The Meaning of Psalms 64:6 Explained

Psalms 64:6

KJV: They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep.

YLT: They search out perverse things, 'We perfected a searching search,' And the inward part of man, and the heart are deep.

Darby: They devise iniquities: We have it ready, the plan is diligently sought out. And each one's inward thought and heart is deep.

ASV: They search out iniquities; We have accomplished,'say they , a diligent search: And the inward thought and the heart of every one is deep.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

They search out  iniquities;  they accomplish  a diligent  search:  both the inward  [thought] of every one  [of them], and the heart,  [is] deep. 

What does Psalms 64:6 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 64:6 mean?

They devise iniquities we have perfected a scheme shrewd and both the inward thought of man and the heart [are] deep
יַֽחְפְּֽשׂוּ־ עוֹלֹ֗ת תַּ֭מְנוּ חֵ֣פֶשׂ מְחֻפָּ֑שׂ וְקֶ֥רֶב אִ֝֗ישׁ וְלֵ֣ב עָמֹֽק

יַֽחְפְּֽשׂוּ־  They  devise 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: חָפַשׂ  
Sense: to search, search for, to search out, disguise oneself.
עוֹלֹ֗ת  iniquities 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: עָוֶל 
Sense: injustice, unrighteousness, wrong.
תַּ֭מְנוּ  we  have  perfected 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common plural
Root: תָּמַם  
Sense: to be complete, be finished, be at an end.
חֵ֣פֶשׂ  a  scheme 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חָפַשׂ  
Sense: to search, search for, to search out, disguise oneself.
מְחֻפָּ֑שׂ  shrewd 
Parse: Verb, Pual, Participle, masculine singular
Root: חֵפֶשׂ  
Sense: trick, plot, (shrewd) device.
וְקֶ֥רֶב  and  both  the  inward  thought 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קֶרֶב  
Sense: midst, among, inner part, middle.
אִ֝֗ישׁ  of  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
וְלֵ֣ב  and  the  heart 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
עָמֹֽק  [are]  deep 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: עָמֹק  
Sense: deep, mysterious, depths.