1<To the chief music-maker. A Psalm. Of David.> O God, let the voice of my grief come to your ear: keep my life from the fear of those who are against me. 2Keep me safe from the secret purpose of wrongdoers; from the band of the workers of evil; 3Who make their tongues sharp like a sword, and whose arrows are pointed, even bitter words; 4So that in secret they may let loose their arrows at the upright, suddenly and unseen. 5They make themselves strong in an evil purpose; they make holes for secret nets; they say, Who will see it, 6Or make discovery of our secret purpose? The design is framed with care; and the inner thought of a man, and his heart, is deep. 7But God sends out an arrow against them; suddenly they are wounded. 8The evil of their tongues is the cause of their fall; all those who see them are shaking their heads at them. 9And in fear men make public the works of God; and giving thought to his acts they get wisdom. 10The upright will be glad in the Lord and have hope in him; and all the lovers of righteousness will give him glory.
Matthew Henry's Commentary
Prayer for deliverance. (1-6) The destruction of the wicked, encouragement to the righteous. (7-10) 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. 7-10 When God brings upon men the mischiefs they have desired on others, it is weight enough to sink a man to the lowest hell. Those who love cursing, it shall come upon them. Those who behold this shall understand, and observe God's hand in all; unless we do so, we are not likely to profit by the dispensations of Providence. The righteous shall be glad in the Lord; not glad of the misery and ruin of their fellow-creatures, but glad that God is glorified, and his word fulfilled, and the cause of injured innocence pleaded effectually. They rejoice not in men, nor in themselves, nor in any creature, or creature enjoyments, nor in their wisdom, strength, riches, or righteousness; but in Christ, in whom all the seed of Israel are justified and glory, and in what he is to them, and has done for them.