Psalm 64 (63):5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The bow that he refers to is set to ambush. In contrast to a fighter wielding a sword who engages openly, the archer conceals his intent to wound from afar. The arrow strikes before it even reaches its target. But can the deceit that underpins the human heart escape detection? Would it elude our Lord Jesus Christ, who did not require testimony from others? He understood what lay within people, as the Evangelist records, "For He knew what was in man" (John 2:25). Yet let us observe their actions as if our Lord was unaware of their schemes. The phrase ‘They have drawn the bow’ signifies secrecy; it illustrates their deceptive nature, lurking and waiting to attack.

They will strike him unexpectedly, showing no fear. From a hidden position, they launch their attack without hesitation, disregarding the discipline of God.

He then outlines their various deceptions. They sharpen their tongues as if they were swords and prepare their bows, producing a bitter intent. They aim their arrows at the hidden righteous. The Prophet declares that they spread falsehoods in their efforts to wage war against me, although I have given no justification for their actions. Here, he refers to the innocent as faultless. Instead of saying a bitter thing, Aquila translated it as a bitter discourse, while Theodotion interpreted it as a bitter utterance; Simmachus rendered it as filling their bow with a bitter message. Regarding the term "secret," Symmachus translates it as stealthily, implying the use of ambush and espionage. This is further illustrated by the phrase: They will shoot at him from the shadows, fearless in their pursuit. From their hidden positions, they strike unexpectedly, not caring for God who observes their actions.

Sustained in hidden purity, David refers to the blameless and not himself as the cause. This represents a sort of inversion, which can be elucidated as follows: ready your bow to aim at the righteous, which is a bitter action; it signifies a malicious and treacherous act to launch arrows unseen at an innocent individual. The assailant maintains an advantage through secrecy, as their target, being unaware, cannot defend against the assault. The bow symbolizes the deceitful words of the enemies, while the sword represents their intent to destroy those who approach them. The psalmist notes that his adversaries openly commend him but secretly plot against him. The words of the Lord echo this sentiment.

Despite the intense animosity directed towards David by his adversaries, he specifically highlights the venomous nature of their speech. This indicates that he is particularly referring to slander and falsehoods that unjustly tarnished his reputation among the people, eliciting their hatred. He likens their tongues to swords and their harmful words to arrows. In contrast, he defends himself by pointing out that they target a righteous and innocent individual. With this understanding, he encourages himself with the expectation of receiving what he has requested; since he perceives no guilt in himself, he recognizes that he has been attacked without cause by unrighteous and rebellious individuals.

To Christ the Lord, who fulfills the law (Rom. 10:4), consider this psalm, which the Holy Spirit inspired in David. In it, the prophet, distressed by his adversaries, implores God for assistance against them, with the hope that they may receive recompense for their actions. Most importantly, this psalm serves as a prayer to God the Father, to Christ the Lord during His passion, and for all His faithful followers, including the righteous and martyrs.