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Psalm 64 Bible study: But God will shoot at them
Psalm 64 uses the same words for what the plotters do and for what happens to them. They shoot (64:4), and God shoots (64:7): one Hebrew verb. Their arrows (64:3) and God's arrow (64:7) are one word, and suddenly stands in both verses, the only two times the Psalms have it. And the tongue they sharpened like a sword (64:3) is what ruins them (64:8).
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“The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall take refuge in him. All the upright in heart shall praise him!”
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“Psalm 64 says, "But God will shoot at them."”
Is that in Psalm 64, or not? Make your call.
What's really going on
The same words, coming back
The first half of the psalm tells what the evildoers do. The second half tells what happens to them, and it uses the same words. They "aim their arrows" (64:3), "to shoot innocent men from ambushes. They shoot at him suddenly and fearlessly" (64:4). Then: "But God will shoot at them. They will be suddenly struck down with an arrow" (64:7). In Hebrew shoot is one verb, yarah, twice in 64:4 and once in 64:7 (tap shoot); arrows (64:3) and arrow (64:7) are one word, chets (tap arrow); and suddenly is pit'om in both verses, the only two times the Psalms have it (tap suddenly). It goes on. "Who sharpen their tongue like a sword" (64:3), and "Their own tongues shall ruin them" (64:8): their tongue and their own tongues are the same Hebrew word, leshonam (tap tongue). They say, "Who will see them?" (64:5), and "All who see them will shake their heads" (64:8), with the same verb for see (tap see). They shoot "fearlessly" (64:4), in Hebrew and they do not fear, and "All mankind shall be afraid" (64:9), with the same verb (tap afraid).
Honest questions
Questions people ask about Psalm 64
That was a taste
The rest of Psalm 64 is waiting in Favor
- Words for weapons
- A plan searched out, and a deep heart
- Psalm 11 and Psalm 64: arrows and the upright in heart
- A council and a crowd: two words from Psalm 55
- "Sheep among wolves"
- 6 questions as you read
- 12 more Hebrew words
- A short check at the end
- Your notes, saved as you go
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The Hebrew word behind it
פִּתְאֹםpit'omsay pit-OHM
Brown-Driver-Briggs: "suddenness, usu. as adv. acc. suddenly". Strong's: "instantly". The Psalms have it only twice, both here. The evildoers "shoot at him suddenly and fearlessly" (64:4), and then "But God will shoot at them. They will be suddenly struck down with an arrow" (64:7). The word that told how they struck tells how they are struck. The Hebrew Bible has it 25 times; Proverbs warns with it too: "Therefore his calamity will come suddenly" (Proverbs 6:15).
For your group
Psalm 64 Bible study questions
- 1"Who sharpen their tongue like a sword, and aim their arrows, deadly words" (64:3). When have words been used as weapons against you, or by you? What does this psalm do with that?
- 2The plotters say, "Who will see them?" (64:5), and three verses later, "All who see them will shake their heads" (64:8). Why does doing wrong in secret feel safe, and what does this psalm say to that?
- 3The psalmist asks God to hear him and hide him (64:1-2), and it is God who acts against the plotters (64:7). Where would it help you this week to pray the first two verses of this psalm?
Leading a group? In Favor, everyone reads Psalm 64 during the week and answers these questions privately. Answers stay sealed until you meet, then appear together, and you can print the week's sheet.
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Questions
What is Favor?
Favor is a Bible study app that explains every chapter as you read: the Hebrew and Greek behind the words, the details most readers miss, and how each part of the Bible leads to Jesus. Read on your own, or start a Bible study with friends, family or your church.
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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Hebrew and Greek words are checked against the original-language texts and public-domain lexicons. What we believe · Favor home