Psalms 140
Big idea: The threat here is entirely verbal and entirely lethal: they have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; viper's poison is under their lips. Traps, cords, nets — the vocabulary is a hunter's, and the prey is a man walking a path. The turn at verse 12 is what makes it more than self-defence: I know that Yahweh will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and justice for the needy. He is not asking for a personal favour; he is appealing to a standing policy.
Psalm 140 asks God to guard him from other people's mouths. Psalm 141 asks him to guard his own.
140:1–8 — You have covered my head in the day of battle
A psalm about being hunted with words. The enemies' tongues are sharpened like a serpent's and their lips carry viper's poison — and everything they set is a snare, a net, a trap laid BY THE PATH, so the danger is arranged along a route he has to walk. And the one image of protection is oddly specific: a head covered in the day of battle.
1 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. Deliver me, Yahweh, from evil men. Preserve me from violent men: 2 those who devise mischief in their hearts. They continually gather themselves together for war. 3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent. Viper’s poison is under their lips. Selah. 4 Yahweh, keep me from the hands of the wicked. Preserve me from the violent men who have determined to trip my feet. 5 The proud have hidden a snare for me, they have spread the cords of a net by the path. They have set traps for me. Selah. 6 I said to Yahweh, “You are my God.” Listen to the cry of my petitions, Yahweh. 7 Yahweh, the Lord, the strength of my salvation, you have covered my head in the day of battle. 8 Yahweh, don’t grant the desires of the wicked. Don’t let their evil plans succeed, or they will become proud. Selah.
140:9–13 — Yahweh will maintain the cause of the afflicted
The imprecation is the psalm's own imagery turned round: let the MISCHIEF OF THEIR OWN LIPS cover them, which answers the poison of verse 3 exactly. Nothing new is asked for. And then the psalm's real conclusion, which is not about the enemies at all — a flat statement of confidence about who Yahweh maintains the cause of.
9 As for the head of those who surround me, let the mischief of their own lips cover them. 10 Let burning coals fall on them. Let them be thrown into the fire, into miry pits, from where they never rise. 11 An evil speaker won’t be established on the earth. Evil will hunt the violent man to overthrow him. 12 I know that Yahweh will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and justice for the needy. 13 Surely the righteous will give thanks to your name. The upright will dwell in your presence.
Scripture text: World English Bible (public domain).