תהלים, פרק ס״ד, פסוק ה׳

Enemies and those who seek harm do not always operate in the open. Often, their greatest danger lies in the secrecy of their plots. They launch cowardly, uninhibited attacks against an innocent, unsuspecting person who has no way to defend himself. This assault is compared to shooting arrows [מצודת ציון, המאירי], which serve as a metaphor for slander, evil speech, or hidden traps set in secret [רש״י, רד״ק, מלבי״ם]. King David is referring to himself as the innocent target, noting that he lived with honesty and did absolutely no harm to the people pursuing him [רד״ק].

The attack unfolds in two stages, leaving the victim completely helpless. First, the plot is woven indirectly through lies and deception in hidden places [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Then, the strike happens suddenly. The enemies shoot their arrows all at once, giving the victim no warning. Because the danger remains concealed until the very last moment, there is no time to escape, defend against the blow, or fight back before the harm is done [רד״ק, אלשיך, מלבי״ם]. Recognizing this extreme vulnerability, David asks God to hide him and protect him from these invisible threats [אבן עזרא].

The attackers carry out their plans with complete brazenness and a chilling lack of fear. Commentators offer two perspectives on why these enemies are so unafraid. One approach suggests that they simply do not fear other people or their victim. Because they operate in the dark, they are confident that no one is watching and that the targeted person will be unable to defend himself or retaliate [רד״ק, אלשיך, מלבי״ם]. Conversely, other commentators explain that the attackers' overconfidence in their own secrecy causes them to lose all fear entirely, to the point where they no longer even fear God, Who sees everything done in secret [אבן עזרא, מצודת דוד, המאירי].