Commentaries Dictionaries Concordances

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Psalms 140:10

Let the fate of Sodom overtake these defiant offenders! Possibly we should read, comparing Psalms 11:6, May he rain hot coals upon them! may he cast them into the fire!

deep pits A word of uncertain meaning, found here only. Some render whirlpools: cp. R.V. marg. floods. If they try to escape the fiery storm, may they be swept away by torrents!

that they rise not up again Let their fall be final and irremediable (Psalms 36:12), in contrast to that of the righteous, who falls to rise again (Proverbs 24:16).

Continues after advertising

See also Psalms 140:10 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Psalms 140:10. _LET BURNING COALS_] The _Chaldee_ considers this as spoken against _Ahithophel_, who was head of a conspiracy against David; and translates this verse thus: "Let coals from heav...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    LET BURNING COALS FALL UPON THEM - Let them be punished, “as if” burning coals were poured upon them. See Psalms 11:6, note; Psalms 18:12, notes; Psalms 120:4, note....

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    PSALM 140-142 These three Psalms are Psalms of David. The third one in this series, 142 is another Maschil, the last Maschil Psalm, being a prayer when David was in the cave. In these Psalms the distr...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    CXL. THE PRAYER OF A MAN HARD BESET BY TREACHEROUS FOES. It seems clear that the foes of whom the author complains are Jews, not foreign assailants. Slander and violence are their weapons, and the war...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    BURNING COALS. Put by Figure of speech _Metony_. _y_ (of Adjunct), App-6, for cruel words and hard speeches which wound the heart as fire wounds the body. Compare Proverbs 16:27; Proverbs 26:23. THAT...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    LET BURNING COALS— _Burning coals shall,_ &c. _They shall fall into miry pits._ Mudge. The Psalmist seems here to allude to the destruction of the Sodomites. See what has been said on the 8th and 9th...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PSALMS 140 DESCRIPTIVE TITLE Deliverance from Slanderous and Violent Enemies Implored and Expected. ANALYSIS Stanza I., Psalms 140:1-3, Rescue from Violent Slanderers Besought. Stanza II., Psalms 1...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again. LET BURNING COALS FALL UPON THEM - (Psalms 18:12; Psalms 120:4.) LET THEM BE CAST IN...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    A prayer for deliverance from enemies (perhaps national), ascribed to David probably because it consists mainly of quotations from, and adaptations of, earlier Pss....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Psalms 107:150 _GORDON CHURCHYARD_ POISON! PSALMS 140 Jesus said, "Children of *vipers, how can you say anything that is good? You are *evil people" ...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    In this verse too there is a grammatical difficulty, which the margin, “Let there fall on them,” instead of “Let them bring upon them,” does not remove, since the subject of the next verb is third per...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    _[Psalms 140:11]_ _יִמֹּ֥וטוּ_† עֲלֵיהֶ֗ם גֶּֽחָ֫לִ֥ים בָּ †...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    Psalms 140:1 IN tone and contents this psalm has many parallels in the earlier books, especially among the psalms ascribed to David. Its originality lies principally in its use of peculiar words, and...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

      CONFIDENCE IN GOD'S PROTECTION Psalms 140:1-13 Here is a picture of a man who is beset by foes. Around are slander and hatred; at his feet stratagems and traps. There is no help save in Him who al...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The previous five psalms have dealt with the absolute sufficiency of Jehovah. Their titles will indicate this, “Jehovah the Object of His people's praise, Jehovah the God of mercy, Jehovah the God of...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Let burning coals fall upon them: (h) let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again. (h) That is by God, for David saw that they were reprobate and that there was no hop...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    His. "Own," (Protestants) the devil's, (St. Hilary) or God's net. (St. Chrysostom, &c.) --- Saul twice fell into David's power. (Calmet) --- Alone. Singularly protected by the Almighty, until I pass a...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    This is a blessed appeal to the Lord! Where shall an exercised soul go in his affliction, but to a throne of grace? And how sure shall be the Lord's condemnation of the ungodly, when the cry of the su...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS PSALMS 140 THROUGH 144. The five following psalms go over ground which we have trodden over in detail: only they apply to a restored Israel, still in conflict, and not...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    LET BURNING COALS FALL UPON THEM,.... From heaven, as the Targum, Aben Ezra, and Kimchi, by way of explanation; alluding to the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah with fire from thence: and may design both...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    _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 t...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _As for the head of those_, &c. Bishop Hare connects this clause with the preceding, and translates the passage thus; _Let not those that beset me lift up the head. Let the mischief of their own lips...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE FROM MALICIOUS ENEMIES. To the chief musician, for performance in public worship, a psalm of David, in which he presents to the Lord the usual complaint, adding to this a ferve...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Let burning coals fall upon them, be cast upon them in perils of a terrible nature; LET THEM BE CAST INTO THE FIRE, into everlasting destruction; INTO DEEP PITS, abysses filled with water, THAT THEY R...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    8-13 Believers may pray that God would not grant the desires of the wicked, nor further their evil devices. False accusers will bring mischief upon themselves, even the burning coals of Divine vengea...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    BURNING COALS; Divine vengeance, which is compared to coals of fire, as PSALMS 18:12, and elsewhere. RISE NOT UP AGAIN; either to my danger, or their own comfort....

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Psalms 140:10 coals H1513 fall H4131 (H8735) (H8675) H4131 (H8686) cast H5307 (H8686) fire...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    To the Chief Musician, a Psalm of David. Very likely this Psalm was written by David while he was being hunted about by Saul, and while all manner of falsehoods were being spoken against him. He there...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: The malice of enemies and prayer for preservation. CHARACTERS: God, David. CONCLUSION: Those are safe whom God preserves. In Him believers may count upon security against all real enemies....

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    This psalm was composed by David, on occasion of Saul's persecution. The title, _a psalm of David,_ is undisputed. Psalms 140:1. _From the evil man,_ Doëg the Edomite: _from the violent man,_ Saul, w...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man._ GOD PRESERVES HIS SERVANT To put Luther out of harm’s way for a while a prudent man took him prisoner, and kept him out of the strife in the castle of Wartbur...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PSALM PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 140:1. This lament comes from those threatened by ungodly people who intend to do him serious harm. This psalm, in praying for protection and expressing trust, also prays fo...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 140:9 These verses pray that the evil schemes would happen to those who plot them. The success of such people would defile the LAND....

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    INTRODUCTION “This Psalm is a prayer for protection against enemies who were at once violent and crafty, and unscrupulous in the use of their tongues. The general strain of the Psalm is like that of...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION MAINLY a psalm of supplication. David is in great straits, threatened by violent and malignant enemies (Psalms 140:1), against whom he prays to God for aid (Psalms 140:1, Psalms 140:4,

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Psa 140:1-13, another psalm of David. Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man; Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war. T...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Daniel 3:20; Exodus 9:23; Exodus 9:24; Genesis 19:24; Matthew 13:42;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Coals — Divine vengeance, which is compared to coals of fire....

Continues after advertising