Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version They shoot from ambush at the innocent; they shoot suddenly, without fear. New Living Translation They shoot from ambush at the innocent, attacking suddenly and fearlessly. English Standard Version shooting from ambush at the blameless, shooting at him suddenly and without fear. Berean Standard Bible ambushing the innocent in seclusion, shooting suddenly, without fear. King James Bible That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not. New King James Version That they may shoot in secret at the blameless; Suddenly they shoot at him and do not fear. New American Standard Bible To shoot from concealment at the innocent; Suddenly they shoot at him, and do not fear. NASB 1995 To shoot from concealment at the blameless; Suddenly they shoot at him, and do not fear. NASB 1977 To shoot from concealment at the blameless; Suddenly they shoot at him, and do not fear. Legacy Standard Bible To shoot from places of hiding at the blameless; Suddenly they shoot at him, and do not fear. Amplified Bible To shoot from ambush at the blameless [one]; Suddenly they shoot at him, without fear. Christian Standard Bible shooting from concealed places at the blameless. They shoot at him suddenly and are not afraid. Holman Christian Standard Bible shooting from concealed places at the innocent. They shoot at him suddenly and are not afraid. American Standard Version That they may shoot in secret places at the perfect: Suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not. Contemporary English Version They fearlessly ambush and shoot innocent people. English Revised Version That they may shoot in secret places at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not. GOD'S WORD® Translation to shoot at innocent people from their hiding places. They shoot at them suddenly, without any fear. Good News Translation They are quick to spread their shameless lies; they destroy good people with cowardly slander. International Standard Version shooting at the innocent from concealment. Suddenly they shoot, fearing nothing. NET Bible in order to shoot down the innocent in secluded places. They shoot at him suddenly and are unafraid of retaliation. New Heart English Bible to shoot innocent men from ambushes. They shoot at him suddenly and fearlessly. Webster's Bible Translation That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard Bibleambushing the innocent in seclusion, shooting suddenly, without fear. World English Bible to shoot innocent men from ambushes. They shoot at him suddenly and fearlessly. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionTo shoot the perfect in secret places, "" Suddenly they shoot him, and do not fear. Young's Literal Translation To shoot in secret places the perfect, Suddenly they shoot him, and fear not. Smith's Literal Translation To shoot down the blameless one in secret things: suddenly they will shoot, and they will not be afraid. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims Bibleto shoot in secret the undefiled. Catholic Public Domain Version New American Bible They shoot at the innocent from ambush, they shoot him in a moment and do not fear. New Revised Standard Version shooting from ambush at the blameless; they shoot suddenly and without fear. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleThat they may shoot in secret at the innocent; suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated To shoot in a secret place at the perfect one; suddenly they will shoot at him and they will not be seen. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917That they may shoot in secret places at the blameless; Suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not. Brenton Septuagint Translation to shoot in secret at the blameless; they will shoot him suddenly, and will not fear. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Hurtful Tongue…3who sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their bitter words like arrows, 4ambushing the innocent in seclusion, shooting suddenly, without fear. 5They hold fast to their evil purpose; they speak of hiding their snares. “Who will see them?” they say.… Cross References Proverbs 12:18 Speaking rashly is like a piercing sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. James 3:8 but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. Psalm 11:2 For behold, the wicked bend their bows. They set their arrow on the string to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart. Psalm 55:21 His speech is smooth as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed. Jeremiah 9:8 Their tongues are deadly arrows; they speak deception. With his mouth a man speaks peace to his neighbor, but in his heart he sets a trap for him. Psalm 57:4 My soul is among the lions; I lie down with ravenous beasts—with men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords. Psalm 140:3 They sharpen their tongues like snakes; the venom of vipers is on their lips. Selah Romans 3:13 “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The venom of vipers is on their lips.” Psalm 10:7 His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and violence; trouble and malice are under his tongue. Psalm 37:14 The wicked have drawn the sword and bent the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright. Psalm 59:7 See what they spew from their mouths—sharp words from their lips: “For who can hear us?” Proverbs 25:18 Like a club or sword or sharp arrow is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor. Isaiah 54:17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their vindication is from Me,” declares the LORD. Matthew 12:34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. Ephesians 6:16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Treasury of Scripture That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not. shoot Psalm 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… 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. 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. the perfect Psalm 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… 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 Peter 2:22,23 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: … suddenly Psalm 64:7 But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded. 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. 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. Jump to Previous Ambush Ambushes Arrows Blameless Fear Fearlessly Innocent Loose Perfect Places Secret Shoot Shooting Suddenly Unseen UprightJump to Next Ambush Ambushes Arrows Blameless Fear Fearlessly Innocent Loose Perfect Places Secret Shoot Shooting Suddenly Unseen UprightPsalm 64 1. David prays for deliverance, complaining of his enemies7. He promises himself to see such an evident destruction of his enemies, 10. as the righteous shall rejoice at it. ambushing the innocent in seclusion This phrase highlights the treacherous nature of the wicked, who plot against the righteous in secret. The imagery of an ambush suggests a premeditated attack, often associated with warfare or criminal activity. In biblical times, ambushes were common military tactics, as seen in Joshua 8:2, where God instructs Joshua to set an ambush against Ai. The "innocent" refers to those who are blameless or righteous, often targeted by the wicked due to their integrity. This reflects the broader biblical theme of the righteous suffering at the hands of the wicked, as seen in the story of Joseph, who was betrayed by his brothers (Genesis 37). The seclusion indicates a hidden or secretive setting, emphasizing the cowardice and deceit of the attackers. shooting suddenly without fear Persons / Places / Events 1. DavidTraditionally attributed as the author of Psalm 64, David is expressing his concerns about the wicked and their secretive plots against the righteous. 2. The Wicked Those who conspire in secret, aiming to harm the innocent without fear of retribution or moral consequence. 3. The Innocent Represents those who are righteous and unsuspecting, targeted by the wicked's schemes. 4. Ambush A tactic used by the wicked, symbolizing deceit and treachery, as they attack the innocent unexpectedly. 5. Fearlessness of the Wicked Indicates a lack of reverence for God and moral law, emboldening them to commit evil acts. Teaching Points The Reality of EvilEvil often operates in secrecy and deceit, targeting the unsuspecting. Believers must be aware of the spiritual and moral battles they face. The Innocence of the Righteous The righteous may be targeted precisely because of their innocence and integrity. This should not deter believers from living uprightly. Fearlessness of the Wicked The lack of fear in the wicked is a result of their disregard for God. Believers should cultivate a healthy fear of the Lord, which leads to wisdom and protection. God's Justice While the wicked may seem fearless and successful in their schemes, God's justice will ultimately prevail. Trust in God's timing and righteousness. Spiritual Preparedness Believers should be spiritually prepared, using the armor of God to defend against the attacks of the wicked. Lists and Questions Top 10 Lessons from Psalm 64How do we reconcile Psalm 13:4's fear of enemies triumphing with the Bible's portrayal of God as an ultimate protector? Psalm 23:4 - How can one 'fear no evil' when global catastrophes, diseases, and violence still afflict even the devout? Psalm 15:4 endorses despising the vile while honoring the godly; does this clash with New Testament commands to love enemies (e.g., Matthew 5:44)? What is the meaning of Psalm 23:4?(4) And fear not.--These are utterly unscrupulous, fearing neither God nor man.Verse 4. - That they may shoot in secret at the perfect; or, in their hiding places. David does not scruple to call himself "perfect," using the word in the sense in which it is used of Job (Job 1:1; Job 2:3), meaning a sincere and upright man. Suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not. They are not afraid, though it is "the anointed of the Lord," whom to attack is not only rebellion, but sacrilege (see 2 Samuel 1:14). Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew ambushingלִיר֣וֹת (lî·rō·wṯ) Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Strong's 3384: To flow as water, to lay, throw, to point out, to teach the innocent תָּ֑ם (tām) Adjective - masculine singular Strong's 8535: Complete, pious, gentle, dear in seclusion, בַּמִּסְתָּרִ֣ים (bam·mis·tā·rîm) Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 4565: A secret place, hiding place shooting יֹ֝רֻ֗הוּ (yō·ru·hū) Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural | third person masculine singular Strong's 3384: To flow as water, to lay, throw, to point out, to teach suddenly, פִּתְאֹ֥ם (piṯ·’ōm) Adverb Strong's 6597: Suddenness, suddenly without וְלֹ֣א (wə·lō) Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no fear. יִירָֽאוּ׃ (yî·rā·’ū) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 3372: To fear, to revere, caus, to frighten Links Psalm 64:4 NIVPsalm 64:4 NLT Psalm 64:4 ESV Psalm 64:4 NASB Psalm 64:4 KJV Psalm 64:4 BibleApps.com Psalm 64:4 Biblia Paralela Psalm 64:4 Chinese Bible Psalm 64:4 French Bible Psalm 64:4 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Psalm 64:4 To shoot innocent men from ambushes (Psalm Ps Psa.) |
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