Psalms 64 · Verse 4

Psalms 64:4

That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.
Psalms 64:4, King James Version

Psalms 64:4 in other translations

BSBambushing the innocent in seclusion, shooting suddenly, without fear.
WEBto shoot innocent men from ambushes. They shoot at him suddenly and fearlessly.
ASVThat they may shoot in secret places at the perfect: Suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.
YLTTo shoot in secret places the perfect, Suddenly they shoot him, and fear not.
DARBYThat they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.
BBESo that in secret they may let loose their arrows at the upright, suddenly and unseen.
WebsterThat they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.

What does Psalms 64:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 64:3-4

3-4. Similar figures for slander (Psa 57:4; 59:7). bend--literally, "tread," or, "prepared." The allusion is to the mode of bending a bow by treading on it; here, and in Psa 58:7, transferred to arrows.

Read the full comment on Psalms 64:3-4 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 That they may shoot in secret - They lurk, that they may take their aim the more surely, and not miss their mark. Suddenly - When there is no fear apprehended, because none is seen.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 64:1-6

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 cannot speak peaceably either of him or to him. There is no guard against a false tongue. It is bad to do wrong, but worse to encourage ourselves and one another in it. It is a sign that the heart is hardened to the greatest…

Read the full comment on Psalms 64:1-6 →

Psalms 64:4 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

לִיר֣וֹתli.Rotto shootH3384
בַּמִּסְתָּרִ֣יםba.mis.ta.Rimin <the> secret placesH4565
תָּ֑םTam[the] blamelessH8535
פִּתְאֹ֥םpit.'OmsuddenlyH6597
יֹ֝רֻ֗הוּyo.Ru.huthey shoot at himH3384
וְלֹ֣אve.Lo'and notH3808
יִירָֽאוּ\׃yi.Ra.'uthey are afraidH3372

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 64:4

  • 1 Peter 2:22-23

    Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

  • Psalms 55:19

    God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old. Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.

  • Psalms 10:8-9

    He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor. He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net.

  • Psalms 11:2

    For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.

  • John 19:6

    When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.

  • 1 Samuel 18:11

    And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice.

  • Nehemiah 4:11

    And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease.

  • 1 Samuel 19:10

    And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the javelin; but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence, and he smote the javelin into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night.

  • Habakkuk 3:14

    Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages: they came out as a whirlwind to scatter me: their rejoicing was as to devour the poor secretly.

  • Psalms 59:3-4

    For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Lord. They run and prepare themselves without my fault: awake to help me, and behold.

  • 2 Samuel 15:14

    And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.

  • Psalms 64:7

    But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
shoot.
10:8,9; Ne 4:11; Hab 3:14
the perfect.
59:3,4; Joh 19:6; 1Pe 2:22,23
suddenly.
7; 1Sa 18:11; 19:10; 2Sa 15:14

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 64:3

    Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:

  • Psalms 64:4

    That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.

  • Psalms 64:5

    They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them?

Read all of Psalms 64

Psalms 64:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Para asaetear á escondidas al íntegro: de improviso lo asaetean, y no temen.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Qui ont aiguisé leur langue comme une épée, ajusté leur flèche, – une parole amère,
German
Elberfelder 1871		Um im Versteck zu schießen auf den Unsträflichen: plötzlich schießen sie auf ihn und scheuen sich nicht.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Verba iniquorum prævaluerunt super nos, et impietatibus nostris tu propitiaberis.