Psalm 140

This article is about Psalm 140 in Hebrew (Masoretic) numbering. For Psalm 140 in Greek Septuagint or Latin Vulgate numbering, see Psalm 141.

Psalm 140
"Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man"
Epitaph at St. Paul [de] in Passau with a quote from Psalm 140:6 (139:7)
Other name
  • Psalm 139 (Vulgate)
  • "Eripe me Domine ab homine malo"
LanguageHebrew (original)
Psalm 140
BookBook of Psalms
Hebrew Bible partKetuvim
Order in the Hebrew part1
CategorySifrei Emet
Christian Bible partOld Testament
Order in the Christian part19

Psalm 140 is the 140th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man". In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint version of the Bible, and the Latin Vulgate, this psalm is Psalm 139. In Latin, it is known as "Eripe me Domine ab homine malo".[1] It is part of the final Davidic collection of psalms, comprising Psalms 138 to 145, which are specifically attributed to David in their opening verses.[2] It describes putting one's trust in God while threatened with evil.[3] The New King James Version entitles it a "Prayer for Deliverance from Evil Men".[4]

The psalm is used as a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and other Protestant liturgies; it has been set to music.

Text

Hebrew

The following table shows the Hebrew text[5][6] of the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).

Verse Hebrew English translation (JPS 1917)
1 לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃‎ For the Leader. A Psalm of David.
2 חַלְּצֵ֣נִי יְ֭הֹוָה מֵֽאָדָ֣ם רָ֑ע מֵאִ֖ישׁ חֲמָסִ֣ים תִּנְצְרֵֽנִי׃‎ Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man; Preserve me from the violent man;
3 אֲשֶׁ֤ר חָשְׁב֣וּ רָע֣וֹת בְּלֵ֑ב כׇּל־י֝֗וֹם יָג֥וּרוּ מִלְחָמֽוֹת׃‎ Who devise evil things in their heart; Every day do they stir up wars.
4 שָׁ֥נְנ֣וּ לְשׁוֹנָם֮ כְּֽמוֹ־נָ֫חָ֥שׁ חֲמַ֥ת עַכְשׁ֑וּב תַּ֖חַת שְׂפָתֵ֣ימוֹ סֶֽלָה׃‎ They have sharpened their tongue like a serpent; Vipers' venom is under their lips. Selah
5 שׇׁמְרֵ֤נִי יְהֹוָ֨ה ׀ מִ֘ידֵ֤י רָשָׁ֗ע מֵאִ֣ישׁ חֲמָסִ֣ים תִּנְצְרֵ֑נִי אֲשֶׁ֥ר חָ֝שְׁב֗וּ לִדְח֥וֹת פְּעָמָֽי׃‎ Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; Preserve me from the violent man; Who have purposed to make my steps slip.
6 טָ֥מְנֽוּ־גֵאִ֨ים ׀ פַּ֡ח לִ֗י וַחֲבָלִ֗ים פָּ֣רְשׂוּ רֶ֭שֶׁת לְיַד־מַעְגָּ֑ל מֹקְשִׁ֖ים שָׁתוּ־לִ֣י סֶֽלָה׃‎ 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
7 אָמַ֣רְתִּי לַ֭יהֹוָה אֵ֣לִי אָ֑תָּה הַאֲזִ֥ינָה יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה ק֣וֹל תַּחֲנוּנָֽי׃‎ I have said unto the LORD: 'Thou art my God'; Give ear, O LORD, unto the voice of my supplications.
8 יֱהֹוִ֣ה אֲ֭דֹנָי עֹ֣ז יְשׁוּעָתִ֑י סַכֹּ֥תָה לְ֝רֹאשִׁ֗י בְּי֣וֹם נָֽשֶׁק׃‎ O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, Who hast screened my head in the day of battle,
9 אַל־תִּתֵּ֣ן יְ֭הֹוָה מַאֲוַיֵּ֣י רָשָׁ֑ע זְמָמ֥וֹ אַל־תָּ֝פֵ֗ק יָר֥וּמוּ סֶֽלָה׃‎ Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked; Further not his evil device, so that they exalt themselves. Selah
10 רֹ֥אשׁ מְסִבָּ֑י עֲמַ֖ל שְׂפָתֵ֣ימוֹ (יכסומו) [יְכַסֵּֽימוֹ]׃‎ As for the head of those that compass me about, Let the mischief of their own lips cover them.
11 (ימיטו) [יִמּ֥וֹטוּ] עֲלֵיהֶ֗ם גֶּחָ֫לִ֥ים בָּאֵ֥שׁ יַפִּלֵ֑ם בְּ֝מַהֲמֹר֗וֹת בַּל־יָקֽוּמוּ׃‎ Let burning coals fall upon them; Let them be cast into the fire, Into deep pits, that they rise not up again.
12 אִ֥ישׁ לָשׁוֹן֮ בַּל־יִכּ֢וֹן בָּ֫אָ֥רֶץ אִישׁ־חָמָ֥ס רָ֑ע יְ֝צוּדֶ֗נּוּ לְמַדְחֵפֹֽת׃‎ A slanderer shall not be established in the earth; The violent and evil man shall be hunted with thrust upon thrust.
13 (ידעת) [יָדַ֗עְתִּי] כִּֽי־יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה יְ֭הֹוָה דִּ֣ין עָנִ֑י מִ֝שְׁפַּ֗ט אֶבְיֹנִֽים׃‎ I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the poor, And the right of the needy.
14 אַ֣ךְ צַ֭דִּיקִים יוֹד֣וּ לִשְׁמֶ֑ךָ יֵשְׁב֥וּ יְ֝שָׁרִ֗ים אֶת־פָּנֶֽיךָ׃‎ Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto Thy name; The upright shall dwell in Thy presence.

King James Version

  1. Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man;
  2. Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.
  3. They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah.
  4. Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings.
  5. 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.
  6. I said unto the LORD, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD.
  7. O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.
  8. Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; lest they exalt themselves. Selah.
  9. As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.
  10. Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again.
  11. Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.
  12. I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.
  13. Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.

In the Hebrew Bibles, Psalm 140 has 14 verses, because the header of the psalm, "For the Leader. A Psalm of David" is numbered as verse 1,[7] whereas in many English Bibles this psalm has 13 verses, because the header (To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David in the NKJV) is not generally given a verse number.[4][a]

Structure

The Hebrew word Selah, possibly an instruction on the reading of the text, breaks the psalm after verses 3, 5 and 8. C. S. Rodd argues that the psalm's structure is unclear, but suggests:

  • Verses 1-5: a prayer for help
  • Verses 6-7: an expression of confidence in God
  • Verses 8-11: an appeal against the psalmist's enemies
  • Verses 12-13: another expression of confidence in God, which may reflect a priestly or prophetic assurance that the psalmist's prayer has been heard.[8]

Uses

New Testament

In the New Testament, verse 3b, The poison of asps is under their lips, is quoted in Romans 3:13.[9]

Musical settings

Heinrich Schütz composed a metred paraphrase of Psalm 140 in German, "Von bösen Menschen rette mich", SWV 245, for the Becker Psalter, published first in 1628.

Éric Gaudibert composed a setting in Latin, Eripe me, Domine, for mixed double chorus a cappella in 1978. Herman Berlinski wrote A Psalm of Unity, for soprano, mezzo-soprano and two altos, with from Psalm 140 and Psalm 133 in 1980.

Notes

  1. ^ The New American Bible, Revised Edition, follows the Hebrew pattern: Psalm 140:1–14.

References

  1. ^ "Parallel Latin/English Psalter / Psalmus 139 (140)". medievalist.net. 2 May 2019.
  2. ^ Lama, A. K. (2013). Reading Psalm 145 with the Sages: A Compositional Analysis. Langham Monographs. p. 3. ISBN 9781907713354.
  3. ^ The Artscroll Tehillim, page 302
  4. ^ a b Psalm 140: NKJV
  5. ^ "Psalms – Chapter 140". Mechon Mamre.
  6. ^ "Psalms 140 - JPS 1917". Sefaria.org.
  7. ^ Psalms 140:1 Mechon-mamre (Hebrew/English)
  8. ^ Rodd, C. S., 18. Psalms in Barton, J. and Muddiman, J. (2001), The Oxford Bible Commentary Archived 22 November 2017 at the Wayback Machine, p. 403
  9. ^ Kirkpatrick, A. F. (1901). The Book of Psalms: with Introduction and Notes. The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges. Vol. Book IV and V: Psalms XC-CL. Cambridge: At the University Press. p. 840. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
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