John Calvin Commentary Psalms 64:5

"They encourage themselves in an evil purpose; They commune of laying snares privily; They say, Who will see them?" — Psalms 64:5 (ASV)

They assure themselves in an evil work. He proceeds to complain of the perverse determination with which they pursued their wickedness, and of their combinations among themselves; remarking, at the same time, on the confidence with which they stirred one another up to the most daring acts of iniquity.

There can be little doubt that in this they were encouraged by David's current state of weakness. Finding him in poverty and exile, and without means of resistance, they took the opportunity to persecute him more freely.

Having referred to them as being beyond hope of reform and incapable of any humane feelings, he speaks of their meeting together to plot his destruction. In connection with this, he also mentions the unbounded confidence they displayed, believing their designs were not seen.

It is well known that one circumstance strengthening the false security of the wicked, and encouraging them to triumph in their crafty schemes against the simple and upright in heart, is their belief that they can cover their crimes with pretexts they always have ready. They say, Who shall see them?

The word למו, lamo, them, may refer either to the workers of iniquity themselves or to the snares spoken of in the preceding clause. The first meaning seems preferable. They run recklessly and without restraint in the ways of sin, blinded by their pride, and influenced by neither the fear of God nor a sense of shame.

In the verse that follows, he criticizes severely the deceit they practiced. He speaks of their having exhausted all the arts of mischief, so as to have left nothing in this area to be discovered. The search referred to relates to the secret methods of doing evil.

He adds that their malice was deep. By the inward part and the heart, which was deep, he means the hidden devices that the wicked use for concealment.

Some, instead of translating the words the inward part of each, etc., give a more indefinite sense to איש, ish, and read, the inward part, and deep heart, of every one, is found in them; that is, his enemies contrived to embody all the craft and subtlety that people have ever shown.

Either rendering may be adopted, for it is evidently David’s meaning that his enemies practiced secret stratagem as well as open violence to bring about his ruin, and showed themselves to possess the deepest insight in discovering dark and unimagined methods of doing mischief.