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Psalms 140

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Prayer for Deliverance from Treacherous Enemies 1–5

1
Deliver me, O Jehovah, from the evil man; Preserve me from the violent man: ​
2
Who devise mischiefs in their heart; Continually do they gather themselves together for war.
3
They have sharpened their tongue like a serpent; Adders’ poison is under their lips. [Selah ​
4
Keep me, O Jehovah, from the hands of the wicked; Preserve me from the violent man: Who have purposed to thrust aside my steps.
5
The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; They have spread a net by the wayside; They have set gins for me. [Selah ​

Affirmation of Trust and Plea for Protection 6–8

6
I said unto Jehovah, Thou art my God: Give ear unto the voice of my supplications, O Jehovah. ​
7
O Jehovah the Lord, the strength of my salvation, Thou hast covered my head in the day of battle. ​
8
Grant not, O Jehovah, the desires of the wicked; Further not his evil device, lest they exalt themselves. [Selah ​

Prayer for Divine Judgment 9–11

9
As for the head of those that compass me about, Let the mischief of their own lips cover them. ​
10
Let burning coals fall upon them: Let them be cast into the fire, Into deep pits, whence they shall not rise. ​
11
An evil speaker shall not be established in the earth: Evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.

Confidence in God's Justice 12–13

12
I know that Jehovah will maintain the cause of the afflicted, And justice for the needy. ​
13
Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: The upright shall dwell in thy presence. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Psalms 140

Verse 1

the evil man… the violent man — One man stands for many, and the prayer is for rescue (chalats, to draw out) and for being guarded (natsar, repeated in v.4). 'Violent' is chamas, the violence with which 'the earth was filled' before the flood (Gen 6:11).

Verse 3

adders' poison is under their lips — 'Adders' is akshub, a word found nowhere else in Scripture. 'Sharpened' (shanan) is used of the tongue only here and in Ps 64:3, 'Who whet their tongue like a sword'. Paul quotes the line of all people under sin: 'the poison of asps is under their lips' (Rom 3:13).

Verse 5

hid a snare for me, and cords — Four traps are named: snare (pach), cords (chebel), net (resheth) and gins (moqesh), all laid 'by the wayside', on the track (ma'gal) he walks. David says the same of another hour: 'In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me' (Ps 142:3).

Verse 6

Thou art my God — The confession opens Ps 31:14, 'But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God.' 'Supplications' is tachanun, a plea for favour, from chanan, to be gracious; 'hear' is azan, to give ear, from the word for the ear itself.

Verse 7

covered my head — Sakak, to screen or cover, the verb of 'He shall cover thee with his feathers' (Ps 91:4) and 'thou hast covered me in my mother's womb' (Ps 139:13). The 'day of battle' is literally the day of nesheq, weapons. The double title joins the divine name with Adonai, 'Lord'.

Verse 8

Grant not… the desires of the wicked — 'Desires' (ma'avay) and 'device' (zamam, a plot) are both found only here in Scripture. The prayer matches David's against Absalom's counsellor: 'O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness' (2 Sam 15:31).

Verse 9

the mischief of their own lips — 'Mischief' is amal, toil and trouble; the labour of their lips is to 'cover' (kasah) the head of those who surround him. The wicked are overtaken by what they spoke, as in Ps 7:16, 'His mischief shall return upon his own head'.

Verse 10

burning coals — Gechel, glowing embers, the 'coals of fire' that came from the LORD in Ps 18:13. 'Deep pits' is mahamorah, a word found nowhere else in Scripture. Fire from the LORD on the wicked is also in Ps 11:6, 'Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone'.

Verse 12

maintain the cause of the afflicted — 'Maintain' is asah, to do: the LORD does the 'cause' (din) and the 'right' (mishpat) of the 'afflicted' (ani) and 'poor' (ebyon). David knew it by experience: 'thou hast maintained my right and my cause' (Ps 9:4); 'their redeemer is mighty' (Prov 23:11).

Verse 13

dwell in thy presence — Yashab, to sit or remain, before his 'presence', literally his face (panim). 'Give thanks' is yadah, to confess with the hand held out. The psalm that began among violent men ends with the upright before the LORD: 'his countenance doth behold the upright' (Ps 11:7).