Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, from the throng of evildoers,
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse doesn't just ask to be hidden from wicked plots, but specifically from their "secret counsel" and the "uproar" of their violence. This highlights the dual threat David faced: covert schemes and outright, noisy aggression.
Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, from the throng of evildoers,
English Standard Version (ESV)
The psalmist is feeling overwhelmed by enemies who are not only plotting against him in secret but also forming noisy, aggressive factions. He cries out to God, asking to be hidden from these threats, recognizing that his only safety lies in divine protection from both the covert schemes and the outright attacks of those who work wickedness.
The enemies weren't just passively against the psalmist; they were actively plotting and gathering. Does this sound familiar in your own life?
Two Forms of Attack
The psalmist describes his enemies in two distinct ways:
David felt threatened by both the hidden, calculated malice of a few and the overwhelming force of a hostile crowd. He couldn't outmaneuver the secret plots, nor could he withstand the sheer numbers and chaos of the mob on his own.
When you feel cornered by hidden schemes or overwhelmed by public opposition, where do you turn? The psalmist points to an incredible source of safety.
The All-Seeing Protector
The psalmist asks God to 'hide me.' This isn't about physically disappearing, but about divine protection. The key insight here is that God sees what we cannot.
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By asking God to hide him, David is acknowledging that only God has the perspective and the power to truly shield him from these dual threats. It's a profound statement of trust: even when the enemy's plans are invisible and their fury is deafening, God's awareness and power are the ultimate refuge.
Understand the original words
rasha · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
Those who act in opposition to God’s law and His people, characterized by moral depravity and hostility toward righteousness.
rigshah · Hebrew Noun
A collective group or tumultuous gathering, often implying a coordinated crowd of people working toward a common, malicious goal.
po'al 'aven · Hebrew Noun phrase
A person who habitually practices evil; one whose character and actions are consistently against God’s standard.
This psalm likely reflects the intense personal danger King David faced from both clandestine conspiracies and open rebellion during his reign, particularly during moments of political instability like Absalom's revolt.
c. 1000 BC— this verse
David's Reign and Conflicts
The period of King David's reign, marked by numerous internal and external conflicts, conspiracies, and periods of danger that likely inspired many of his psalms.
c. 1000 BC
Absalom's Rebellion
A major rebellion led by David's son Absalom, involving widespread conspiracy and open revolt, forcing David to flee Jerusalem and presenting a clear example of secret plots and open insurrection against a ruler.
c. 970 BC
Adonijah's Coup Attempt
An attempt by David's son Adonijah to seize the throne, involving secret plotting with key figures, illustrating the dangers of internal political intrigue and betrayal.
This passage echoes the Psalmist's lament over betrayal by close companions who plotted against him in secret, paralleling the 'secret plots' mentioned in Psalms 64:2.
Jeremiah 11:18-19Here, Jeremiah describes his enemies plotting against him with secret malice, comparing their intentions to a conspiracy to cut him off, which aligns with the 'secret counsel' and 'throng of evildoers' in Psalms 64:2.
Acts 4:25-28This New Testament passage shows how rulers and Gentiles conspired against Jesus and His disciples, fulfilling prophetic words and illustrating the 'secret counsel' and 'throng of evildoers' acting in opposition to God's will.
Matthew 26:3-5This account describes the chief priests and elders secretly plotting to arrest and kill Jesus, directly illustrating the 'secret plots' and 'evil plans' of those who seek to harm the righteous.
barnesPsalms 64:2: "Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity:"
Hide me - Or, more literally, thou wilt hide me. There is both an implied prayer that this might be done, and a confident belief that it would be done. The idea is, Protect me; guard me; make me safe - as one is who is hidden or concealed so that his enemies cannot find him. From the secret counsel - The word used here - סוד sôd - means properly couch, cushion; and then, a divan, a…
poolePsalms 64:2: "Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity:"
From the secret counsel, i.e. from the ill effects of their plots against me.
The verse doesn't just ask to be hidden from wicked plots, but specifically from their "secret counsel" and the "uproar" of their violence. This highlights the dual threat David faced: covert schemes and outright, noisy aggression.
The psalmist is feeling overwhelmed by enemies who are not only plotting against him in secret but also forming noisy, aggressive factions. He cries out to God, asking to be hidden from these threats, recognizing that his only safety lies in divine protection from both the covert schemes and the outright attacks of those who work wickedness.
The psalmist is feeling overwhelmed by enemies who are not only plotting against him in secret but also forming noisy, aggressive factions. He cries out to God, asking to be hidden from these threats, recognizing that his only safety lies in divine protection from both the covert schemes and the outright attacks of those who work wickedness.
"Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, from the throng of evildoers," — The verse doesn't just ask to be hidden from wicked plots, but specifically from their "secret counsel" and the "uproar" of their violence. This highlights the dual threat David faced: covert schemes…
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Last reviewed October 2026