Proverbia 64:1

Nova Vulgata

Magistro chori. PSALMUS. David. [64:2] Exaudi, Deus, vocem meam in meditatione mea; a timore inimici custodi animam meam.

Parallel Translations

Clementine Latin Vulgate (1592)
In finem. Psalmus David, canticum Jeremi�, et Ezechielis, populo transmigrationis, cum inciperent exire.

Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405)
In finem. Psalmus David, canticum Jeremi� et Ezechielis populo transmigrationis, cum inciperent exire.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

am 2943, bc 1061

Hear: Psalms 27:7, Psalms 55:1, Psalms 55:2, Psalms 130:1, Psalms 130:2, Psalms 141:1, Psalms 143:1-3, Lamentations 3:55, Lamentations 3:56

preserve: Psalms 17:8, Psalms 17:9, Psalms 31:13-15, Psalms 34:4, Psalms 56:2-4, Acts 18:9, Acts 18:10, Acts 27:24

Reciprocal: Psalms 5:1 - Give Psalms 119:149 - Hear Psalms 140:6 - hear Jeremiah 18:19 - Give

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer,.... The prayer of the psalmist was vocal and expressed in a mournful manner, with groans and cries, as the word z used signifies, and with great ardour and fervency; his condition, by reason of his enemies, being very distressing, and therefore he is very eager and earnest that he might be heard;

preserve my life from fear of the enemy; David had his enemies. Saul and his courtiers, and was afraid of them; Christ had his enemies the wicked Jews, who sought his life before the time, and therefore he walked no more in Judea till near the time; and whose human nature was sometimes possessed of the fears of death, though they were sinless ones: the church and people of God have their enemies; as the men of the world, who revile, reproach, and persecute them; Satan their adversary, who goes about seeking to devour them; and their own corruptions and lusts which war against their souls; and death, the last enemy, which is so to human nature, though by the grace of Christ friendly to the saints. And the people of God have their fears of these enemies; they are afraid of men, their revilings and persecutions, though they have no reason since God is on their side; and of Satan, whose fiery darts and buffetings are very distressing, though if resisted he will flee; and of their own corruptions, lest they should one day perish by them; or, at least, lest they should break out, to the wounding of their souls, and the dishonour of God: and some of them, through fear of death, are all their lifetime subject to bondage: which fears, though they are not the saints' excellencies, but their infirmities, yet are consistent with the grace of God; and under the power and influence of these fears they apprehend sometimes their life to be in danger; and therefore pray to the God of their life, who has given them it, and is the preserver of it, that he would preserve their natural life, as he does; as also their spiritual life, which is preserved by him; is bound up in the bundle of life with the Lord their God, and is hid with Christ in God.

z בשיחי "in querimonia mea", Tigurine version; "in oratione mea gemebunda", Gejerus; so Michaelis.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer - The use of the word voice here would seem to imply that this was audible prayer, or that, though alone, he gave utterance to his petitions aloud. We have this same use of the word often in the Psalms, making it probable that even private prayers were uttered in an audible manner. In most cases, when there is no danger of being overheard, or of its being construed as ostentation or Pharisaism, this is favorable to the spirit of secret devotion. Compare the notes at Daniel 6:10. The word here rendered prayer means properly speech, discourse; then, complaint; then, meditation. It is most commonly rendered complaint. See Job 7:13; Job 9:27; Job 10:1; Job 21:4; Psalms 55:2 (notes); Psalms 102:0 (Title); Psalms 142:2. It refers here to a state of mind caused by trouble and danger, when the deep meditation on his troubles and dangers found expression in audible words - whether those words were complaint or petition. As there are no indications in the psalm that David was disposed to complain in the sense of blaming God, the proper interpretation here is that his deep meditations took the form of prayer.

Preserve my life from fear of the enemy - Either Saul or Absalom. He prayed that his life might be made so secure that he would not have occasion to be afraid of his enemy.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

PSALM LXIV

The psalmist prays for preservation from the wicked, 1, 2;

whom he describes, 3-6;

shows their punishment, 7, 8;

and the effect that this should have on the godly, 9, 10.

NOTES ON PSALM LXIV

The title, To the chief Musician, or conqueror, A Psalm of David. The Syriac says, "composed by David when warned by Gad the prophet, who said, Stay not in Masrob, because Saul seeks thy life." Some think it was composed by David when he was persecuted by Saul; or during the rebellion of Absalom. But Calmet thinks it is a complaint of the captives in Babylon.

Verse Psalms 64:1. Hear my voice — The psalmist feared for his life, and the lives of his fellow-captives; and he sought help of God. He prayed, and he lifted up his voice; and thus showed his earnestness.