To the chief musician, a psalm of David
140:Title This is similar to such Psalms as 7,10,11,17,58,64,71. David was often troubled by evil men and often prayed about them.⚜
140
📚Deliver me, O LORD,
from the evil man,
protect me from the violent man,
2 📚Who plot evil things in
their heart;
they continually gather
together for war 📖.
3 📚They have sharpened their
tongues like a serpent’s.
The poison of vipers is under
their lips. Selah
140:3 See Ps 57:4; 58:4; Rom 3:13; Jam 3:8. This signifies slander and the stirring up of others to attack him.⚜
4 📚Keep me, O LORD, from the
hands of the wicked,
protect me from the violent man,
who intends to overthrow
my footsteps.
5 📚The proud have hidden
a snare for me,
and cords;
they have spread a net
by the wayside;
they have set traps for me. Selah
6 📚I said to the LORD, “You are my God”.
Hear the sound of my
supplications, O LORD.
140:6 See Ps 16:2; 31:14; 118:28. The LORD (Jehovah) is our God if He has chosen us and we have received Him. If He is our God we may safely trust Him to take care of us.⚜
7 📚O God the Lord, the strength
of my salvation,
you have shielded my head
in the day of battle.
8 📚O LORD, do not grant the desires 📖
of the wicked.
Do not further his wicked plan,
or they will exalt
themselves 📖. Selah
9 📚As for the head of
those who surround me,
let the evil of their own lips cover
them.
10 📚Let burning coals fall on them.
Let them be thrown into the fire,
into deep pits,
so that they will not get up again.
11 📚Do not let a slanderer be
established in the earth.
Let evil hunt down the violent man
to overthrow him.
140:9-11 He prays that perfect justice will fall on these violent and wicked slanderers. See Ps 137:8-9.⚜
12 📚I know that the LORD will
maintain the cause of the
afflicted,
and the right of the poor.
140:12 Ps 72:2, 4, 12-14; Isa 11:4; Jer 22:3, 16. The God of the Bible is always on the side of the poor and afflicted and persecuted among His people. At the proper time He will punish those who oppress them, and bring justice to work on their behalf.⚜
13 📚Surely the righteous will give
thanks to your name.
The upright will dwell in your
presence.
140:13 This will be the result of God’s work on behalf of the afflicted – Ps 7:17; 11:7; 32:11; 35:28; 54:6-7; 58:11.⚜