Bird's-eye view
In this latter portion of Psalm 64, we see the great reversal. The first part of the psalm details the wicked sharpening their tongues like swords and aiming their bitter words like arrows from ambush. They are clever, they are secretive, and they are confident in their snares. But the psalmist, having laid his complaint before God, now describes the sudden and decisive intervention of God. This is not a protracted battle. It is a sudden judgment that turns the wicked's own devices against them. The result of this divine judgment is twofold: a healthy and holy fear descends upon all who see it, and the righteous are given cause for gladness, refuge, and boasting in the Lord. This is a psalm that shows us how God deals with the plots of wicked men, and how the righteous should respond when He does.
The central lesson here is the profound irony of sin. The wicked plot in secret, but God makes their downfall a public spectacle. They use their tongues to destroy, and God makes their own tongues the instrument of their ruin. This is not just punishment; it is a meticulously tailored, poetic justice that reveals the wisdom and power of God. The outcome is not just relief for the righteous, but glory for God, as all men are forced to acknowledge His work.
Outline
- 1. God's Sudden Retaliation (v. 7)
- a. The Divine Archer (v. 7a)
- b. The Sudden Wound (v. 7b)
- 2. The Irony of Self-Destruction (v. 8)
- a. The Tongue as a Stumbling Block (v. 8a)
- b. The Public Scorn (v. 8b)
- 3. The Universal Response to God's Work (v. 9)
- a. A Holy Fear (v. 9a)
- b. A Public Declaration (v. 9b)
- c. A Wise Consideration (v. 9c)
- 4. The Joy of the Righteous (v. 10)
- a. Gladness and Refuge in Yahweh (v. 10a)
- b. Boasting in Uprightness (v. 10b)
Context In Psalms
Psalm 64 is a psalm of David, and it follows a common pattern found in the Psalter: a lament that transitions into a statement of trust and confidence in God's deliverance. The first six verses are a detailed description of the enemy's conspiracy. They are secretive, malicious, and self-assured. They "encourage themselves in an evil matter" and ask, "Who shall see them?" This sets the stage perfectly for the dramatic turn of events in our text. The answer to their arrogant question is that God sees them, and He does not merely see. He acts. These final verses, therefore, are the divine answer to the conspiracy, showing that no plot is so deep or so secret that it can escape the notice and the judgment of God.
Clause-by-Clause Commentary
v. 7 But God will shoot them with an arrow; Suddenly they will be wounded.
The wicked were shooting their arrows of bitter words from ambush (v. 4). They thought they were the only archers on the field. But here, the Master Archer steps onto the scene. "But God" is one of the great turning points in Scripture. Man does his worst, "but God" intervenes. He doesn't just deflect their arrows; He shoots back. And His arrow is not a bitter word, but a real judgment. Notice the beautiful justice here. They used arrows, so God uses an arrow. He answers them in their own language, but with lethal force. And it happens "suddenly." There is no warning shot. The wicked, who reveled in their sudden attacks on the righteous, are themselves suddenly wounded. They had no time to prepare, no time to run. God's judgment is not something you can see coming and duck. When He decides the time is right, it is immediate and effective.
v. 8 So they will cause their own tongue to turn against them; All who see them will shake their head.
Here we see the genius of God's judgment. He does not need to import some foreign object to bring about their ruin. He simply uses what they themselves have provided. Their own tongue, the very instrument they sharpened like a sword (v. 3), is what trips them up. Their slander, their lies, their plots, all of it comes crashing down on their own heads. Sin is a boomerang. The evil they intended for others recoils upon them. This is a fundamental principle of God's moral universe. And this is not a private affair. It is a public spectacle. "All who see them will shake their head." This head-shaking is not pity, but a gesture of astonishment and scorn. It is a recognition of their utter folly. They thought they were so clever, and now their ruin is a public lesson for all to see. God makes an example of them.
v. 9 Then all men will fear, And they will declare the work of God, And will consider what He has done.
The downfall of the wicked is not just for the benefit of the righteous; it is a sermon preached to the world. "All men will fear." This is the beginning of wisdom. When men see God's swift and ironic justice, it produces a holy terror. It recalibrates their understanding of reality. They see that there is a God in heaven who judges the earth. This fear is not the cowering of a slave, but the awe-filled respect for a holy and powerful God. And this fear is not silent. It leads them to "declare the work of God." They cannot attribute this to chance or coincidence. The poetic justice is too precise. They are forced to give testimony to what God has done. They will "consider what He has done," meaning they will wisely ponder the event and draw the right conclusions. God's judgments are meant to be instructive.
v. 10 The righteous man will be glad in Yahweh and will take refuge in Him; And all the upright in heart will boast.
While the rest of the world responds with fear, the righteous respond with joy. But notice where their gladness is located. They are "glad in Yahweh." Their joy is not simply in the destruction of their enemies, but in the character of the God who has vindicated them. They rejoice that their God is a God of justice, a God who keeps His promises. This gladness leads to trust. They "will take refuge in Him." Seeing God act this way reinforces the truth that He is a strong tower, a safe place to run in times of trouble. And finally, "all the upright in heart will boast." This is not the arrogant boasting of the wicked. The upright do not boast in their own strength or cleverness. They boast in the Lord. Their testimony is, "Look what our God has done!" This is the glory of the saints. Their deliverance becomes a platform for exalting the name of their God. The upright in heart, those whose integrity is internal and not just for show, are the ones who can truly glory in a God who sees the heart and judges righteously.
Application
We live in a world full of secret plots and slanderous tongues. It is easy for the righteous to feel besieged, to think that the wicked are getting away with it. This psalm is a potent reminder that they are not. God sees every secret meeting, hears every whispered lie. And in His time, He will act. He will act suddenly, and He will act with perfect, ironic justice.
Our job is not to take matters into our own hands. Vengeance is His. Our job is to do what David did at the beginning of the psalm: take our complaint to God and trust Him. We are to pray for protection and then wait for His deliverance. When that deliverance comes, our response should be threefold. First, we rejoice, not in a spirit of vindictive glee, but with a gladness that is centered "in the Lord." We rejoice in His character. Second, we take deeper refuge in Him. Every deliverance should strengthen our faith and our reliance upon Him. Third, we boast. We declare His work to others, so that they too might learn to fear the Lord and understand His ways. The downfall of the wicked is not just our relief; it is God's sermon to a watching world, and we are privileged to provide the commentary.