Psalms 64:8

8 Because of their tongue he will bring them to ruin; all who see them will shake with horror.

Psalms 64:8 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 64:8

So shall they make their own tongue to fall upon themselves,
&c.] The evil things they have wished for, threatened unto, and imprecated on others, shall come upon themselves; the curses they have cursed others with shall come upon themselves; the pit they have dug for others, they fall into. So Haman, to whom some apply the psalm, was hanged on the gallows he made for Mordecai; and the accusers of Daniel, to whom others apply it, were cast into the same den of lions they procured for him; and Babylon, who has been drunk with the blood of the saints, shall have blood given her to drink.

all that see them shall flee away;
not being able to help them, nor to bear the horrible sight, and fearing the same judgments should fall on themselves; see ( Numbers 16:34 ) ( Revelation 18:10 Revelation 18:15 ) . Or, "they shall move themselves" F4; shake their heads in a way of derision, as Jarchi interprets it; or skip for joy, as the word is rendered in ( Jeremiah 48:27 ) ; and then it must be understood of the righteous; who, seeing the vengeance on the wicked, rejoice, as in ( Psalms 52:6 ) ( 58:10 ) ; though, as they are afterwards particularly mentioned, others seem to be designed. The word is used for lamenting and bemoaning one's self, in ( Jeremiah 31:18 ) ; and so may be applied to the friends of the wicked lamenting and bemoaning their ruin, and their being bereaved of them, ( Revelation 18:9 Revelation 18:11 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F4 (wrdwnty) "amovebunt se", Montanus; "commovebuntur", Vatablus.

Psalms 64:8 In-Context

6 Who can search out our crimes? We have thought out a cunningly conceived plot." For the human heart and mind are deep.
7 But God will shoot his arrow at them; they will be wounded suddenly.
8 Because of their tongue he will bring them to ruin; all who see them will shake with horror.
9 Then everyone will fear; they will tell what God has brought about, and ponder what he has done.
10 Let the righteous rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in him. Let all the upright in heart glory.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Cn: Heb [They will bring him to ruin, their tongue being against them]
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.