Psalms 140King James Version
Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man.
A petition for protection from violent men. Deliver me from the evil man; preserve me from the violent who imagine mischiefs and gather for war. Their tongue is a sharpened serpent; adder's poison under their lips. The proud have set snares. I said: Thou art my God. God, the strength of my salvation, covered my head in battle. He will not grant the desires of the wicked. The afflicted shall give thanks; the righteous shall dwell in his presence.
When violent conspiracy surrounds you, the single declaration 'Thou art my God' is the pivot from exposure to shelter, the one confession that reorganizes the landscape.
verse: "I said unto the LORD, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD." The pivot of the psalm: the declaration does not change the circumstances but repositions the speaker.
Superscription: 'To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.' The military imagery ('covered my head in the day of battle,' v7) suggests a specific conflict context. The 'snares and cords' (v5) indicate coordinated entrapment rather than open attack. Part of the final Davidic collection.
David as the one surrounded; the evil and violent man as the threat, described anatomically (serpent tongue, adder poison); God as strength of salvation and shield in battle; the afflicted and righteous who will give thanks in the end.
Psalm 140 opens a cluster of personal protection psalms (140-143) that constitute a smaller collection within the final Davidic sequence. The tongue-as-serpent imagery (v3) is quoted by Paul in Romans 3:13 as part of his catalog of universal sin. The closing vision of the righteous dwelling in God's presence grounds the imprecation in a positive eschatology.
For when violent or malicious people have organized against you. The psalm names the specificity of the threat before asking for specific protection.
1[To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.] Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man;
2Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.
3They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah.
4Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings.
5The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah.
6I said unto the LORD, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD.
7O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.
8Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; lest they exalt themselves. Selah.
9As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.
10Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again.
11Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.
12I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.
13Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.