The Ricochet Of Hidden Arrows

There is a unique kind of pain that comes from an unseen enemy. It’s the pain of a wound that leaves no scar, a battle fought in the shadows. We’ve all experienced it in some form. Maybe it was a rumor spread behind your back, a malicious whisper that tainted your reputation, or a secret plot to undermine your efforts. This attack is insidious because it denies you a chance to defend yourself. You don’t know who to face or what weapon to parry. It is precisely this kind of hidden warfare that King David describes in Psalm 64, and he reminds us that we are not alone in this fight. He shows us that the God of justice is also the God of the hidden places.

?I. A Cry for a Shield (vv. 1-2)

?David begins this psalm with a desperate prayer, an urgent plea to the only one who can truly help him: "Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy. Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity."

?Notice the specific language he uses. He doesn't just say "hide me from my enemies." He is concerned with their "secret counsel" and their "insurrection." The word "counsel" here implies a conspiracy, a plotting, a deliberate planning session conducted in private. The "insurrection" isn't a rebellion in the open; it's a covert, behind-the-scenes uprising against the righteous. The enemies of God’s people often work in the darkness, believing their anonymity is their greatest asset. This kind of attack can be deeply unsettling because it breeds a kind of paranoia and fear. You don’t know where it’s coming from or who is behind it. David knows this fear, and he takes it directly to God, asking for a shield from what he cannot see. His first and most important response is to turn to God for protection, setting a powerful example for our own lives.

?II. The Weapons of the Wicked (vv. 3-6)

?David then paints a chilling picture of the sinister tools his enemies use. He describes a secret war fought with words: "Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words: That they may shoot in secret at the upright."

?This is not a metaphor to be taken lightly. Their tongue is not just like a sword; it is a sword that has been sharpened, or "whet," for maximum damage. Their words are not just insults; they are "bitter arrows" designed to poison the hearts and minds of others against the target. These are carefully crafted words of slander, gossip, and falsehood, aimed to inflict deep emotional and relational wounds. This is all done "in secret," for they have no courage to face their target in the light.

?The conspirators are so consumed with their plan that they "encourage themselves in an evil matter," and "commune of laying snares privily." They are a conspiracy of evil, working together to bring down the righteous. They believe their schemes are so clever, so perfect, and so hidden that they are beyond discovery. They mockingly ask, "Who shall see them?" This question reveals their pride and their utter foolishness. They have forgotten that there is a God who sees all, who is omniscient and omnipresent.

?III. God's Sudden, Decisive Response (vv. 7-8)

?This is the turning point of the psalm, and it is a breathtaking shift. David's focus moves from the wicked's hidden arrows to God's public and sudden response: "But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded. So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away."

?This is divine, poetic justice. The very weapon they used—the arrow of a bitter word—is the weapon God turns back on them. Their carefully laid plans, their sneaky schemes, and their clever deceptions are undone by God in an instant. The word "suddenly" here is so powerful. It means in a moment, unexpectedly, without warning. Their pride and their confidence in their own cleverness will be their downfall. Their lies will be exposed, their plots will unravel, and the consequences of their own actions will become a public spectacle for all to see.

?IV. The Public Witness of God's Justice (vv. 9-10)

?The result of God’s intervention is not just personal victory for David; it is a public witness to God’s justice. The psalm concludes with a beautiful lesson for everyone who observes this righteous judgment: "And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing. The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory."