1 To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Free me, O Jehovah, from the evil man; preserve me from the violent man: 2 Who devise mischiefs in [their] heart; every day are they banded together for war. 3 They sharpen their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah. 4 Keep me, O Jehovah, from the hands of the wicked [man], preserve me from the violent man, who devise to overthrow my steps. 5 The proud have hidden a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the way-side; they have set traps for me. Selah. 6 I have said unto Jehovah, Thou art my God: give ear, O Jehovah, to the voice of my supplications. 7 Jehovah, the Lord, is the strength of my salvation: thou hast covered my head in the day of battle. 8 Grant not, O Jehovah, the desire of the wicked; further not his device: they would exalt themselves. Selah. 9 [As for] the head of those that encompass me, let the mischief of their own lips cover them. 10 Let burning coals fall on them; let them be cast into the fire; into deep waters, that they rise not up again. 11 Let not the man of [evil] tongue be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the man of violence to [his] ruin. 12 I know that Jehovah will maintain the cause of the afflicted one, the right of the needy. 13 Yea, the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name; the upright shall dwell in thy presence.
Psalm 140 Darby Translation
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
Cross references (13)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Psalm 18:48; Psalm 140:4; Psalm 71:4; Habakkuk 1:2–3; Psalm 17:13
- 2 Psalm 56:6; Psalm 36:4; Psalm 64:5–6; Proverbs 12:20; Psalm 120:7
- 3 Psalm 58:4; Romans 3:13–14; 2 Corinthians 11:3; Proverbs 23:32; Jeremiah 9:5
- 4 Psalm 36:11; Psalm 17:5; Psalm 71:4; Psalm 37:32–40; Psalm 17:8–9
- 5 Psalm 142:3; Psalm 35:7; Jeremiah 18:22; Jeremiah 18:20; Luke 20:20–23
- 6 Psalm 16:2; Psalm 31:14; Psalm 119:57; Psalm 142:5; Zechariah 13:9
- 7 Psalm 62:7; Psalm 18:1–2; Psalm 89:26; Psalm 62:2; Deuteronomy 33:27–29
- 8 Psalm 10:2–3; Psalm 27:12; Job 5:12–13; 2 Samuel 15:31; Deuteronomy 32:27
- 9 Psalm 7:16; Proverbs 18:7; Psalm 94:23; Proverbs 12:13; Proverbs 10:11
- 10 Psalm 11:6; Psalm 21:9; Revelation 20:15; Revelation 21:8; Exodus 9:23–24
- 11 Psalm 34:21; Proverbs 18:21; Isaiah 3:11; Proverbs 13:21; Proverbs 17:20
- 12 Psalm 9:4; 1 Kings 8:49; 1 Kings 8:45; Proverbs 23:10–11; Jeremiah 22:16
- 13 Psalm 16:11; Psalm 11:7; 1 Thessalonians 4:17; Isaiah 3:10; John 17:24
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Our Lord Jesus Christ speaketh in the Prophets, sometimes in His own Name, sometimes in ours, because He maketh Himself one with us; as it is said, "they twain shall be one flesh." Wherefore also the Lord saith in the Gospel, speaking of marriage, "therefore they are no more twain, but one flesh." One flesh, because of our mortality He …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
"For adder's poison," it is said, "is under their lips, and their throat is an open sepulchre." But theirs are not so, but full of much fragrance.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)