Psalms 140:2-12

2 Who 1devise evil things in their hearts; They 2continually * stir up wars.
3 They 3sharpen their tongues as a serpent; 4Poison of a viper is under their lips. Selah.
4 5Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; 6Preserve me from violent men Who have purposed to 7trip up my feet.
5 The proud have 8hidden a trap for me, and cords; They have spread a 9net by the wayside; They have set 10snares for me. Selah.
6 I 11said to the LORD, "You are my God; 12Give ear, O LORD, to the 13voice of my supplications.
7 "O GOD the Lord, 14the strength of my salvation, You have 15covered my head in the day of battle.
8 "Do not grant, O LORD, the 16desires of the wicked; Do not promote 17his evil device, that they not be exalted. Selah.
9 "As for the head of those who surround me, May the 18mischief of their lips cover them.
10 "May 19burning coals fall upon them; May they be 20cast into the fire, Into deep pits from which they 21cannot rise.
11 "May a slanderer * not be established in the earth; 22May evil hunt the violent man speedily."
12 I know that the LORD will 23maintain the cause of the afflicted And 24justice for the poor.

Psalms 140:2-12 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Cross References 24

  • 1. Psalms 7:14; Psalms 36:4; Psalms 52:2; Proverbs 6:14; Isaiah 59:4; Hosea 7:15
  • 2. Psalms 56:6
  • 3. Psalms 57:4; Psalms 64:3
  • 4. Psalms 58:4; Romans 3:13; James 3:8
  • 5. Psalms 71:4
  • 6. Psalms 140:1
  • 7. Psalms 36:11
  • 8. Job 18:9; Psalms 35:7; Psalms 141:9; Psalms 142:3
  • 9. Psalms 31:4; Psalms 57:6; Lamentations 1:13
  • 10. Psalms 141:9; Isaiah 8:14; Amos 3:5
  • 11. Psalms 16:2; Psalms 31:14
  • 12. Psalms 143:1
  • 13. Psalms 116:1; Psalms 130:2
  • 14. Psalms 28:8; Psalms 118:14
  • 15. Psalms 144:10
  • 16. Psalms 112:10
  • 17. Esther 9:25; Psalms 10:2, 3
  • 18. Psalms 7:16; Proverbs 18:7
  • 19. Psalms 11:6
  • 20. Psalms 21:9; Matthew 3:10
  • 21. Psalms 36:12
  • 22. Psalms 34:21
  • 23. 1 Kings 8:45, 49; Psalms 9:4; Psalms 18:27; Psalms 82:3
  • 24. Psalms 12:5; Psalms 35:10

Footnotes 9

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