Psalms 64

Psalms 64

By Joe Mack Cherry

I. Background – Basis for the Psalm

A. Different Ideas

1. Haman and Mordecai – Esther (David wrote after a dream)

2. David and Saul at Masrob – II Sam. 22: 5 (Syriac Version)

3. Daniel and the Babylonian Captures – Daniel

4. David and Absalom – I Sam. 15: 15ff (Seems most logical)

B. Good News – Doesn’t Matter

1. God’s word is timeless.

2. God’s word is eternally applicable.

3. Psa. 119: 89

4. I can personally identify with this particular passage and I bet you can, too.

a. It is amazing how God is always in tune with our needs and finds a way to guide us, even to appropriate scripture.

b. My story

C. Let’s Quickly Overview the Passage

1. vs. 1-3

2. vs. 4-6

3. vs. 7-10

II. The Passage

A. Read Section I – vs. 1-3 David prays

1. Protect me from the fear (I have) of the enemy

a. It would be relatively safe to say that David had been in that situation before.

b. David says in vs 2 "Hide me". The more accurate translation may be "Thou will hide me".

c. I am reminded of something I read as a child. An Astronaut was asked, “If you had three seconds to make a life or death decision how would you use them?” His reply, I’d use two of them to make a decision and one to implement it.

d. Fear can paralyze. I think David believed that God would answer his prayer but he wanted to be able to move wisely (not as an injured animal) when the time came.

2. It appears from vss. 2-3 that David felt the conspiracy and also heard the clamoring of his enemies.

a. This happens a lot in the workplace. I feel it coming/ where? /don’t know

b. If this is in re: Absalom that makes it even worse; he was family.

c. David could have had the same feelings about Saul; David respected him as God’s anointed.

i. I Sam. 24: 10 – David didn’t kill Saul

ii.II Sam. 1 – David killed the Amalekite who killed finished Saul off.

3. They whet their tongues…

a. They sharpen their tongues so that their words are hurtful.

b. Jas. 3: 5 – Read

c. I believe they sharpened their tongues on themselves; just like stone sharpens stone. They feed off themselves.

d. They aim their words like deadly (poisonous) darts.

B. Read Section II – vss 4-6

1. They start shooting from hidden positions and then become more confident.

2. Vs. 5-6 show how evil gains momentum from itself. Like piranhas!!

a. They encourage each other.

b. They plot

i. In Jesus’ day it was the Pharisees and Sadducees.

ii. Remember how the Sadducees asked about the marriage after the resurrection? They did not believe in the resurrection; they just wanted to try and catch Jesus off guard.

iii. They become so engrossed in their evil frenzy that they are not even aware that they are defying God’s existence. In the case of Absalom or Saul, each would have had knowledge of God and His will. They fool themselves.

3. The Heb. Word “chaphas” means to strip as in one’s clothes – the intent is to search in order to expose and shame the target of their abasement. They search every nook and cranny to drum up dirt.

a. Read Psa. 5: 9

b. Read Jer. 17: 9 – KJV please

4. David never blames God even though it he was being pursued unjustly.

C. Read Section III – vss 7-10 David prays with confidence in his trust in God to save him.

1. His eye is on the sparrow.

2. God saw the pain and suffering the CoI were going through in Exodus.

3. The answer to the question, “Do we reap what we sow?” depends upon the fact that one is a child of God or not.

a. God turns the evil these people devised against them.

b. David does not seek vengeance; it belongs to God.

i. Song of Moses relates this in Deut. 32:35

ii.Rom. 12: 19

4. When God decides to destroy He wants others to know it is Him.

a. Ex. 12: 31-33 The first born die.

b. Jos. 2: 9-10

c. What about Ananias and Saphira in Acts 5.

d. God’s judgment (and timing) is righteous.

e. Jer. 50: 28 – God says the fleeing Babylonians will tell of His punishment.

III. Closing – Wait and Trust

A. Your enemy may not be another human.

1. Physical health

2. Mental problems

3. Financial problems

B. We sing so many songs with this theme.

1. Trust and Obey

2. They Who Wait Upon the Lord

3. Til the Storm Passes By

4. Leaning on the Everlasting Arm

C. God will do the same for us today as he did for David.

1. If He’s done it for you; share it with others.

2. That personal witness may carry someone through a rough time.