New American Standard Bible 1995

Psalms 140

Prayer for Protection against the Wicked.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

1 1Rescue me, O Lord, from evil men; Preserve me from 2violent men2Who 3devise evil things in their hearts; They 4continually stir up wars.3They 5sharpen their tongues as a serpent; 6Poison of a viper is under their lips. 7Selah.

4 8Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; 9Preserve me from violent men Who have 10purposed to 11 12trip up my feet.5The proud have 13hidden a trap for me, and cords; They have spread a 14net by the 15wayside; They have set 16snares for me. Selah.

6I 17said to the Lord, “You are my God; 18Give ear, O Lord, to the 19voice of my supplications.7O 20God the Lord, 21the strength of my salvation, You have 22covered my head in the day of 23battle.8Do not grant, O Lord, the 24desires of the wicked; Do not promote 25his evil device, that they not be exalted. Selah.

9“As for the head of those who surround me, May the 26mischief of their lips cover them.10May 27burning coals fall upon them; May they be 28cast into the fire, Into 29deep pits from which they 30cannot rise.11May a 31slanderer not be established in the earth; 32May evil hunt the violent man 33speedily.”

12I know that the Lord will 34maintain the cause of the afflicted And 35justice for the poor.13Surely the 36righteous will give thanks to Your name; The 37upright will dwell in Your presence.

Notes

1. Psalms 140:1 Ps 17:13; 59:2; 71:4 ↩
2. Psalms 140:1 Ps 18:48; 86:14; 140:11 ↩
3. Psalms 140:2 Ps 7:14; 36:4; 52:2; Prov 6:14; Is 59:4; Hos 7:15 ↩
4. Psalms 140:2 Ps 56:6 ↩
5. Psalms 140:3 Ps 57:4; 64:3 ↩
6. Psalms 140:3 Ps 58:4; Rom 3:13; James 3:8 ↩
7. Psalms 140:3 Selah may mean: Pause, Crescendo or Musical interlude ↩
8. Psalms 140:4 Ps 71:4 ↩
9. Psalms 140:4 Ps 140:1 ↩
10. Psalms 140:4 Or devised ↩
11. Psalms 140:4 Lit push violently ↩
12. Psalms 140:4 Ps 36:11 ↩
13. Psalms 140:5 Job 18:9; Ps 35:7; 141:9; 142:3 ↩
14. Psalms 140:5 Ps 31:4; 57:6; Lam 1:13 ↩
15. Psalms 140:5 Lit track ↩
16. Psalms 140:5 Ps 141:9; Is 8:14; Amos 3:5 ↩
17. Psalms 140:6 Ps 16:2; 31:14 ↩
18. Psalms 140:6 Ps 143:1 ↩
19. Psalms 140:6 Ps 116:1; 130:2 ↩
20. Psalms 140:7 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord ↩
21. Psalms 140:7 Ps 28:8; 118:14 ↩
22. Psalms 140:7 Ps 144:10 ↩
23. Psalms 140:7 Lit weapons ↩
24. Psalms 140:8 Ps 112:10 ↩
25. Psalms 140:8 Esth 9:25; Ps 10:2, 3 ↩
26. Psalms 140:9 Ps 7:16; Prov 18:7 ↩
27. Psalms 140:10 Ps 11:6 ↩
28. Psalms 140:10 Ps 21:9; Matt 3:10 ↩
29. Psalms 140:10 Lit watery ↩
30. Psalms 140:10 Ps 36:12 ↩
31. Psalms 140:11 Lit man of tongue ↩
32. Psalms 140:11 Ps 34:21 ↩
33. Psalms 140:11 Lit thrust upon thrust ↩
34. Psalms 140:12 1 Kin 8:45, 49; Ps 9:4; 18:27; 82:3 ↩
35. Psalms 140:12 Ps 12:5; 35:10 ↩
36. Psalms 140:13 Ps 97:12 ↩
37. Psalms 140:13 Ps 11:7; 16:11; 17:15 ↩

Prayer for Protection against the Wicked.

For the choir director. A Psalm of David.

Notes

Commentaries on Psalms 140