Psa 140:2 | KingComments | STEP | This psalm is a prayer for deliverance from evil. Prophetically, we see here Israel, the twelve tribes, connected to the LORD, but surrounded by evil men and violent men ( ). The psalm teaches us, who live in the midst of ruthless and cunning wicked people, to surrender ourselves completely to the Lord. The believer cannot stand against the world with its cunning and conspiracy. But there is One Who knows the end from the beginning; to Him we must look. We can count on the help of the Lord Jesus against evil and violent people. For “for the choir director” ( ) see at Psalm 4:1. For “a Psalm of David” see at Psalm 3:1. The occasion of the psalm is clear from these verses. David, or the faithful remnant in the end time, is surrounded and treated with hostility by “evil men” ( ). David asks the LORD to rescue him from them. He also asks the LORD for His preservation “from violent men.” “Evil men” indicates what man is, namely, thoroughly evil. “Violent men” – Hebrew hamas , meaning violence, here in the plural, aggression – indicates that what man does is nothing but to cause misery, both by his words and by his actions. David knows the devises in the hearts of these people, that in them they “devise evil things” ( ). It is not just one evil thought, but it is about “evil things”, indicating that they intend to harm him in many ways. They are not spontaneous actions, but premeditated, conscious, willful actions. Nor are they engaged in it occasionally, it is not a momentary thing, but “they continually stir up wars”. They are constantly plotting plans to harm him and get him out of the way. This is not a plot, but a war (cf. ). There have been repeated gatherings of kings and their counselors coming together to make war against the Lord’s ambassadors. Thus, in the last days, the beast and the false prophet and their followers will come together against the faithful remnant and go to war against them. But God will prove that He is above all nations. He will reign as King forever. Before conspirators attack David with their sword, they attack him with their tongue. The language they use in formulating their battle plans against him is quite something ( ). They wage a campaign of hatred and slander against him. By speaking of “sharpen their tongues as a serpent” (cf. ) and that there is “poison of a viper under their lips” David says of them that they are a mouthpiece of the devil, the old serpent. Their tongues as a serpent means a split tongue full of lies and slander, sharpened like a sword to be able to cause even more damage. Poison of a viper is a silent acting poison that results in death in a short time. The latter is cited by Paul as evidence of man’s utter depravity ( ). Those who are characterized by it are children of the devil; they have his nature ( ). They spread the meanest rumors about him and thereby commit what is known as ‘character assassination’. The word selah at the end of indicates a pause to consider the seriousness of the matter before God, to cry out again to the LORD about his distress in the next verse. David does not defend himself against their false accusations, but takes refuge in the LORD ( ). He asks the LORD to keep him “from the hands of the wicked”, in whom we recognize Saul. He also asks the LORD to preserve him “from violent men” in whom we recognize Saul’s followers. They represent the enemies of the remnant in the end time. They “purposed” to “trip up” his feet, so that he falls and becomes powerless and unable to defend himself and they can trample him. The next character trait of the enemies is their pride, their haughtiness ( ). They are targeting those who go their way in faithfulness to the LORD. They want to get rid of them, because they do not want to be reminded of God and His will. They have an arsenal of evil means at their disposal to catch the righteous. Their choice is made. They want to leave nothing to chance and deploy the most cunning, vile means: a hidden trap and cords, a net by the wayside and snares. They leave no stone unturned in their battle against the LORD and His people. They lurk on the righteous as if they were trying to catch a dangerous wild animal. Surely one of their applied means will have the desired effect, they believe.

‏ Psalms 140:2

Introduction

This psalm is a prayer for deliverance from evil. Prophetically, we see here Israel, the twelve tribes, connected to the LORD, but surrounded by evil men and violent men (Psa 140:1).

The psalm teaches us, who live in the midst of ruthless and cunning wicked people, to surrender ourselves completely to the Lord. The believer cannot stand against the world with its cunning and conspiracy. But there is One Who knows the end from the beginning; to Him we must look. We can count on the help of the Lord Jesus against evil and violent people.

Prayer for Preservation

For “for the choir director” (Psa 140:1a) see at Psalm 4:1.

For “a Psalm of David” see at Psalm 3:1.

The occasion of the psalm is clear from these verses. David, or the faithful remnant in the end time, is surrounded and treated with hostility by “evil men” (Psa 140:1b). David asks the LORD to rescue him from them. He also asks the LORD for His preservation “from violent men.” “Evil men” indicates what man is, namely, thoroughly evil. “Violent men” – Hebrew hamas, meaning violence, here in the plural, aggression – indicates that what man does is nothing but to cause misery, both by his words and by his actions.

David knows the devises in the hearts of these people, that in them they “devise evil things” (Psa 140:2). It is not just one evil thought, but it is about “evil things”, indicating that they intend to harm him in many ways. They are not spontaneous actions, but premeditated, conscious, willful actions. Nor are they engaged in it occasionally, it is not a momentary thing, but “they continually stir up wars”. They are constantly plotting plans to harm him and get him out of the way. This is not a plot, but a war (cf. Psa 140:7).

There have been repeated gatherings of kings and their counselors coming together to make war against the Lord’s ambassadors. Thus, in the last days, the beast and the false prophet and their followers will come together against the faithful remnant and go to war against them. But God will prove that He is above all nations. He will reign as King forever.

Before conspirators attack David with their sword, they attack him with their tongue. The language they use in formulating their battle plans against him is quite something (Psa 140:3). They wage a campaign of hatred and slander against him. By speaking of “sharpen their tongues as a serpent” (cf. Psa 64:3-4) and that there is “poison of a viper under their lips” David says of them that they are a mouthpiece of the devil, the old serpent. Their tongues as a serpent means a split tongue full of lies and slander, sharpened like a sword to be able to cause even more damage. Poison of a viper is a silent acting poison that results in death in a short time.

The latter is cited by Paul as evidence of man’s utter depravity (Rom 3:13). Those who are characterized by it are children of the devil; they have his nature (Jn 8:44). They spread the meanest rumors about him and thereby commit what is known as ‘character assassination’. The word selah at the end of Psa 140:3 indicates a pause to consider the seriousness of the matter before God, to cry out again to the LORD about his distress in the next verse.

David does not defend himself against their false accusations, but takes refuge in the LORD (Psa 140:4). He asks the LORD to keep him “from the hands of the wicked”, in whom we recognize Saul. He also asks the LORD to preserve him “from violent men” in whom we recognize Saul’s followers. They represent the enemies of the remnant in the end time. They “purposed” to “trip up” his feet, so that he falls and becomes powerless and unable to defend himself and they can trample him.

The next character trait of the enemies is their pride, their haughtiness (Psa 140:5). They are targeting those who go their way in faithfulness to the LORD. They want to get rid of them, because they do not want to be reminded of God and His will. They have an arsenal of evil means at their disposal to catch the righteous.

Their choice is made. They want to leave nothing to chance and deploy the most cunning, vile means: a hidden trap and cords, a net by the wayside and snares. They leave no stone unturned in their battle against the LORD and His people. They lurk on the righteous as if they were trying to catch a dangerous wild animal. Surely one of their applied means will have the desired effect, they believe.