Psalms 140

Chapter context

What is happening in Psalms 140?

prayerpraiselamentkingship

Psalms 140 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as Book V. Psalms is the Bible’s great book of sung prayer, teaching the full range of faithful speech from anguish and repentance to jubilation and doxology. Read this chapter with the wider themes of prayer, praise, and lament in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.

¹ Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man; ² Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war. ³ They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders’ poison is under their lips. Selah. ⁴ Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings. ⁵ The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah. ⁶ I said unto the LORD, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD. ⁷ O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle. ⁸ Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; lest they exalt themselves. Selah. ⁹ As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them. ¹⁰ Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again. ¹¹ Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him. ¹² I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor. ¹³ Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.

Study helps

Glossary

Tongues, Confusion of People v. 3: At Babel, the cause of the early separation of mankind and their division into nations. The descendants of Noah built a tower to prevent their dispersion; but God “confounded their language”.