Psalm 140

1 Dem Vorsänger. Ein Psalm von David. Befreie mich, Jehova, von dem bösen Menschen; vor dem Manne der Gewalttaten behüte mich!

2 Welche Bosheiten ersinnen im Herzen, täglich Krieg erregen.

3 Sie schärfen ihre Zunge wie eine Schlange; Otterngift ist unter ihren Lippen. (Sela.)

4 Bewahre mich, Jehova, vor den Händen des Gesetzlosen, vor dem Manne der Gewalttaten behüte mich, welche darauf sinnen, meine Tritte umzustoßen!

5 Die Hoffärtigen haben mir heimlich eine Schlinge und Fallstricke gelegt, ein Netz ausgespannt zur Seite des Weges, sie haben mir Fallen gestellt. (Sela.)

6 Ich sprach zu Jehova: Du bist mein Gott! Nimm zu Ohren, Jehova, die Stimme meines Flehens!

7 Jehova, der Herr, ist die Stärke meiner Rettung; du hast mein Haupt beschirmt am Tage der Waffen.

8 Gewähre nicht, Jehova, die Gelüste des Gesetzlosen, laß sein Vorhaben nicht gelingen: sie würden sich erheben. (Sela.)

9 Die Häupter derer, die mich umringen, das Unheil ihrer Lippen bedecke sie!

10 Mögen feurige Kohlen auf sie herabfallen! Ins Feuer stürze er sie, in Wasserfluten, daß sie nicht aufstehen!

11 Der Mann von böser Zunge möge nicht feststehen im Lande; der Mann der Gewalttat, das Böse möge ihn jagen bis zum Sturz!

12 Ich weiß, daß Jehova ausführen wird die Rechtssache des Elenden, das Recht der Armen.

13 Ja, die Gerechten werden deinen Namen preisen, die Aufrichtigen werden vor deinem Angesicht wohnen.

Psalm 140 Commentary

Chapter 140

David encourages himself in God. (1-7) He prays for, and prophesies the destruction of, his persecutors. (8-13)

Verses 1-7 The more danger appears, the more earnest we should be in prayer to God. All are safe whom the Lord protects. If he be for us, who can be against us? We should especially watch and pray, that the Lord would hold up our goings in his ways, that our footsteps slip not. God is as able to keep his people from secret fraud as from open force; and the experience we have had of his power and care, in dangers of one kind, may encourage us to depend upon him in other dangers.

Verses 8-13 Believers may pray that God would not grant the desires of the wicked, nor further their evil devices. False accusers will bring mischief upon themselves, even the burning coals of Divine vengeance. And surely the righteous shall dwell in God's presence, and give him thanks for evermore. This is true thanksgiving, even thanks-living: this use we should make of all our deliverances, we should serve God the more closely and cheerfully. Those who, though evil spoken of and ill-used by men, are righteous in the sight of God, being justified by the righteousness of Christ, which is imputed to them, and received by faith, as the effect of which, they live soberly and righteously; these give thanks to the Lord, for the righteousness whereby they are made righteous, and for every blessing of grace, and mercy of life.

Chapter Summary

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. This psalm, A ben Ezra says, was composed by David before he was king; and Kimchi says, it is concerning Doeg and the Ziphites, who calumniated him to Saul; and, according to our English contents, it is a prayer of David to be delivered from Saul and Doeg. The Syriac inscription is, "said by David, when Saul threw a javelin at him to kill him, but it struck the wall; but, spiritually, the words of him that cleaves to God, and contends with his enemies." R. Obadiah says, it was made at the persecution of David by Saul, which was before the kingdom of David; as the persecution (of Gog) is before the coming of the Messiah. It is indeed before his spiritual coming, but not before his coming in the flesh; and David may be very well considered in the psalm as a type of Christ, for he was particularly so in his sufferings, as well as in other things.