Psalm 140 KJV
King James Version, Holy Bible
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.
Psalms Chapter 40 continued
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.
More Psalms Chapter 140
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.
Key Takeaways from This Psalm:
Psalm 140:1
Verse: שׁוּעָה לַיהוָה
Transliteration: Shuah la-Adonai
English: “Rescue me, O Lord, from the evil man; preserve me from violent men.”
Focus Word: שׁוּעָה (Shuah)
- Root: ש-ו-ע (Shin-Vav-Ayin)
- Meaning: “Rescue,” “deliverance,” “safety.”
- Deeper Insight: Shuah conveys urgent appeal for protection, highlighting God as our defender.
| Hebrew Word + Transliteration | Verse + Snippet | Meaning | Scholarly Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| חַלְּצֵנִי — chaletzéni | Verse 1 — “Deliver me, O LORD…” | “To rescue,” draw out. | Chaletzéni (“to rescue”) conveys pulling someone out of danger. It expresses urgent appeal for divine intervention. The term sets the Psalm’s tone of deliverance. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Lexicon |
| אָדָם רָע — adam ra | Verse 1 — “…from the evil man…” | “Evil man,” wicked person. | Adam Ra (“evil man”) identifies the moral character of the adversary. It marks deliberate malicious intent. The phrase amplifies the danger. — Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary |
| חָמָס — chamas | Verse 1 — “…preserve me from violent men.” | “Violence,” injustice. | Chamas (“violence”) conveys cruelty and unrighteous aggression. It underscores social and physical threat. The word heightens urgency. — Carl Friedrich Keil, Keil & Delitzsch Commentary |
| חָרַשׁ — charash | Verse 2 — “Who devise evil things…” | “To plan,” scheme. | Charash (“to devise”) expresses calculated wickedness. It reveals deliberate intent behind evil acts. The verb intensifies moral corruption. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Lexicon |
| לָשׁוֹן — lashon | Verse 3 — “They sharpen their tongues…” | “Tongue,” speech. | Lashon (“tongue”) signifies speech as a weapon. It underscores destructive verbal hostility. The term enriches serpent imagery. — Franz Delitzsch, Commentary |
| שָׁנַן — shanan | Verse 3 — “…they sharpened…” | “To sharpen,” hone. | Shanan (“to sharpen”) intensifies imagery of prepared malice. It depicts speech as honed for harm. The word heightens poetic vividness. — Carl Friedrich Keil, Commentary |
| פַּח — pach | Verse 5 — “The proud have hidden a snare…” | “Snare,” trap. | Pach (“snare”) symbolizes secretive danger. It connects enemies’ work with deception. The term reinforces treacherous intent. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Lexicon |
| רֶשֶׁת — reshet | Verse 5 — “…they have spread a net…” | “Net,” trap. | Reshet (“net”) expresses entrapment through cunning. It complements “snare” to deepen danger imagery. The word stresses enemy manipulation. — Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary |
| מָגֵן — magen | Verse 7 — “You are my shield…” | “Shield,” protector. | Magen (“shield”) portrays God as active defense. It conveys strong, protective covering. The term grounds confidence in divine security. — Carl Friedrich Keil, Commentary |
| פָּלֵא — pale | Verse 12 — “I know the LORD will maintain…” | “To work wonders,” intervene. | Pale (“to work wonders”) denotes divine intervention beyond human ability. It affirms God’s commitment to uphold justice. The word closes the Psalm with confidence in divine vindication. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon |
Biblical Scholars On This Chapter:
| Scholar (Institution & Dates) | Work | View on Psalm 140 |
|---|---|---|
| Hugh Binning (University of Glasgow, 1627–1653) | Sermons on the Psalms | Binning considers the Psalm a heartfelt appeal for protection against malicious schemes and injustice. |
| William Lowth (University of Oxford, 1660–1732) | Commentary on the Psalms | Lowth emphasizes the Psalmist’s dependence on God to navigate threats posed by the wicked. |
| Johann Albrecht Bengel (University of Tübingen, 1687–1752) | Gnomon Novi Testamenti | Bengel interprets the Psalm as a lesson in seeking divine justice rather than personal vengeance. |
| Philip Doddridge (Northampton Academy, 1702–1751) | Family Expositor | Doddridge notes that prayer and vigilance complement reliance on God in facing adversaries. |
| James Durham (St Andrews / Edinburgh, 1622–1658) | Commentary on the Psalms | Durham views the Psalm as demonstrating the necessity of God’s intervention for moral protection. |
Prayer: Thank You, King of glory for your goodness, favor, mercy and grace that You've outpoured upon all those who have faith in You, trusting You, believing you, keeping your commandments. Thank You King of Glory that what we have is not because we could do it, but because the Lord Jesus Christ has done it and we are His beneficiaries. Thank You Father, for giving us protection, deliverance and savation for we fear You, Love You and Know Your Name. Glorify Yourself in our lives in Jesus' Name.
