Psalms 140:2

2 All they do is think up new ways to be bad; they spend their days plotting war games.

Psalms 140:2 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 140:2

Which imagine mischiefs in [their] heart
This shows that not a single person barely is meant but more, as Saul's courtiers; who were secretly and continually meditating mischief against David, traducing him to Saul, and devising things to take away his life. Such were the Jews to Christ, who were always plotting to entangle him, or contriving to kill him; and so wicked men are ever devising mischief against the quiet in the land, which is very abominable to God; and rightly observed here, to prevail upon the Lord to preserve from them, ( Psalms 2:1 ) ( Proverbs 6:18 ) ;

continually are they gathered together [for] war;
so Saul gathered together three thousand men, and went in pursuit of David, as an enemy, to take him. So Herod and Pontius Pilate joined together, though before enemies, in the prosecution of Christ; and Jews and Gentiles gathered together against him: so the saints, being in a warfare state, have their enemies, who often combine against them, and attack them, and will not suffer them to be at rest and peace; as sin, Satan, the world, and false teachers; see ( Psalms 120:7 ) .

Psalms 140:2 In-Context

1 God, get me out of here, away from this evil; protect me from these vicious people.

2 All they do is think up new ways to be bad; they spend their days plotting war games.

3 They practice the sharp rhetoric of hate and hurt, speak venomous words that maim and kill.

4 God, keep me out of the clutch of these wicked ones, protect me from these vicious people;

5 Stuffed with self-importance, they plot ways to trip me up, determined to bring me down. These crooks invent traps to catch me and do their best to incriminate me.