Psalm 64:4
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.

Majority Standard Bible
ambushing the innocent in seclusion, shooting suddenly, without fear.

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.

World English Bible
to shoot innocent men from ambushes. They shoot at him suddenly and fearlessly.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
To 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 Bible
to shoot in secret the undefiled.

Catholic Public Domain Version
so that they may shoot arrows from hiding at the immaculate.

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 Bible
That 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 1917
That 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.

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Psalm 64
1. David prays for deliverance, complaining of his enemies
7. He promises himself to see such an evident destruction of his enemies,
10. as the righteous shall rejoice at it.














shoot from ambush
The phrase "shoot from ambush" in Psalm 64:4 evokes imagery of a hidden, stealthy attack. The Hebrew root for "shoot" is "יָרָה" (yarah), which can mean to throw or cast, often used in the context of archery. This suggests a deliberate and calculated action, emphasizing the premeditated nature of the attack. Historically, ambushes were a common military tactic in ancient times, used to surprise and overpower an enemy. Spiritually, this phrase can be seen as a metaphor for the hidden attacks of the wicked, who plot in secret against the righteous. It serves as a reminder of the unseen spiritual battles believers face and the need for vigilance and reliance on God's protection.

at the innocent
The term "innocent" is translated from the Hebrew word "תָּם" (tam), which conveys the idea of completeness, integrity, or blamelessness. In the biblical context, the "innocent" are those who live righteously and in accordance with God's laws. This phrase highlights the unjust nature of the attack, as it is directed towards those who have done no wrong. It reflects a recurring theme in the Psalms, where the righteous suffer at the hands of the wicked. This serves as a call for believers to trust in God's justice, knowing that He sees the plight of the innocent and will ultimately vindicate them.

suddenly
The word "suddenly" underscores the unexpected and swift nature of the attack. In Hebrew, the word "פִּתְאֹם" (pit'om) is used, which can mean unexpectedly or without warning. This element of surprise adds to the treachery of the ambush, as the innocent are caught off guard. In a spiritual sense, this can be likened to the sudden trials and temptations that believers may face, often without warning. It serves as a reminder of the importance of being spiritually prepared and grounded in faith, so that one can withstand such unforeseen challenges.

without fear
The phrase "without fear" indicates the brazen confidence of the attackers. The Hebrew word "יָרֵא" (yare) typically means to fear or revere, often used in the context of fearing God. Here, the absence of fear suggests a lack of reverence for God and His justice. The attackers act with impunity, believing they will not be held accountable for their actions. This reflects a deeper spiritual truth about the nature of sin, which often emboldens individuals to act without regard for divine consequences. For believers, this serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of living without the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom and a deterrent against sin.

(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
ambushing
לִיר֣וֹת (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


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OT Poetry: Psalm 64:4 To shoot innocent men from ambushes (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 64:3
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