They devise injustice and say, “We have perfected a secret plan.” For the inner man and the heart are mysterious.
Parallel translations
- WEB They plot injustice, saying, “We have made a perfect plan!” Surely man’s mind and heart are cunning.
- KJV They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep.
- NKJV They devise iniquities: “We have perfected a shrewd scheme.” Both the inward thought and the heart of man are deep.
- NASB They devise injustices, saying, “We are ready with a well-conceived plot”; For the inward thought and the heart of a person are deep.
- NLT As they plot their crimes, they say, “We have devised the perfect plan!” Yes, the human heart and mind are cunning.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
They congratulate themselves on a flawless scheme, showing how deep and cunning the human heart can be. It exposes the depth of human sinfulness.
Overview
The wicked boast that their plan is perfect, and the psalmist comments on how deep and devious the inner thoughts of man can be. This echoes the Bible's diagnosis that the heart is deceitful above all things. Such honest realism about sin underscores our need for the redemption found only in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Matt 26:59Now the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking false testimony against Jesus in order to put Him to death.
- Jer 17:9–10The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
- Isa 29:15Woe to those who dig deep to hide their plans from the LORD. In darkness they do their works and say, “Who sees us, and who will know?”
- Ps 5:9For not a word they speak can be trusted; destruction lies within them. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.
- Dan 6:4–5Thus the administrators and satraps sought a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no charge or corruption, because he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him.
- 1 Cor 4:5Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.
- Ps 35:11Hostile witnesses come forward; they make charges I know nothing about.
- Prov 20:5The intentions of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.
- John 18:29–30So Pilate went out to them and asked, “What accusation are you bringing against this man?”
- 1 Sam 25:10But Nabal asked them, “Who is David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants these days are breaking away from their masters.
- 1 Sam 24:9and said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Look, David intends to harm you’?
- Ps 49:11Their graves are their eternal homes—their dwellings for endless generations—even though their lands were their namesakes.
- 1 Sam 22:9But Doeg the Edomite, who had stationed himself with Saul’s servants, answered: “I saw the son of Jesse come to Ahimelech son of Ahitub at Nob.
- John 19:7“We have a law,” answered the Jews, “and according to that law He must die, because He declared Himself to be the Son of God.”
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 64:6 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.