Psalm 64 – A Prayer for Protection from the Schemes of Evildoers

Apr 19, 2026 | Pastor's Blog, Psalms

Timeless Biblical Truth.

Believers, who are living in a manner pleasing the LORD do not need to be afraid of evildoers who secretly plan and take action against them if they trust the LORD for protection and relief.

  1. Believers may confidently pray for protection from the secret plots of evildoers (1-2).
  2. Evildoers make plans and take actions to harm believers (3-6).
    1. Evildoers verbally abuse believers (3-4).
    2. Evildoers make deep and secret plans to harm believers (5-6).
  3. Believers will rejoice when God turns the evildoers malicious plans and actions back upon themselves in ironic justice (7-10).
    1. God will destroy the evildoers by their own traps (7-9).
    2. Believers will rejoice in the LORD and take refuge in Him (10). “Those who think their affairs too insignificant for God’s regard, will justify themselves in lying crushed under their seeming ruin. Either we live in the heart of an eternal thought, or we are the product of sport of that which is lower than we.” George MacDonald: What’s Mine’s Mine, ch. 45. “The disgrace of fearing anything except doing wrong, few human beings are capable of conceiving, fewer still of actually believing.” George MacDonald: Weighed and Wanting, ch. 38.

Questions for Second Milers

  1. What are characteristics of these evildoers that David states?
  2. How does David react toward their schemes and assaults? Imagine his feelings as a object of their verbal abuse and physical attacks.
  3. Why do you think David emphasizes the evil of their tongues? (cf. 52:2-4; 55:21; 57:4; 58:3-6; 59:7, 12; 62:4 – list the metaphors he uses.)
  4. What will be the result when God intervenes?
  5. What is your major concern when you are wounded by bitter words? Do you complain to God? To others? Hold your anger in and become bitter? Why?
  6. Give your own short title to this psalm.
The Bible Church of the Lakes