ | mechupas | plotted | H2664 → | 23 times |
| וְקֶ֥רֶב | vekerev | and [the] inner being of | H7130 → | 227 times |
| אִ֝֗ישׁ | ʾish | a person | H376 → | 1663 times |
| וְלֵ֣ב | velev | and [the] heart | H3820 → | 595 times |
| עָמֹֽק׃ | ʾamok | [is] deep | H6013 → |
יַֽחְפְּֽשׂוּ־they plot
yachpesu-H2664 →23 times
עוֹלֹ֗תinjustice<s>
olotH5766 →54 times
תַּ֭מְנוּwe have finished
tamnuH8552 →63 times
חֵ֣פֶשׂa plot
chefesH2665 →
מְחֻפָּ֑שׂplotted
mechupasH2664 →23 times
וְקֶ֥רֶבand [the] inner being of
vekerevH7130 →227 times
אִ֝֗ישׁa person
ʾishH376 →1663 times
וְלֵ֣בand [the] heart
velevH3820 →595 times
עָמֹֽק׃[is] deep
ʾamokH6013 →
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
1 Corinthians 4:5Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each…
it leads to
- James 5:7
Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer awaits the precious fruit of the soil—how patient he is for the fall and spring rains.
- 2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.
- 1 Corinthians 3:13
his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work.
- Hebrews 4:13
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
- Romans 2:16
on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Christ Jesus, as proclaimed by my gospel.
- James 5:7
Through
Isaiah 29:15Woe 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?”
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…
- Isaiah 47:10
You were secure in your wickedness; you said, ‘No one sees me.’ Your wisdom and knowledge led you astray; you told yourself, ‘I am, and there is none besides me.’
- Ezekiel 8:12
Through
Psalms 5:9For not a word they speak can be trusted; destruction lies within them. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.
it leads to
- Romans 3:13
“Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The venom of vipers is on their lips.”
- Romans 3:13
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.