Prayer For Protection From Malicious Schemes
April 7, 2021
Commentary
This is another of David’s prayers for God’s judgement on his enemies. He prayed for protection from those who conspired against him. It seems that this psalm could have been written at the time of the Absalom rebellion. The conspiracy against David was being carried forward by malicious tongues. Two forces were at work against David – one was conspiracy and the other was open rebellion. He describes his oppressors as those who “whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows.” The king’s enemies used slander as their master weapon against him.
For several years two men, who had been in David’s inner-circle, had nursed secret resentments against him: Absalom, the king’s favorite son and Ahithophel, one of his closest associates. Because Absalom murdered his brother Amnon, for what he did to his sister Tamar, David banished him from the king’s courts and this angered Absalom. Absalom decided to take the throne away from his father. It would have been very long odds for him to do this if he had not had Ahithophel join him in this game plan. Ahithophel was Bathsheba’s grandfather who had never forgiven David for his sin.
This Psalm shares David’s heart as he goes to the Lord and tells Him how his enemies are united in this malicious betrayal. David greatly fears that his adversary has the power to take his life, but he also knows that the Lord has the power to perserve him (v. 1). The enemies have no regard for God in their secret plots (v. 2) and their speech is as lethal as a sharpened sword and deadly arrows (v. 3). The wicked are intent on exterminating the godly and wait on an opportune time to make a kill (v. 4). They encourage each other with their evil plans and lay snares for the righteous (v. 5. They foolishly believe they are not accountable to anyone and that no one will see their evil deeds (v. 6). He, no doubt, felt more keenly about the loss of his character than he did the loss of his kingdom.
Application
Words spoken against me may be some of the most painful attacks I may have to face in this life. If I trust in God, these attacks will not hurt me. God can fight my battles much better than I can so I must be determined to let Him do it.
Psalms 64:1– 6 (NET)
1 Listen to me, O God, as I offer my lament! Protect my life from the enemy’s terrifying attacks.
2 Hide me from the plots of evil men, from the crowd of evildoers.
3 They sharpen their tongues like swords; they aim their arrows, a slanderous charge,
4 in order to shoot down the innocent in secluded places. They shoot at him suddenly and are unafraid of retaliation.
5 They encourage one another to carry out their evil deed. They plan how to hide snares, and boast, “Who will see them?”
6 They devise unjust schemes; they disguise a well-conceived plot. Man’s inner thoughts cannot be discovered.