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Psalms 140

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1 To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. Deliver me, O LORD, from evil men; preserve me from violent men,
2 who plan evil things in their heart, and stir up wars continually.
3 They make their tongue sharp as a serpent's, and under their lips is the poison of vipers. [Selah]
4 Guard me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from violent men, who have planned to trip up my feet.
5 Arrogant men have hidden a trap for me, and with cords they have spread a net, by the wayside they have set snares for me. [Selah]
6 I say to the LORD, Thou art my God; give ear to the voice of my supplications, O LORD!
7 O LORD, my Lord, my strong deliverer, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.
8 Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked; do not further his evil plot! [Selah]
9 Those who surround me lift up their head, let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them!
10 Let burning coals fall upon them! Let them be cast into pits, no more to rise!
11 Let not the slanderer be established in the land; let evil hunt down the violent man speedily!
12 I know that the LORD maintains the cause of the afflicted, and executes justice for the needy.
13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks to thy name; the upright shall dwell in thy presence.
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Psalms 140 Commentary

Chapter 140

David encourages himself in God. (1-7) He prays for, and prophesies the destruction of, his persecutors. (8-13)

Verses 1-7 The more danger appears, the more earnest we should be in prayer to God. All are safe whom the Lord protects. If he be for us, who can be against us? We should especially watch and pray, that the Lord would hold up our goings in his ways, that our footsteps slip not. God is as able to keep his people from secret fraud as from open force; and the experience we have had of his power and care, in dangers of one kind, may encourage us to depend upon him in other dangers.

Verses 8-13 Believers may pray that God would not grant the desires of the wicked, nor further their evil devices. False accusers will bring mischief upon themselves, even the burning coals of Divine vengeance. And surely the righteous shall dwell in God's presence, and give him thanks for evermore. This is true thanksgiving, even thanks-living: this use we should make of all our deliverances, we should serve God the more closely and cheerfully. Those who, though evil spoken of and ill-used by men, are righteous in the sight of God, being justified by the righteousness of Christ, which is imputed to them, and received by faith, as the effect of which, they live soberly and righteously; these give thanks to the Lord, for the righteousness whereby they are made righteous, and for every blessing of grace, and mercy of life.

Taken from Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)

Chapter Summary

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.
Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Psalms 140 Commentaries

Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.