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John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Psalms 64:5

They encourage themselves [in] an evil matter,.... Or "strengthen him" c; that is, Saul, by making use of arguments and reasonings to induce him to go on in his wicked persecution of David; or they strengthened and hardened themselves in their wickedness, as Saul's courtiers and the enemies of Christ did, and as all wicked men do, when they observe the sentence against them is not speedily executed, Ecclesiastes 8:11;

they commune of laying snares privily; that is, they conversed together, and consulted how to lay snares for the perfect man in the most private manner, that they might entrap him and destroy him;

they say, who shall see them? either the snares laid, or the persons that laid them? None; no, not even God himself; see Psalms 10:11.

c יהזקו למו "firmant illi", Muis.

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See also Psalms 64:5 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Psalms 64:5. _THEY COMMUNE OF LAYING SNARES_] They lay snares to _entrap_ those whom they cannot slay by _open_ attack or private _ambush_....

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    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...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    Psalms 64 The Wicked and their End _ 1. The power of the wicked displaced (Psalms 64:1)_ 2. Their sudden end (Psalms 64:7) This Psalm stands in contrast with the preceding ones. The outward circum...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    LXIV. PRAYER OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN AGAINST TREACHEROUS FOES. Psalms 64:6. The text needs correction. We may read, They plan evil deeds: they have hidden a well-devised plot, for the inner man is incurab...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    EVIL. Hebrew. _ra'a'._ App-44....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _They encourage_&c. Lit., _They make strong for themselves an evil scheme_, sparing no pains to make their plot successful. _they say_ Lit. _they have said_, i.e. to themselves; they have made up the...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Prayer for preservation from malicious enemies, who are plotting against the Psalmist with subtle treachery and resolute determination....

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PSALMS 64 DESCRIPTIVE TITLE A Prayer against the Evil Tongues of Conspirators, who are Destroyed by Their Own Weapon. ANALYSIS Stanza I., Psalms 64:1-4 a, Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies, whose...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _THEY ENCOURAGE THEMSELVES IN AN EVIL MATTER: THEY COMMUNE OF LAYING SNARES PRIVILY; THEY SAY, WHO SHALL SEE THEM?_ They encourage themselves in an evil matter - literally, 'They confirm for themselv...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    MATTER] RV 'purpose.' THEY SAY, WHO SHALL SEE THEM?] cp. Psalms 10:11....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    This is a Ps. on a familiar theme. The Psalmist's life is in danger. He describes the injurious words and malicious plans of his enemies, and foretells how their overthrow will be a warning to all who...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    PSALMS 42:72 _GORDON CHURCHYARD_ Words in boxes are from the Bible. Words marked with a *star are described in the word list at the end. The translated Bible text has yet to go through Advanced Che...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    THEY ENCOURAGE THEMSELVES. — Literally, _they strengthen for themselves an evil thing_ (or “word,” margin, LXX., and Vulg.,) which evidently means that they take their measures carefully, and are prep...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    _[Psalms 64:6]_ יְחַזְּקוּ ־לָ֨מֹו ׀ דָּ֘בָ֤ר רָ֗ע יְֽ֭סַפְּרוּ...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    Psalms 64:1 FAMILIAR notes are struck in this psalm, which has no very distinctive features. Complaint of secret slanderers, the comparison of their words to arrows and swords, their concealed snares,...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    DELIVERANCE FROM POWERFUL FOES Psalms 64:1 Another of the psalms dating from Saul's persecution. There are two stanzas. PRAYER FOR PRESERVATION, PSALMS 64:1 Insult, sarcasm, and slander still fall...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    This is the cry of distress, and yet not of despair. The singer is beset by wily enemies who plan and plot against him with malicious and persistent determination. In great detail he describes their m...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    They (f) encourage themselves [in] an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them? (f) The more the wicked set God's children in misery, the more bold and impuden...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _To thee, by predestination. --- House, adorned with exterior graces. (St. Hilary) --- Happy the man, whom thou hast ordained, by faith and good works, to eternal life! David speaks in the name of the...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Here are marked the deep-laid schemes of the wicked. And when we read the history of Christ's trial, and mockings, and scourgings, the preludes to his death; who but must see the great and sacred Obje...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    5_They assure themselves in an evil work. _He proceeds to complain of the perverse determination with which they pursued their wickedness, and of their combinations amongst themselves; remarking, at t...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Psalms 64 chiefly speaks of the unceasing crafty hatred of the enemy and cries to God: God will shoot at them suddenly. The result of this judgment will be that all shall fear and declare the work of...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    They encourage themselves [in] an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them? Ver. 5. _They encourage themselves in an evil matter_] Thus he riseth in his compla...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _They encourage themselves_ Hebrew, יחזקו, _jechazeku, they strengthen_, or _fortify themselves_, by firm resolutions, by assured confidence of success, by uniting their counsels and forces together,...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    INVOCATION OF GOD AGAINST THE DECEIT OF MEN. To the chief musician, a psalm of David, composed at one of the periods of his life when he was annoyed above the ordinary by the trickery of men who prof...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    They encourage themselves in an evil matter, using every means to secure their wicked object; THEY COMMUNE OF LAYING SNARES PRIVILY, carefully going over each part of their plans to make them successf...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    MATTER: Or, speech LAYING SNARES: _ Heb._ to hide snares...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-6 The psalmist earnestly begs of God to preserve him from disquieting fear. The tongue is a little member, but it boasts great things. The upright man is the mark at which the wicked aim, they cann...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    THEY ENCOURAGE THEMSELVES, Heb. _they strengthen or fortify themselves_, by firm resolutions, by assured confidence of success, by uniting their counsels and forces together, and by mutual encourageme...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Psalms 64:5 encourage H2388 (H8762) evil H7451 matter H1697 talk H5608 (H8762) laying H2934 snares H4170 secretly...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE PSALMISTS DESCRIPTION OF THE WHISPERERS (64-5-6). Here we have a description of ‘things done by them in secret' (Ephesians 5:12). They carefully prepare an evil scheme, seeking to ensure that it i...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: David prays for deliverance from the malicious designs of enemies. CHARACTERS: God, David. CONCLUSION: God will turn the tables on the adversaries of His people and defeat them at their ow...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    REFLECTIONS. This psalm describes at large the plots and insinuations of David's enemies for his destruction. They took secret counsel against him, and he cried and prayed, on the contrary, that God w...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _They say, Who shall see them?_ OMNISCIENCE IGNORED I. It is a fact that this notion has great influence upon the conduct of man. They like to cherish such notion, finding it convenient. Because the...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy._ MAN’S ENMITY TOWARDS MAN We see this enmity here in three aspects. I. Piously dreaded. David prays against it. He pray...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PSALM PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 64:1. This individual lament shares with Psalms 63:1 a confidence in God’s victory over those who bring troubles on the righteous. The psalm h

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    INTRODUCTION _Superscription_. “_To the chief Musician:_” see Introduction to Psalms 57. “_A Psalm of David_,” The structure and character of the psalm confirm the title as to its Davidic authorship....

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION AT a time of great danger from domestic enemies, who threaten insurrection (Psalms 64:2), the psalmist first complains to God, and entreats his aid (Psalms 64:1); after which he boldly deno...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Psa 64:1-10, another psalm of David. Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from the fear of the enemy (Psalms 64:1). You know, fear is a horrible thing. And fear can actually get hold...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Samuel 23:19; Exodus 15:9; Ezekiel 8:12; Isaiah 41:6; Matthew 23:15

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