“I know that Yahweh maintains the cause of the needy.
He executes justice for the poor.
Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name.
The upright shall live in your presence.”
This psalm ends on a happy note. Yahweh will give victory to the righteous. David knows that Yahweh helps the needy and brings justice to the poor. The righteous ones will give thanks to his name, while the upright shall live in the presence of Yahweh. Thus we have a happy ending.
“Those who surround me lift up their heads.
Let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them!
Let burning coals fall upon them!
Let them be flung into the pits!
Let them rise no more!
Let not the slanderer be established in the land!
Let evil speedily hunt down the violent!”
Now David outlines his requests against those attacking him. He wanted Yahweh to act against them. He wanted the mischief of their lips to overwhelm them. He wanted burning coals to fall on them. He wanted them flung into the deadly pits so that they could not rise again. He did not want any slanderers in the land at all. He wanted the violent hunted down quickly. David certainly did not like his enemies, these slanderers.
“Yahweh!
Guard me
From the hands of the wicked!
Protect me from violent.
They have planned my downfall.
The arrogant have hidden a trap for me.
They have spread a net with cords.
They have set snares for me along the road.”
Selah
David wanted Yahweh to guard him and protect him from the hands of the wicked ones. They were planning his downfall. They have hidden traps and snares for him along the road. He wanted the protection of Yahweh from these arrogant wicked violent men. This section ends with the musical interlude meditative pause of Selah.
To the choirmaster leader, a psalm of David
“Deliver me!
Yahweh!
From evil men.
Protect me
From those who are violent.
Protect me
From those who plan evil things in their minds.
Protect me
From those who stir up wars continually.
They make their tongue sharp as a snake’s tongue.
Under their lips is the poison of vipers.”
Selah
Psalm 140 is another in this series of deliverance choral psalms of David. This is a lament against evil men. David wants to be protected from violent people, evil minds, and war mongers. These evil men have tongues like snakes. Their lips were like the poison of vipers. This section ends with the musical interlude meditative pause of Selah.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 