Bible Commentaries
Psalms 140

Verse 1

To the chief Musician. See App-64 .

Title. A Psalm. Hebrew. mizmor. See App-65 .

of David = by David.

LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

the evil = an evil man. Hebrew. ra'a' . App-44 . man. Hebrew. 'adam. App-14 .

man. Hebrew ' i s h . App-14 .

Verse 2

Which = Who.

mischiefs. Not the same word as in Psalms 140:9 , but the same word as "evil" in Psalms 140:1 .

Verse 3

tongues. Singular. See note on Psalms 140:11 . Quoted in Romans 3:13 .

Selah. Connecting the evil with the prayer to be delivered; thus marking the Structure ( App-66 )

Verse 4

wicked = lawless. Hebrew. rasha'. App-41 .

Verse 5

by the wayside. See Job 18:10 .

Verse 6

GOD. Hebrew El App-4 .

Verse 7

GOD the Lord. Hebrew. Jehovah. Adonai. App-4 . (2).

of. Genitive of character = my saving strength. covered = screened or protected. Not the same word as in Psalms 140:9 .

Verse 8

wicked. Hebrew. rasha'. Singular. App-44 . The same word as in Psalms 140:4 .

wicked device = devices or plots. Occurs only here.

Verse 9

those that compass me about = one word in Hebrew.

mischief = labour, toil Hebrew. 'amal. App-44 .

cover = overwhelm. Not the same word as in Psalms 140:7 .

Verse 10

burning coals. Put by Figure of speech Metony m y (of Adjunct), App-6 , for cruel words and hard speeches which wound the heart as fire wounds the body. Compare Proverbs 16:27 ; Proverbs 26:23 .

that they, &c. = let them not, &c.

Verse 11

evil speaker. Hebrew a man of tongue; not "a man of lips" (= talkative. Job 11:2 ), but with an evil motive = a slanderer. Compare Psalms 140:3 .

Evil shall hunt = Let evil hunt.

Verse 12

the afflicted = a poor one.

the poor = helpless ones.

Verse 13

name. See note on Psalms 20:1 .

dwell in Thy presence. Compare Psalms 11:7 ; Psalms 16:11 .