Henry Ainsworth on Psalms 64

PSAL. LXIV.

To the Master of the Musicke, a Psalme of David.

HEare my voyce, O God, in my praier; preserve my life from dread of the enemy. Hide me from the secret of evill doers, from the tumultuous rage of them that worke painfull iniquity. Which have whetted their tongue as a sword, have bent their arrow, even a bitter word. To shoot in secret places at the perfect; suddenly will they shoot at him, and feare not. They confirme to themselves an evill word; they tell to hide snares: they say, who shall see them? They search out injurious evils, they accomplish an exquisite search, even the inmost of each man, & the deep heart. But God hath shot at them an arrow, suddenly their strokes have beene. And when they have caused them every one to fall upon themselves by their owne tongue, they shall betake themselves to flight, whosoever seeth them.

And all men shall feare, and declare the worke of God, and prudently consider his deed. The just man shall rejoyce in Iehovah, and hope for safety in him, and glory shall all the upright of heart.

Annotations. PRayer] or meditation: see Psa. 55. 3. the Greek saith, when I pray unto thee. Vers. 3. the secret] or secrecy, mysterie, that is, councell, or assembly of evill doers, that is, the malignant Church, as the holy Church is called the secrecie (or mysterie) of the righteous, Psal. 111. 1. Vers. 4. bent their arrow] that is, laid their arrow ready on their bended bow. The like phrase was in Psal. 58. 8. See also Psal. 11. 2. bitter word] or bitter thing, as the Greeke explaineth it. So after in vers. 6. an evill word, or thing. See the notes on Psal. 7. 1. A bitter word is here called an arrow; and in Ier. 9. 3. their tongue is called their bow. Vers. 6. they tell, to hide] or, of hiding, that is, impart their counsell one to another, how to hide snares. they accomplish an exquisite search] or, a search searched out, that is, a curious diligent search. The Greek translateth, they are consumed searching out searches: meaning that they spend both their time and themselves, in searching out evils against the just. It may also be read, wee are consumed by the search searched out, meaning that in their judgment wee cannot escape their snares. even the inmost] Hebr. and the inmost, that is, whatsoever any mans wit and deepe heart can finde out: or, So deepe (is) the inward part and heart of man. Vers. 8. have beene] or, assuredly shall be: the time past being used for more certainty, as in Isa. 9. 6. And by have beene, is meant the sure event and accomplishment of Gods judgements on them, with the continuance of the same. As the Hebrew word of being, signifieth to come to passe, or have event, 1 Sam. 4. 1. Iob 37. 6. and to continue to be, Dan. 1. 21. Esai. 66. 2. Ruth 1. 2. Vers. 9. they have caused them every one] Hebr. caused him: which being spoken of many, as in this place, meaneth them all severally, to one man. to fall, &c.] or to stumble downe: signifying, that Gods strokes should have effect to overthrow them by their owne devices. betake themselves to flight] or, shall wander about in their flight; which noteth great feare and unstaiednesse, (which the Greeke therefore turneth, are troubled) and is meant of the wicked, their favourites.