Psalms 140 · WEB
Deliver Me from Evil Men
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Summary
Psalm 140 is a lament prayer for protection from violent, plotting enemies who use their tongues as weapons. David describes the snares, traps, and venom of those who surround him, then anchors himself in God ("you are my God," v. 6) and asks for divine justice. The psalm closes with a confident declaration: God will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the righteous will dwell in his presence.
Themes
- The tongue as a weapon — venomous, sharpened, destructive
- Hidden traps and snares as the strategy of the wicked
- Personal confession as the pivot: "you are my God"
- God as the "strength of my salvation" and the one who covers the head in battle
- Confident expectation of justice for the afflicted
Key verses
- Ps 140:12 — “I know that Yahweh will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and justice for the needy.”
- Ps 140:3 — “They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent. Viper's venom is under their lips.”
- Ps 140:6-7 — “I said to Yahweh, 'You are my God.' Yahweh, the Lord, the strength of my salvation, you have covered my head in the day of battle.”
Context & background
Psalm 140 is part of the final Davidic collection (138-145). The serpent-tongue imagery (v. 3) is quoted by Paul in Romans 3:13 as evidence of universal human sinfulness — language that was originally about specific enemies is applied to the condition of all humanity. The "head covered in battle" (v. 7) is the image of a helmet protecting in combat — God is the one who covered David when exposed to danger. The principle articulated in verse 11 — "evil will hunt the violent man to overthrow him" — is a moral law: violence returns on its perpetrators. The closing confidence (vv. 12-13) grounds hope not in circumstances but in God's known character as advocate for the afflicted.
Cross-references
- 1 Peter 5:8 — "your enemy the devil prowls like a roaring lion" — v. 3's serpent imagery
- Matthew 5:44 — "pray for those who persecute you" — the NT frame for imprecatory prayer
- Proverbs 12:13 — "an evil person is trapped by his sinful talk" — v. 11's return
- Psalm 64 — a parallel psalm on the tongue of enemies and divine vindication
- Romans 3:13 — Paul quotes v. 3 as part of his catena of universal sin