(א) לַמְנַצֵּחַ מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד: (ב) שְׁמַע אֱלֹקִים קוֹלִי בְשִׂיחִי מִפַּחַד אוֹיֵב תִּצֹּר חַיָּי:
(1) For the musician, a mizmor by David. (2) O G-d, Hear my voice as I speak. Guard my life from the fear of the enemy.
NOTE: For a PDF of this mizmor, please click here. This will enable you to print out the entire text of the article. [Rev. 1]
Key Concepts of Mizmor 064 – Counsellors of Bitterness
David composed this mizmor as an earnest tefilllah to Hashem during the period when he was being hunted for treason against Shaul HaMelech. As in other mizmorim that David authored during this time, he blamed his woes on the counsellors to Shaul who were seeking to curry favor by spreading ugly rumors and slanderous accusations against him.
In the mizmor David pleads with Hashem to shield him from the conspiracies that instigated Shaul. The perpetrators of these conspiracies, such as Doeg the Edomi, were driven by hatred and ambition. David understood very well how they used the innuendo and carefully chosen words to destroy his reputation and make him seem suspect.
David ends the mizmor by asking Hashem to take retribution against the perpetrators in a way that will bring greater glory to His Name. Thus, David asks that the bitter counsellors be undone by the very weapons of slander that they used against him. The form of punishment will reveal to all the nature of the crime for which it is being imposed.
Exploring the Mizmor
PART 1. PLEA FOR PROTECTION. David pleads with Hashem to shield him from having to live in fear of his shrewd enemies who are secretly conspiring against him as well as those who are publicly defaming him.
(א) לַמְנַצֵּחַ מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד: (ב) שְׁמַע אֱלֹקִים קוֹלִי בְשִׂיחִי מִפַּחַד אוֹיֵב תִּצֹּר חַיָּי: (ג) תַּסְתִּירֵנִי מִסּוֹד מְרֵעִים מֵרִגְשַׁת פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן:
(1) For the musician, a mizmor by David. (2) O G-d, Hear my voice as I speak. Guard my life from the fear of the enemy. (3) Shield me from the secret gathering of evil men, from the public assemblage of evildoers.
PART 2. THE PERPETRATORS. David elaborates on the behavior of his enemies, explaining why they are so unsettling to him. The perpetrators who are causing him this anguish operate by telling lies about him and by secretly conspiring against him. He compares the sharpness of their tongues to a sword and the bitterness of the words they speak to a well-aimed arrow. Their verbal techniques are so subtle that the perpetrators believe themselves to be immune to discovery and criticism .
(ד) אֲשֶׁר שָׁנְנוּ כַחֶרֶב לְשׁוֹנָם דָּרְכוּ חִצָּם דָּבָר מָר: (ה) לִירוֹת בַּמִּסְתָּרִים תָּם פִּתְאֹם יֹרֻהוּ וְלֹא יִירָאוּ: (ו) יְחַזְּקוּ לָמוֹ דָּבָר רָע יְסַפְּרוּ לִטְמוֹן מוֹקְשִׁים אָמְרוּ מִי יִרְאֶה לָּמוֹ: (ז) יַחְפְּשׂוּ עוֹלֹת תַּמְנוּ חֵפֶשׂ מְחֻפָּשׂ וְקֶרֶב אִישׁ וְלֵב עָמֹק:
(4) They have sharpened their tongue like the sword and have aimed a bitter word as their arrow (5) to shoot from a hidden ambush at a blameless man. They shoot him unexpectedly and they are not afraid. (6) They encourage each other with their evil word. They speak [softly] in order to conceal [verbal] traps. They say, Who will see them? (7) [They say] Let them investigate [our] crimes. [Even when] they have completed a diligent search, [they will come up empty-handed because] man is within and the heart is deep.
PART 3. RETRIBUTION. David expresses his confidence in the actions that Hashem will surely take in response to his tefillah. The retribution will be well-designed and will be calibrated measure-for-measure against the offense.
(ח) וַיֹּרֵם אֱלֹקִים חֵץ פִּתְאוֹם הָיוּ מַכּוֹתָם: (ט) וַיַּכְשִׁילוּהוּ עָלֵימוֹ לְשׁוֹנָם יִתְנֹדֲדוּ כָּל רֹאֵה בָם:
(8) But G-d will shoot the arrow [of retribution] at them. They will be suddenly struck down. (9) Their own tongue will trip them up. All who see them will recoil [in shock].
PART 4. CONCLUSION. David concludes the mizmor by describing the anticipated impact of Hashem’s action upon the people of the world. The method and effectiveness of the retribution will be a revelation of Hashem’s power and wisdom.
(י) וַיִּירְאוּ כָּל אָדָם וַיַּגִּידוּ פֹּעַל אֱלֹקִים וּמַעֲשֵׂהוּ הִשְׂכִּילוּ: (יא) יִשְׂמַח צַדִּיק בַּה’ וְחָסָה בוֹ וְיִתְהַלְלוּ כָּל יִשְׁרֵי לֵב:
(10) Then all men will be awed and they will declare it is G-d’s doing. They will comprehend His action. (11) The tzadik will rejoice in [gratitude to] Hashem and take refuge in Him. All who are upright in heart will exult.
Learning the Mizmor
PART 1. PLEA FOR PROTECTION.
(א) לַמְנַצֵּחַ מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד:
For the musician — לַמְנַצֵּחַ , a mizmor composed by David — מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד .
(ב) שְׁמַע אֱלֹקִים קוֹלִי בְשִׂיחִי
מִפַּחַד אוֹיֵב תִּצֹּר חַיָּי:
מִפַּחַד אוֹיֵב תִּצֹּר חַיָּי:
O G-d, Hear my voice as I speak to You of my fears — שְׁמַע אֱלֹקִים קוֹלִי בְשִׂיחִי . Guard my life from having to experience the fear of the enemy — מִפַּחַד אוֹיֵב תִּצֹּר חַיָּי .
(ג) תַּסְתִּירֵנִי מִסּוֹד מְרֵעִים
מֵרִגְשַׁת פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן:
מֵרִגְשַׁת פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן:
Shield me from the secret gathering of evil men — תַּסְתִּירֵנִי מִסּוֹד מְרֵעִים , who are conspiring against me. Protect me from the public assemblage of evil doers — מֵרִגְשַׁת פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן , …
PART 2. THE PERPETRATORS.
(ד) אֲשֶׁר שָׁנְנוּ כַחֶרֶב לְשׁוֹנָם
דָּרְכוּ חִצָּם דָּבָר מָר:
דָּרְכוּ חִצָּם דָּבָר מָר:
… who have sharpened their tongue like the sword — אֲשֶׁר שָׁנְנוּ כַחֶרֶב לְשׁוֹנָם , to publicy disgrace me. And those who conspire in secret have aimed a bitter word as their arrow — דָּרְכוּ חִצָּם דָּבָר מָר …
(ה) לִירוֹת בַּמִּסְתָּרִים תָּם
פִּתְאֹם יֹרֻהוּ וְלֹא יִירָאוּ:
פִּתְאֹם יֹרֻהוּ וְלֹא יִירָאוּ:
… to shoot from a hidden ambush at a blameless man — לִירוֹת בַּמִּסְתָּרִים תָּם , such as I. They shoot him unexpectedly — פִּתְאֹם יֹרֻהוּ , counting on the fact that since their victim has not harmed them, he has no reason no guard himself from their aggressive intentions. And they are not afraid of Hashem — וְלֹא יִירָאוּ , so there is nothing to restrain them.
(ו) יְחַזְּקוּ לָמוֹ דָּבָר רָע
יְסַפְּרוּ לִטְמוֹן מוֹקְשִׁים
אָמְרוּ מִי יִרְאֶה לָּמוֹ:
יְסַפְּרוּ לִטְמוֹן מוֹקְשִׁים
אָמְרוּ מִי יִרְאֶה לָּמוֹ:
They encourage each other by constantly repeating their evil word — יְחַזְּקוּ לָמוֹ דָּבָר רָע – about me to Shaul. They speak — יְסַפְּרוּ – to him in apparently harmless conversation in order to conceal verbal traps — לִטְמוֹן מוֹקְשִׁים . They say — אָמְרוּ , Who will see them — מִי יִרְאֶה לָּמוֹ ?
(ז) יַחְפְּשׂוּ עוֹלֹת
תַּמְנוּ חֵפֶשׂ מְחֻפָּשׂ
וְקֶרֶב אִישׁ וְלֵב עָמֹק:
תַּמְנוּ חֵפֶשׂ מְחֻפָּשׂ
וְקֶרֶב אִישׁ וְלֵב עָמֹק:
They are confident that they will not be held accountable for their subtle remarks. They say, Let them investigate our crimes of slander — יַחְפְּשׂוּ עוֹלֹת . Even when they have completed a diligent search — תַּמְנוּ חֵפֶשׂ מְחֻפָּשׂ , no one will remember exactly what we said. No one will know what we meant when we spoke our slander for the intellect of a man is within — וְקֶרֶב אִישׁ – and the heart is deep — וְלֵב עָמֹק .
PART 3. RETRIBUTION.
(ח) וַיֹּרֵם אֱלֹקִים חֵץ
פִּתְאוֹם הָיוּ מַכּוֹתָם:
פִּתְאוֹם הָיוּ מַכּוֹתָם:
But just as they send out arrows of slander with their sharp tongue, G-d will shoot the arrow of retribution at them — וַיֹּרֵם אֱלֹקִים חֵץ . They will be suddenly struck down — פִּתְאוֹם הָיוּ מַכּוֹתָם – just as their slander caught me unawares.
(ט) וַיַּכְשִׁילוּהוּ עָלֵימוֹ לְשׁוֹנָם
יִתְנֹדֲדוּ כָּל רֹאֵה בָם:
יִתְנֹדֲדוּ כָּל רֹאֵה בָם:
Their own tongue will trip them up — וַיַּכְשִׁילוּהוּ עָלֵימוֹ לְשׁוֹנָם . They will suddenly be brought down by the very scheme through which they intended to destroy me. All who see them will recoil in shock — יִתְנֹדֲדוּ כָּל רֹאֵה בָם because the choice of punishment has the effect of revealing the nature of the crime.
PART 4. CONCLUSION.
(י) וַיִּירְאוּ כָּל אָדָם
וַיַּגִּידוּ פֹּעַל אֱלֹקִים
וּמַעֲשֵׂהוּ הִשְׂכִּילוּ:
וַיַּגִּידוּ פֹּעַל אֱלֹקִים
וּמַעֲשֵׂהוּ הִשְׂכִּילוּ:
Then all men will be awed — וַיִּירְאוּ כָּל אָדָם – and they will declare that what they have seen is G-d’s doing — וַיַּגִּידוּ פֹּעַל אֱלֹקִים . They will think about it and comprehend His action — וּמַעֲשֵׂהוּ הִשְׂכִּילוּ as a just retribution, in contrast with what the wicked assumed when they said, “Who will see?”
(יא) יִשְׂמַח צַדִּיק בַּה‘
וְחָסָה בוֹ וְיִתְהַלְלוּ כָּל יִשְׁרֵי לֵב:
וְחָסָה בוֹ וְיִתְהַלְלוּ כָּל יִשְׁרֵי לֵב:
The tzadik will rejoice in gratitude to Hashem — יִשְׂמַח צַדִּיק בַּה‘ , when he realizes that he is free of the threat from the wicked. And the tzadik will take refuge in Him — וְחָסָה בוֹ – with full trust and confidence. All who are upright in heart will exult — וְיִתְהַלְלוּ כָּל יִשְׁרֵי לֵב – in gratification at trusting in Hashem, knowing that their hopes are fulfilled and they will not suffer embarrassment at being let down.
Living the Mizmor
Listed below are some of the thoughts you might have in mind when you say the words of the mizmor as tefillos expressing your gratitude to Hashem and as tehillos expressing your recognition of Hashem.
Tefillos for Life – Your Relationship with Hashem.
[64:2] MY VOICE. – שְׁמַע אֱלֹקִים קוֹלִי בְשִׂיחִי – “O G-d, Hear my voice as I speak.” When you ask Hashem’s help, let your voice be heard, at least to yourself. It is not enough just to think your plea.
Tefillos for Life – Your Yeshuah.
[64:2] THREAT. – מִפַּחַד אוֹיֵב תִּצֹּר חַיָּי – “Guard my life from the fear of the enemy.” Ask Hashem to disable the power of those who threaten you so that you need not live in fear.
[64:3] CONSPIRACIES. – תַּסְתִּירֵנִי מִסּוֹד מְרֵעִים מֵרִגְשַׁת פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן – “Shield me from the secret gathering of evil men, from the public assemblage of evildoers.” Ask Hashem to prevent the schemes of your enemies from becoming a reality.
Tefillos for Life – Your Anguish.
[64:4] BITTERNESS. – אֲשֶׁר שָׁנְנוּ כַחֶרֶב לְשׁוֹנָם דָּרְכוּ חִצָּם דָּבָר מָר – “They have sharpened their tongue like the sword and have aimed a bitter word as their arrow.” Express your anguish to Hashem at the bitterness being demonstrated against you by those who hate you. Perhaps if Hashem sees your suffering, He will have pity on you.
Lessons for Life – Your Attitude.
[64:8] RETRIBUTION. – וַיֹּרֵם אֱלֹקִים חֵץ, פִּתְאוֹם הָיוּ מַכּוֹתָם – “But G-d will shoot the arrow [of retribution] at them. They will be suddenly struck down.” Trust Hashem to take retribution aginst the perpetrators of evil.
Tehillos for Life – Your Contemplation of Hashem.
[64:9] RETRIBUTION. – וַיַּכְשִׁילוּהוּ עָלֵימוֹ לְשׁוֹנָם יִתְנֹדֲדוּ כָּל רֹאֵה בָם – “Their own tongue will trip them up. All who see them will recoil [in shock].” Hashem invokes retribution in a way that demonstrates His power and His wisdom.
Tehillos for Life – Public Acclaim.
[64:10] ALL MEN. – וַיִּירְאוּ כָּל אָדָם וַיַּגִּידוּ פֹּעַל אֱלֹקִים וּמַעֲשֵׂהוּ הִשְׂכִּילוּ – “Then all men will be awed and they will declare it is G-d’s doing. They will comprehend His action.” The people of the world will ultimately declare the greatness of Hashem, for the evidence of His power will be clear to all.
Tefillos for Life – Your Gratitude.
[64:11] TZADIKIM. – יִשְׂמַח צַדִּיק בַּה’ וְחָסָה בוֹ וְיִתְהַלְלוּ כָּל יִשְׁרֵי לֵב – “The tzadik will rejoice in [gratitude to] Hashem and take refuge in Him. All who are upright in heart will exult.” Seek to be one of those tzadikim who exult in relying totally upon Hashem. Their exultation expresses their gratitude and relief at being vindicated by Hashem’s actions.
Sources
The primary sources used in the interpretation of the verses of this mizmor are listed below.
א – מלבי”ם
ב – רד”ק, מצודות, רשר”ה
ג – רש”י, רד”ק, אלשיך, מלבי”ם
ד – רש”י, רד”ק, אלשיך
ד – רש”י, רד”ק, אלשיך
ה – רש”י, רד”ק, אלשיך
ו – אבן עזרא, רד”ק, רשר”ה
ז – רשר”ה
ח – אבן עזרא, רד”ק
ט – רש”י, אבן עזרא, רד”ק, אלשיך
י – אבן עזרא, רד”ק, אלשיך, מלבי”ם
יא – רש”י, אבן עזרא, רד”ק