Psalm 64 - The Hurtful Tongue

 

Psalm 64 KJV Bishop Horne titled the Psalm as “a prayer of the Messiah in his state of humiliation and suffering” - A Psalm of David

Dennis Edwards

64:1-2 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:

Bishop Horne 1730-1792 considered the first 7 verses as typifying Jesus’ treatment by the Scribes and Pharisees.

Matthew 26:3-5 & 14-16 “Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him. But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people. … Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. And from that time, he sought opportunity to betray him,” “in the absence of the multitude,” Luke 22:6.

Here we see the chief religious, political leaders of Jesus’ time, plotting secretly to kill Him. We know from investigations into the death of John F. Kennedy and Robert Kennedy that evil men conspired to bring about the death of these men. Reverend Martin Luther King Jr, is another one, most likely Charlie Kirk, and many others in the past have met their deaths in the hands of evil men, because of their righteous cause.

From the Epstein files we are getting a better look at the corruption and vileness of the men who circled in Epstein’s orbit. Some did so for sexual advantage, some for financial advantage, some for the access they would gain from walking in that circle. From their e-mails, we see them in their secret counsel conspiring to do evil. Likewise, in the time of Jesus, the leaders of the society in their secret councils conspired against Him. In the time of David, King Saul conspired against him.

Psalm 64:3 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 perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.

Bishop Horne sees “the perfect” as referring prophetically to Jesus, the son of David, the Messiah, and only begotten Son of the Father, the Just One. It could be referring symbolically to all those who have taken on Christ’s righteousness through faith and through following in His footsteps. When the Pharisees led Jesus to the Roman authorities, they attacked him with bitter words.

Luke 23:2 & 5 And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King. And Pilate asked him, saying, Are you the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, You said it. Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man. And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place.

Pilate kept finding Jesus innocent of the accusations against Him and wanted to release Him. The Scribes and Pharisees “were instant with loud voices, requiring that He might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed,” Luke 23:23.

Psalm 64:5-7 They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them? They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep. But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded.

King Saul was suddenly killed in battle against the Philistines with his sons. The Pharisees managed to get Pilate to kill Jesus. However, the Pharisees lost their kingdom within 40 years by the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem in 70 AD. Pilate is, also, recorded as dying within 5 years of Jesus’ death. History seems to indicate that Pilate fell out of favour with Caesar over some matter and died by his own hand, rather than by the hand of Caesar. Pilate compromised to please the religious authorities rather than listen to his own voice of conscience, Roman law, and the warning of his own wife, who was troubled by an early morning dream she had had about Jesus.

Psalm 64:8-9 So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away. And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of His doing.

Many of the corporate leaders, political leaders, financial leaders, etc, found in the Epstein files are being exposed by their own words which they have had in conversation by e-mail with Epstein. What they said in secret is now being shouted from the housetops. No doubt, men are taking note and are learning from the fall of the wicked. May we all have a healthy fear of the Lord. God has warned, “Be sure your sin will find you out,” Numbers 32:23. Jesus said we would give account for every idle word.

Matthew 12:36-37 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

Psalm 64:10 The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.

Ultimately, God’s judgment are just. “The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether,” Psalm 19:9b. Through those judgments, God will be exalted among the heathen. He will be exalted in the earth, Psalm 46:10b. In the end, “Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusts in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about,” Psalm 32:10.

Psalm 32:11 Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

Originally published March 10, 2026.