They fully intend to throw him down from his lofty place. They delight in lies. They bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly.
Parallel Translations
-
They fully intend to throw him down from his lofty place. They delight in lies. They bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly.
-
They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.
-
(62-5) They only devise to thrust him down from his height, delighting in lies; they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah
Cross-references (26)
Passages linked to Psalms 62:4 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Psalms 55:21 His mouth was smooth as butter, but his heart was war. His words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.
- Psalms 28:3 Don’t draw me away with the wicked, with the workers of iniquity who speak peace with their neighbors, but mischief is in their hearts.
- Psalms 5:9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth. Their heart is destruction. Their throat is an open tomb. They flatter with their tongue.
- Romans 7:22 For I delight in God’s law after the inward man,
- Romans 1:32 who, knowing the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them.
- Revelation 22:15 Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
- Psalms 52:3 You love evil more than good, lying rather than speaking the truth.
- John 8:44 You are of your father, the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and doesn’t stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks on his own; for he is a liar, and the father of lies.
- John 11:47-50 The chief priests therefore and the Pharisees gathered a council, and said, “What are we doing? For this man does many signs. If we leave him alone like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” But a certain one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is advantageous for us that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.”
- Acts 4:16-17 saying, “What shall we do to these men? Because indeed a notable miracle has been done through them, as can be plainly seen by all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we can’t deny it. But so that this spreads no further among the people, let’s threaten them, that from now on they don’t speak to anyone in this name.”
- Acts 4:25-28 who by the mouth of your servant, David, said, ‘Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth take a stand, and the rulers take council together, against the Lord, and against his Christ.’ “For truly, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together against your holy servant, Jesus, whom you anointed, to do whatever your hand and your council foreordained to happen.
- Psalms 2:1-3 Why do the nations rage, and the peoples plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth take a stand, and the rulers take counsel together, against Yahweh, and against his Anointed, saying, “Let’s break their bonds apart, and cast their cords from us.”
- Psalms 51:6 Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts. You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
- Psalms 119:163 I hate and abhor falsehood. I love your law.
- Proverbs 6:17 arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
- Proverbs 13:5 A righteous man hates lies, but a wicked man brings shame and disgrace.
- Hosea 7:3 They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.
- Matthew 2:3-4 When King Herod heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ would be born.
- Matthew 2:16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, was exceedingly angry, and sent out, and killed all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding countryside, from two years old and under, according to the exact time which he had learned from the wise men.
- Matthew 22:15 Then the Pharisees went and took counsel how they might entrap him in his talk.
- Matthew 22:23 On that day Sadducees (those who say that there is no resurrection) came to him. They asked him,
- Matthew 22:34-35 But the Pharisees, when they heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, gathered themselves together. One of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, testing him.
- Matthew 26:3-4 Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people were gathered together in the court of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas. They took counsel together that they might take Jesus by deceit, and kill him.
- Matthew 27:1 Now when morning had come, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:
- Luke 11:39 The Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, but your inward part is full of extortion and wickedness.
- Luke 20:20 They watched him and sent out spies, who pretended to be righteous, that they might trap him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the power and authority of the governor.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (14 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
Private notes
Saved on this device only — never synced or sent anywhere.
John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 4. Yet they consult to cast him down from…
4. Yet they consult to cast him down from his elevation I still would interpret the particle אך, ach, in an adversative sense. David, on the one hand, encouraged himself by determining to rest steadfastly upon the promise of divine favor; but, upon the other, he had before him the machinations of his enemies, characterised by cruelty, audacity, pride, and deceit. By all their attempts, as if he had said, they do nothing but precipitate their own fall; still such are the frenzy and the fury by which they are actuated, that they persist in their intrigues against me. He insinuates that their attacks were directed, not so much against himself as against God — agreeably to the picture which is given us of impiety by the poets in their fable of the Giants. Nothing will satisfy the enemies of God but setting themselves above the heavens. David is to be understood as primarily speaking here of himself in the third person, but of himself as elevated expressly by the divine hand. Accordingly, though we might consider that God is the party directly intended, the scope of the words rather intimates that they aimed at the overthrow of one whom God had exalted, and desired to establish in honor. In thus attempting to thwart his purpose, they were really fighting against God. The clause which follows, they delight in lies, has reference to the same thing. Refusing to acknowledge his divine vocation, they persevered in following such corrupt designs, as could only recoil upon them to their own confusion, as the Psalmist exclaims,
“O ye sons of men! how long is my glory made matter of your reproach? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.” — (Psalm 4:2)
Read full note →
Or the expression may denote the hidden and deceitful measures which they adopted in their persecution of this saint of God; for it is immediately added, that they blessed with their mouth, but cursed inwardly Whatever may be the meaning, it is evident that David, contemplating all the treachery, intrigues, and wickedness of his enemies, supports himself by the single consideration, that his help was in God, and that every opposing instrumentality was therefore vain.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Psa 62:4 They only consult to cast [him] down…
Psa 62:4 They only consult to cast [him] down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.
Ver. 4. They only consult to cast him down from his excellency] Or, yet they consult; q.d. Notwithstanding all that I can say or that God will do to them, they will on in their evil devices and endeavours against me; there is no reclaiming of them. Deus quos destruit dementat.
Read full note →
They delight in lies] Not only he that maketh a lie, but he that loveth and delighteth in it when made by another, shall be shut out of heaven, Rev 22:15 Rom 1:32.
They bless with their mouths] Heb. with his mouth, that is, every one doth so; neither is there ever a better of these glavering companions, dissembling scrubs.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Him, to wit, the man mentioned Psa 62:3, i.e.…
Him, to wit, the man mentioned Psa 62:3, i.e. himself; of whom he continues to speak in the third person.
From his excellency; from the hopes and attainment of that royal dignity, to which God hath designed and anointed me.
Read full note →
In lies; in secret slanders and execrations, covered with flatteries and fair speeches, as it here follows.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain They only consult to cast him down from his…
They only consult to cast him down from his excellency,.... Either from the excellency of God, from his greatness, and from his height, as Kimchi; or from his grace, as the Arabic version: that is, they consulted to discourage him from looking to God, his rock and fortress, and from trusting in him; or rather, from his own excellency, from what high estate of dignity and honour he was advanced to, or designed for, namely his kingly office. Saul and his courtiers consulted how to prevent his coming to the throne, and Absalom and Ahithophel how to pull him down from it, and seize his crown and kingdom; which latter best agrees with the expression here;
they delight in lies; in making and in spreading them, in order to hurt his character, and give his subjects an ill opinion of him; and thereby alienate their affections from him, and weaken their allegiance and obedience to him; see Rev 22:15;
Read full note →
they bless with their mouth: saying, God bless the king, or save the king:
but they curse inwardly; they curse the king in their hearts, and when by themselves in private, when they imagine nobody hears them; see Ecc 10:20.
Selah; on this word; see Gill on Psa 3:2.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 4. To cast him down from his excellency]…
Verse 4. To cast him down from his excellency] They are consulting to dethrone me, and use treachery and falsehood in order to bring it about: "They delight in lies."
They bless with their mouth] Probably alluding to Absalom's blandishments of the people. He flattered them in order to get the sovereign rule. Or it may refer to the people of Jerusalem, whose perfidy he saw, while they were full of professions of loyalty, c. but he could not trust them, and therefore retired from Jerusalem.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Psa 62:4. They only consult to cast him down…
Psa 62:4. They only consult to cast him down — Namely, the man mentioned Psa 62:3. He means himself, of whom he continues to speak in the third person. From his excellency — From the hopes and attainment of that royal dignity to which God hath designed and anointed me. They delight in lies, &c. — In secret slanders and execrations, covered with flatteries and fair speeches, as it here follows.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain They only consult to cast him down from his…
They only consult to cast him down from his excellency - This is the object of all their counsels and plans. They aim at one high in rank - and their purpose, their sole purpose, is to bring him down. This would apply well to the case of David in the time of the rebellion of Absalom.
They delight in lies - In false pretences; in secret plans of evil; in hypocritical assurances. This was eminently true of Absalom, who made use of these arts to seduce the people from allegiance to his father. 2Sa 15:1-6.
Read full note →
They bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly - They profess true attachment and zeal, but they are traitors at heart. See the notes at Psa 28:3. This, too, would apply well to the conduct of Absalom and those associated with him.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain his excellency--or, elevation to which God had raised him…
his excellency--or, elevation to which God had raised him (Psa 4:2). This they try to do by lies and duplicity (Psa 5:9).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 4. They only consult to cast him down—On only,…
4. They only consult to cast him down—On only, truly, see Psa_62:1. The object of the conspiracy was to cast David down from the height of his kingly power and honour, to which God had exalted him; and he here submits the issue between them and God.
They delight in lies—As their object is unjust and dishonourable, so they do not scruple to adopt the basest hypocrisy and falsehood in order to accomplish it.
Read full note →
They bless with their mouth—Literally, they bless each one with his mouth. They profess openly to the people that they are doing all for the public good.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 4. Only to thrust him down from his dignity…
4. Only to thrust him down from his dignity have they taken counsel, delighting in a lie:
With his mouth doth each of them bless, but inwardly they curse.
Read full note →
Their plot is ‘a lie,’ false in its principle and in its aim (Psa_4:2, note); and they have been guilty of the grossest hypocrisy and duplicity in promoting it. Cp. Psa_12:2; Psa_28:3; Psa_55:21.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (4) Their mouth.—Literally, his mouth. They bless each with…
(4) Their mouth.—Literally, his mouth. They bless each with his mouth, &c
Excellency.—Rather, height, carrying on the metaphor of preceding verse.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain They only consult to cast him down from his…
They only consult to cast him down from his excellency; i.e. they have no other thought but this to cast me down from my high station, while I have no other thought but to trust in God, and to look to him for support and protection (vers. 1, 2, 6). They delight in lies. Some indication of the "lies" circulated against David at this Time is given in 2Sa_15:3-5 2Sa_16:7, 2Sa_16:8. They bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly; literally, they bless with his mouth, which may be explained as meaning either, "They bless, each of them, with his mouth" (Kay, Cheyne), or "they Bless through the mouth of their leaderi.e. Ahithophel (Canon Cook).
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Charles H. Spurgeon 1885 · Public Domain Ver. 4. They only consult to cast him down…
Ver. 4. They only consult to cast him down from his excellency. The excellencies of the righteous are obnoxious to the wicked, and the main object of their fury. The elevation which God gives to the godly in Providence, or in dispute, is also the envy of the baser sort, and they labour to pull them down to their own level. Observe the concentration of malice upon our point only, as here set in contrast with the sole reliance of the gracious one upon his Lord. If the wicked could but ruin the work of grace in us, they would be content; to crush our character, to overturn our influence, is the object of their consultation.
They delight in lies; hence they hate the truth and the truthful, and by falsehood endeavour to compass their overthrow. To lie is base enough, but to delight in it is one of the blackest marks of infamy.
Read full note →
They bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Flattery has ever been a favourite weapon with the enemies of good men; they can curse bitterly enough when it serves their turn; meanwhile, since it answers their purpose, they mask their wrath, and with smooth words pretend to bless those whom they would willingly tear in pieces. It was fortunate for David that he was well practised in silence, for to cozening deceivers there is no other safe reply.
Selah. Here pause, and consider with astonishment the futile rancour of unholy men, and the perfect security of such as rest themselves upon the Lord.
Ver. 4. They only consult, etc. Truly I am he whom if they shall consult to cast down from his excellency, they shall delight in a lie, they shall bless with their mouth and curse inwardly. That is: what I have said of worldly men, boasting themselves upon a man, falling into ruin, I desire that you should know that the same fate shall never befall me who trust in God; for otherwise does the matter stand. Hermann Venema.
Ver. 4. Excellency. Rather, elevation; the figure of the preceding verse being followed out. Religious Tract Society's Notes.
Ver. 4. Wherein lies a believer's excellency? Who would cast him down, and why, and how they seek to do it?
Ver. 4. They delight in lies. Those who invent them, or spread them, or laugh at them, or readily believe them. Romanists, self righteous persons, the presumptuous, persecutors, zealous errorists, etc.
Psalms 62:5*
Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 62:4 My high position refers to the royal throne.
62:4 My high position refers to the royal throne.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.