Verse 3. - Who whet their tongue like a sword (comp. Psalm 55:21; Psalm 57:4; Psalm 59:7). And bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words (comp. Psalm 11:2; Psalm 57:4). Calumny was what David especially feared, and what actually brought about his downfall (see 2 Samuel 15:2-6). The "bitterness" of his enemies is further emphasized by the speeches and curses of Shimei (2 Samuel 16:5-13).
64:1-6 The psalmist earnestly begs of God to preserve him from disquieting fear. The tongue is a little member, but it boasts great things. The upright man is the mark at which the wicked aim, they cannot speak peaceably either of him or to him. There is no guard against a false tongue. It is bad to do wrong, but worse to encourage ourselves and one another in it. It is a sign that the heart is hardened to the greatest degree, when it is thus fully set to do evil. A practical disbelief of God's knowledge of all things, is at the bottom of every wickedness. The benefit of a good cause and a good conscience, appears most when nothing can help a man against his enemies, save God alone, who is always a present help.
Who whet their tongue like a sword,.... Use cutting, wounding, killing, and devouring words; on which they set an edge, and make them keener and keener to hurt and ruin the characters and reputations of good men, and grieve and distress their minds;
and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words; such are the these doctrines of heretical men, which are roots of bitterness, that defile some and trouble others; such are the oaths and curses of profane sinners, whose mouths are full of cursing and bitterness; and such are the blasphemies of antichrist against God, against his tabernacle, and against them that dwell therein; and such are the hard speeches spoken by ungodly sinners against Christ and his people; these are like arrows shot from a bow, and full of deadly poison. The Targum is
"they stretch out their bows, they anoint their arrows with deadly and bitter poison.''
There seems to be an allusion to fixing letters in arrows, and so shooting or directing them where it was desired they should fall and be taken up; so Timoxenus and Artobazus sent letters to one another in this way, at the siege of Potidaea (a): and after the same manner, the Jews say (b), Shebna and Joab sent letters to Sennacherib, acquainting him that all Israel were willing to make peace with him; but Hezekiah and Isaiah would not allow them to.
(a) Herodot. Urania, sive l. 8. c. 128. (b) Derash R. Aba in Kimchi in Psal. xi. 2.
"'Tis slander.
Whose edge is sharper than the sword."
SHAKESPEARE.
For the ellipse in "they bend (literally, tread) their arrows," see Psalm 58:7.
and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words; such are the these doctrines of heretical men, which are roots of bitterness, that defile some and trouble others; such are the oaths and curses of profane sinners, whose mouths are full of cursing and bitterness; and such are the blasphemies of antichrist against God, against his tabernacle, and against them that dwell therein; and such are the hard speeches spoken by ungodly sinners against Christ and his people; these are like arrows shot from a bow, and full of deadly poison. The Targum is
"they stretch out their bows, they anoint their arrows with deadly and bitter poison.''
There seems to be an allusion to fixing letters in arrows, and so shooting or directing them where it was desired they should fall and be taken up; so Timoxenus and Artobazus sent letters to one another in this way, at the siege of Potidaea (a): and after the same manner, the Jews say (b), Shebna and Joab sent letters to Sennacherib, acquainting him that all Israel were willing to make peace with him; but Hezekiah and Isaiah would not allow them to.
(a) Herodot. Urania, sive l. 8. c. 128. (b) Derash R. Aba in Kimchi in Psal. xi. 2.