Psalm 64:6
They devise injustice and say, "We have perfected a secret plan." For the inner man and the heart are mysterious.
They devise injustice and say,

David portrays enemies who do not merely fall into sin but deliberately plan harm against the innocent. Their actions resemble the wicked schemes condemned in Proverbs 6:16–19 and stand against God’s command to love justice, defend the vulnerable, and speak truth. Secret wrongdoing may appear carefully arranged, yet it remains fully exposed before the Lord.

Mic 2:1 Woe to those who devise iniquity and plot evil on their beds…
Pro 6:14 With deceit in his heart he devises evil;…
Psa 36:4 Even on his bed he plots wickedness; he sets himself…

“We have perfected a secret plan.”

Their confidence rests in concealment, strategy, and mutual agreement. Like Absalom’s conspiracy against David and the nations’ rebellion in Psalm 2, their counsel is ultimately futile before God’s sovereign rule. Psalm 64 soon answers their boast: God Himself will strike them suddenly, turning their hidden violence back upon them.

Isa 29:15 Woe to those who dig deep to hide their plans from the LORD.…
Jer 11:9 And the LORD told me, “There is a conspiracy…
Psa 83:3-4 With cunning they scheme against Your people…

For the inner man and the heart are mysterious.

Human motives lie beneath outward words and actions, often concealing pride, hatred, and deceit. Jeremiah declared that the heart is deceitful and known completely only by the Lord. God searches what people cannot see, judges righteous and wicked intentions, and provides the needed renewal of the heart through His grace.

Pro 20:5 The intentions of a man’s heart are deep waters…
Jer 17:9-10 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.…
1Co 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time;…

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Psalmist (David)
Traditionally attributed to King David, this psalm reflects his experiences with adversaries who plot against him.

2. Adversaries
The individuals or groups who are devising secret plans and injustices against the psalmist.

3. The Inner Man and the Heart
Refers to the deep, often hidden, motivations and thoughts of individuals, highlighting the complexity and mystery of human intentions.
Teaching Points
The Deceptive Nature of Sin
Sin often involves secretive and deceptive plans. We must be vigilant and discerning to recognize and resist such schemes.

The Mystery of the Heart
Human intentions can be complex and hidden. We should seek God's wisdom to understand our own hearts and the hearts of others.

God's Sovereignty Over Human Plans
While humans may devise secret plans, God is ultimately in control. Trust in His justice and timing.

The Importance of Integrity
As believers, we are called to live with integrity, avoiding secretive and unjust actions.

Prayer for Discernment
Regularly pray for discernment to see through deceit and to align our hearts with God's truth.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding the deceitfulness of the heart (Jeremiah 17:9) help us in recognizing the nature of the adversaries' plans in Psalm 64:6?

2. In what ways can we apply the truth of God's sovereignty over human plans (Proverbs 16:9) to situations where we feel wronged or plotted against?

3. How can Ephesians 6:12 inform our understanding of the spiritual dimensions of the adversaries' secret plans?

4. What practical steps can we take to ensure that our own hearts and intentions align with God's will, avoiding the pitfalls of secretive and unjust actions?

5. How can prayer and seeking God's wisdom help us discern the true intentions of others and protect us from being deceived by secretive plans?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Jeremiah 17:9
This verse speaks about the deceitfulness of the heart, connecting to the idea of the heart being mysterious and capable of devising secret plans.

Proverbs 16:9
Discusses how a person may plan their way, but the Lord directs their steps, emphasizing the contrast between human intentions and divine sovereignty.

Ephesians 6:12
Highlights the spiritual battle against the rulers of darkness, which can relate to the hidden and secretive nature of the adversaries' plans.
Danger and FaithC. Short Psalm 64:1-10
Man's Enmity Towards ManHomilistPsalm 64:1-10
Man's Inhumanity to ManW. Forsyth Psalm 64:1-10
People
David, Psalmist
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Accomplish, Accomplished, Care, Conceived, Crimes, Cunning, Cunningly, Deep, Design, Devise, Devised, Diligent, Diligently, Discovery, Framed, Heart, Iniquities, Injustice, Injustices, Inner, Inward, Man's, Mind, One's, Perfect, Perfected, Perverse, Plan, Plot, Purpose, Ready, Saying, Search, Searching, Secret, Sought, Surely, Well-conceived
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Psalm 64:6

     5038   mind, the human
     5065   spirit, fallen and redeemed
     5348   injustice, nature and source
     5568   suffering, causes
     5589   trap
     5817   conspiracies
     5948   shrewdness
     8244   ethics, and grace
     8310   morality, and creation
     8322   perfection, human

Psalm 64:1-10

     8833   threats

Psalm 64:5-6

     5917   plans

Library
Touching a Special Sort of Internal Prayer Prescribed by Antonio De Rojas...
[N.B. The instructions contained in this chapter are to be received with the utmost caution; and let the note which is inserted in § 2 be attended to.--J. N. S.] §§ 1, 2. Touching a special sort of internal prayer prescribed by Antonio de Rojas, a Spanish priest, with approbations given to it. §§ 3, 4. The order for preparation to the said prayer of internal silence. §§ 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. How the said prayer itself is to be exercised. §§ 11, 12. The great
Ven. F. Augustine Baker—Holy Wisdom: or, Directions for the Prayer of Contemplation

The Perfect Heart.
For the eyes of the Lord ran to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him--2 CHRON. xvi. 9. This passage occurs in the history of Asa, one of the most godly and devoted kings that ever sat upon the throne of Judah. We are told in the fourteenth chapter that he commenced his reign by setting himself to destroy the idolatry into which the whole nation had been betrayed by its former ruler, and to restore the worship and service
Catherine Booth—Godliness

Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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