Psalms 140:1-11

1 For the leader. A psalm of David: Rescue me, ADONAI, from evil people, protect me from violent people.

2 They plan evil things in their hearts they continually stir up bitter strife.

3 They have made their tongues as sharp as a snake's; viper's venom is under their lips. (Selah)

4 Keep me, ADONAI, from the hands of the wicked, protect me from violent people who are trying to trip me up.

5 The arrogant hide snares for me; they spread nets by the side of the road, hoping to trap me there. (Selah)

6 I said to ADONAI, "You are my God; listen, ADONAI, to my plea for mercy."

7 ADONAI, Adonai, my saving strength, my helmet shielding my head in battle,

8 ADONAI, don't grant the wicked their wishes; make their plot fail, so they won't grow proud. (Selah)

9 May the heads of those who surround me be engulfed in the evil they spoke of, themselves.

10 May burning coals rain down on them, may they be flung into the fire, flung into deep pits, never to rise again.

11 Let slanderers find no place in the land; let the violent and evil be hunted relentlessly.

Psalms 140:1-11 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.