The Meaning of Psalms 64:1 Explained

Psalms 64:1

KJV: {To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.} Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy.

YLT: To the Overseer. -- A Psalm of David. Hear, O God, my voice, in my meditation, From the fear of an enemy Thou keepest my life,

Darby: {To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David.} Hear, O God, my voice in my plaint; preserve my life from fear of the enemy:

ASV: Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint: Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

{{To the chief Musician,  A Psalm  of David.  }} Hear  my voice,  O God,  in my prayer:  preserve  my life  from fear  of the enemy. 

What does Psalms 64:1 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 64:1-10 - Deliverance From Powerful Foes
Another of the psalms dating from Saul's persecution. There are two stanzas.
Prayer for preservation, Psalms 64:1-6
Insult, sarcasm, and slander still fall to the lot of those who will live godly in this world. Very few of us are safe from poisoned arrows. Because the world is so full of evil men, who are disposed to put the worst construction on every act, we should be constantly on our guard to give no needless cause to the enemy to blaspheme, 2 Samuel 12:14. Daniel gives us an admirable illustration of this, since his enemies had no cause against him, save as it concerned the law of his God, Daniel 6:5.
Assurance of divine vindication, Psalms 64:7-10
David felt that God had undertaken to be his champion. His arrows were flying through the air thick and fast. Curses come home to roost, and the overthrow of wickedness by the floating mines set to wreck the righteous, is evidence of God's government of the world. Let the righteous look forward with quiet confidence to the time when the world shall be righted, and when the water-pots that are now filled to the brim with tears shall yield the wine of the wedding-feast. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 64

1  David prays for deliverance, complaining of his enemies
7  He promises himself to see such an evident destruction of his enemies,
10  as the righteous shall rejoice at it

What do the individual words in Psalms 64:1 mean?

To the Chief Musician a Psalm of David Hear God my voice in my meditation from fear of the enemy Preserve my life
לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד שְׁמַע־ אֱלֹהִ֣ים קוֹלִ֣י בְשִׂיחִ֑י מִפַּ֥חַד א֝וֹיֵ֗ב תִּצֹּ֥ר חַיָּֽי

לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ  To  the  Chief  Musician 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָצַח  
Sense: to excel, be bright, be preeminent, be perpetual, be overseer, be enduring.
מִזְמ֥וֹר  a  Psalm 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִזְמֹור  
Sense: melody, psalm.
לְדָוִֽד  of  David 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
שְׁמַע־  Hear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
אֱלֹהִ֣ים  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
קוֹלִ֣י  my  voice 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
בְשִׂיחִ֑י  in  my  meditation 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: שִׂיחַ  
Sense: meditation, complaint, musing.
מִפַּ֥חַד  from  fear 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּחַד  
Sense: terror, dread.
א֝וֹיֵ֗ב  of  the  enemy 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.
תִּצֹּ֥ר  Preserve 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: נְצוּרִים 
Sense: to guard, watch, watch over, keep.
חַיָּֽי  my  life 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.