Psalms 140:3-13

3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent. Viper's poison is under their lips. Selah.

4 Yahweh, keep me from the hands of the wicked. Preserve me from the violent men: Who have determined to trip my feet.

5 The proud have hidden a snare for me, They have spread the cords of a net by the path. They have set traps for me. Selah.

6 I said to Yahweh, "You are my God." Listen to the cry of my petitions, Yahweh.

7 Yahweh, the Lord, the strength of my salvation, You have covered my head in the day of battle.

8 Yahweh, don't grant the desires of the wicked. Don't let their evil plans succeed, or they will become proud. Selah.

9 As for the head of those who surround me, Let the mischief of their own lips cover them.

10 Let burning coals fall on them. Let them be thrown into the fire, Into miry pits, from where they never rise.

11 An evil speaker won't be established in the earth. Evil will hunt the violent man to overthrow him.

12 I know that Yahweh will maintain the cause of the afflicted, And justice for the needy.

13 Surely the righteous will give thanks to your name. The upright will dwell in your presence.

Psalms 140:3-13 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.