Tap any verse number for what that verse means.
1Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man;
2Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.
3They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders’ poison is under their lips. Selah.
4Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings.
5The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah.
6I said unto the LORD, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD.
7O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.
8Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; lest they exalt themselves. Selah.
9As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.
10Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again.
11Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.
12I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.
13Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.
Understand This
Psalm 140, explained
What Psalm 140 is saying
Psalm 140 is a Davidic lament petitioning God for protection against violent, scheming enemies whose tongues are sharp as serpents and whose lips conceal the poison of vipers. The psalm alternates between desperate petition and confident trust, culminating in the assurance that the LORD upholds the cause of the afflicted and maintains the rights of the poor.
The background behind it
The psalm's vivid language of traps, snares, and secret plots reflects the court intrigues David faced from Saul and later from internal conspirators. The serpent imagery connects to ancient Near Eastern curse traditions and Genesis 3's association of the serpent with deception.
Themes running underneath
The psalm presents evil as both verbal (sharp tongues, poisonous lips) and physical (traps, snares, violence), recognizing that the most dangerous attacks often begin with words. The closing confidence that God 'upholds the cause of the afflicted' establishes divine justice as the ultimate recourse for the vulnerable.
Why it still matters
This psalm validates the prayer for protection against those who weaponize words. It teaches that bringing fear and anger to God is not a failure of faith but an exercise of it.
Scripture text: King James Version — public domain.