Psalms 140:1 «To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. » Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man; Ver. 1. _Deliver me O Lord, from the evil man_] Made of malice, in which is steeped the venom of all vices. _ Preserve me from the violent man_] Man of violences, who,... [ Continue Reading ]
Which imagine mischiefs in [their] heart; continually are they gathered together [for] war. Ver. 2. _Which imagine mischief in their heart_] Where the devil worketh night and day as a mintman; as a smith in his forge; or an artificer in his shop. A godly man is said to have right thoughts, Proverbs... [ Continue Reading ]
_They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison [is] under their lips. Selah._ Ver. 3. _They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent_] Which, by reason of his sharp tongue, striketh more deeply. Adders'poison] _Venenum Ptyados._ R. Solomen readeth spiders' poison; others, asp... [ Continue Reading ]
Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings. Ver. 4. _Keep me_] Who am thus sought and set for; but thou canst rescue me. _ To overthrow my goings_] _Praecipitare,_ to hurl me down headlong.... [ Continue Reading ]
The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah. Ver. 5. _The proud have hid a snare, &c_] They are restless to ruin me, adding all kind of craft to their cruelty.... [ Continue Reading ]
I said unto the LORD, Thou [art] my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD. Ver. 6. _I said unto the Lord_] Danger drove David home to God; as bugbears do little children to their parents.... [ Continue Reading ]
O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle. Ver. 7. _In the day of battle_] Heb. of armours; for battle David never had any with Saul, but declined it.... [ Continue Reading ]
Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; [lest] they exalt themselves. Selah. Ver. 8. _Grant not, O Lord, &c._] For if they should be _votorum compotes,_ masters of their desires, they would be intolerably insolent, so as to say, Our high hand, and not the Lord,... [ Continue Reading ]
Psalms 140:9 [As for] the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them. Ver. 9. _As for the head_] The chieftain, the ringleader, Doeg, or Saul himself. Or thus, let mischief cover the heads of my besiegers, let it fall upon their pates, as Psalms 7:16 _Similit... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again._ Ver. 10. _Let burning coals fall upon them_] _Conflagrent ut corruant. Haec sunt non tam vota quam vaticinia._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow [him]._ Ver. 11. _Let not an evil speaker_] Heb. a man of tongue, whereof Geraldus reckoneth up twenty-four several sins; a world of wickedness, St James calleth it, James 3:6 _ Evil shall hunt the v... [ Continue Reading ]
I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, [and] the right of the poor. Ver. 12. _I know_] For I have a promise for it, and that is infallible.... [ Continue Reading ]
Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence. Ver. 13. _Shall give thanks_] He shall have no other cause. _ The upright shall dwell in thy presence_] When the hypocrite shall be dog out-of-doors, Job 13:16 .... [ Continue Reading ]