Psalms 64:7 - Meaning and Application

We may notice here, first, the judgments of God that will surely come on these hateful persecutors of David. They encouraged themselves in evil, but there was enough here to warn them, if they would believe and think about it. It is striking how the punishment matches the sin. They shot at David in secret and suddenly, hoping to wound him. But God will shoot at them, because he prepares his arrows for persecutors (Psalm 7:13), and his arrows are aimed at their faces (Psalm 21:12). His arrows fly faster, strike more surely, and pierce deeper than theirs ever can.

They have many arrows, but those are only bitter words, and words are only wind. A curse without cause will not come. But God has one arrow that will bring death, his curse, and his curse is never without cause, so it will surely come. With it they will be wounded suddenly, because the blow will surprise them. They feel safe and do not expect danger.

Their tongues attacked David, but God will make their own tongues turn against them. They do this by the evil of their sin, and God does it by the justice of his anger (Psalm 64:8). When God gives people what their tongue-sins deserve, and brings on them the very harms they have fiercely and hatefully called down on others, then he makes their own tongues fall on them. That kind of judgment is heavy enough to sink a man to the lowest hell, like a weight of lead. Many have destroyed themselves, and many more have ruined their own souls, with their tongues, and that will make their judgment worse. "You have destroyed yourself," and you are trapped by the words of your mouth. "If you mock, you alone will bear it." Those who love cursing will get it back on themselves. Sometimes a person's secret wickedness is exposed by his own confession, and then his own tongue falls on him.

Second, these judgments should affect other people, because they happen in plain sight of everyone (Job 34:26). Their neighbors will avoid them and move away for safety. They will flee, as the Israelites did from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram (Numbers 16:27). Some think this was fulfilled when Saul died. Then not only was his army scattered, but the people around him were so frightened by the fall of their king and his three sons that they left their cities and ran away (1 Samuel 31:7).

Those who watch will also honor God’s rule in all this (Psalm 64:9). They will understand and notice God’s hand in everything, and unless we do that, we are not likely to learn from God’s dealings (Hosea 14:9). They will wisely consider what he has done. Careful thought is needed to understand the facts rightly, and wisdom is needed to judge them truly. God’s work is well worth our attention (Ecclesiastes 7:13), but we must think about it wisely, or we may twist a pure text with a false meaning.

They will also feel a holy fear of God when they consider it. All people, all who still have some human understanding, will fear and tremble because of God’s judgments (Psalm 119:120). They will be afraid to do the same kind of evil, and afraid to be found among those who persecute God’s people. Strike the scoffer, and the simple person will learn caution. Then they will speak about the work of God. They will talk with one another and with those around them about God’s justice in punishing persecutors. What we wisely consider for ourselves, we should wisely pass on to others, for their good and for God’s glory. This is clearly the finger of God.

Good people will especially notice it, and it will fill them with holy joy (Psalm 64:10). It will deepen their gladness. The righteous will be glad in the Lord, not because they enjoy another person’s misery, but because God is honored, his word is fulfilled, and the cause of wronged innocence is defended with power. It will also strengthen their faith. They will commit themselves to God while walking in duty, and they will be willing to risk all for him with full trust in him.

Their joy and faith will both show themselves in holy boasting. All the upright in heart, those who keep a good conscience and live to please God, will glory, not in themselves, but in God’s favor, his righteousness and goodness, their relation to him, and their share in him. Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.