For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Psalm 64

1 Hear me, my God, as I voice my complaint;
    protect my life from the threat of the enemy.

2 Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked,
    from the plots of evildoers.
3 They sharpen their tongues like swords
    and aim cruel words like deadly arrows.
4 They shoot from ambush at the innocent;
    they shoot suddenly, without fear.

5 They encourage each other in evil plans,
    they talk about hiding their snares;
    they say, ‘Who will see it?’
6 They plot injustice and say,
    ‘We have devised a perfect plan!’
    Surely the human mind and heart are cunning.

7 But God will shoot them with his arrows;
    they will suddenly be struck down.
8 He will turn their own tongues against them
    and bring them to ruin;
    all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.
9 All people will fear;
    they will proclaim the works of God
    and ponder what he has done.

10 The righteous will rejoice in the Lord
    and take refuge in him;
    all the upright in heart will glory in him!

A. Find Out:

1. For what does David ask the Lord? v.1,2
2. What had they been doing against him? v.3,4
3. What had they been doing in secret? v.5,6
4. What did David feel God would do? v.7,8
5. What will be the result of all this? v.9
6. So who does he exhort to do what? v.10

B. Think:

1. Who had been giving David concern?
2. How does he see they will be dealt with?
3. What are the lessons to be learnt here?

C. Comment:

David feels threatened. There are those who speak and plot against him. They have been speaking out against him and they have been planning to bring him down (v.1,2). David, as he always does, cries out to the Lord for help. Again and again he gives us this example: when the enemy rises up, turn to the Lord for help.

Once he has cried out to the Lord and detailed the problem (v.2-6), he knows in his heart what the outcome will be – the Lord will turn their plotting and their words back on them (v.7,8). Somehow He will bring their downfall. It will not be anything that David himself has to do; it will simply be the working of the Lord. Not only that, it will be clear and obvious and all the surrounding world will see and know that this was the work of God (v.8a,9). So, he concludes, if you are righteous then rejoice in the Lord and let Him be your protection (v.10).

So often it is what people SAY about us that hurts, the words they speak against us. When people speak such words they are looking for our downfall, they don’t want us to succeed in life. When people speak like that it is their spirit as well as their actual words that come against us. In some situations we must learn to simply run to God with our anguish and pour it out to Him and then leave it with Him.

D. Application:

1. The Lord will stand up for the righteous against the unrighteous.
2. When opposition comes, take it to the Lord.