Psalms 140:1-8

1 To the Overseer. -- A Psalm of David. Deliver me, O Jehovah, from an evil man, From one of violence Thou keepest me.

2 Who have devised evils in the heart, All the day they assemble [for] wars.

3 They sharpened their tongue as a serpent, Poison of an adder [is] under their lips. Selah.

4 Preserve me, Jehovah, from the hands of the wicked, From one of violence Thou keepest me, Who have devised to overthrow my steps.

5 The proud hid a snare for me -- and cords, They spread a net by the side of the path, Snares they have set for me. Selah.

6 I have said to Jehovah, `My God [art] Thou, Hear, Jehovah, the voice of my supplications.'

7 O Jehovah, my Lord, strength of my salvation, Thou hast covered my head in the day of armour.

8 Grant not, O Jehovah, the desires of the wicked, His wicked device bring not forth, They are high. Selah.

Psalms 140:1-8 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.