Psalms 64:5

3 who sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their bitter words like arrows,

4 ambushing the innocent in seclusion, shooting suddenly, without fear.

They hold fast to their evil purpose; they speak of hiding their snares. “Who will see them?” they say.

6 They devise injustice and say, “We have perfected a secret plan.” For the inner man and the heart are mysterious.

7 But God will shoot them with arrows; suddenly they will be wounded.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
They hold fast to their evil purpose; they speak of hiding their snares. “Who will see them?” they say.
KJV
They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them?
WEB
They encourage themselves in evil plans. They talk about laying snares secretly. They say, “Who will see them?”
ASV
They encourage themselves in an evil purpose; They commune of laying snares privily; They say, Who will see them?
DARBY
They encourage themselves in an evil matter, they concert to hide snares; they say, Who will see them?
BLB
They strengthen themselves [in] a word of evil; they recount the hiding of snares—they say, “Who is looking at them?”
ÅB
De gjør sitt onde råd fast; de forteller hvordan de vil legge skjulte snarer; de sier: Hvem ser dem?
OTB
De styrker sine onde planer;
De diskuterer å legge feller i hemmelighet;
De sier: "Hvem kan oppfatte dem?"
B1930
De gjør sitt onde råd fast; de forteller hvorledes de vil legge skjulte snarer; de sier: Hvem ser dem?

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Psalms 140:5

    The proud hide a snare for me; the cords of their net are spread along the path, and lures are set out for me. Selah

    Read in context
  • Psalms 10:11

    He says to himself, “God has forgotten; He hides His face and never sees.”

    Read in context
  • Job 22:13

    Yet you say: ‘What does God know? Does He judge through thick darkness?

    Read in context
  • Ezekiel 8:12

    “Son of man,” He said to me, “do you see what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the darkness, each at the shrine of his own idol? For they are saying, ‘The LORD does not see us; the LORD has forsaken the land.’”

    Read in context
  • Psalms 94:7

    They say, “The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob pays no heed.”

    Read in context
  • Psalms 59:7

    See what they spew from their mouths— sharp words from their lips: “For who can hear us?”

    Read in context
  • Matthew 26:3–4

    At that time the chief priests and elders of the people assembled in the courtyard of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas,

    Read in context
  • Isaiah 41:6

    Each one helps the other and says to his brother, “Be strong!”

    Read in context