6 I have said to the Lord, You are my God: give ear, O Lord, to the voice of my prayer.
O my soul, you have said to the Lord, You are my Lord: I have no good but you.
But I had faith in you, O Lord; I said, You are my God.
The Lord is my heritage and the wine of my cup; you are the supporter of my right. Fair are the places marked out for me; I have a noble heritage.
O Lord, let the voice of my cry come to your ears: have mercy on me, and give me an answer. When you said, Make search for my face, my heart said to you, For your face will I make my search.
<Of David.> My cry goes up to you, O Lord, my Rock; do not keep back your answer from me, so that I may not become like those who go down into the underworld. Give ear to the voice of my prayer, when I am crying to you, when my hands are lifted up to your holy place.
<To the chief music-maker, on Neginoth. Maschil. Of David.> Give hearing to my prayer, O God; and let not your ear be shut against my request. Give thought to me, and let my prayer be answered: I have been made low in sorrow;
<To the chief music-maker. A Psalm. Of David.> O God, let the voice of my grief come to your ear: keep my life from the fear of those who are against me.
I have given my love to the Lord, because he has given ear to the voice of my cry and my prayer.
<CHETH> The Lord is my heritage: I have said that I would be ruled by your words.
<A Psalm. Of David.> Let my prayer come to you, O Lord; give ear to my requests for your grace; keep faith with me, and give me an answer in your righteousness;
I said to myself, The Lord is my heritage; and because of this I will have hope in him.
And I will make the third part go through the fire, cleaning them as silver is made clean, and testing them as gold is tested: and they will make their prayer to me and I will give them an answer: I will say, It is my people; and they will say, The Lord is my God.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 140
Commentary on Psalms 140 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 140
Ps 140:1-13. The style of this Psalm resembles those of David in the former part of the book, presenting the usual complaint, prayer, and confident hope of relief.
1. evil man—Which of David's enemies is meant is not important.
2-5. This character of the wicked, and the devices planned against the pious, correspond to Ps 10:7; 31:13; 58:4, &c.
3. sharpened … like a serpent—not like a serpent does, but they are thus like a serpent in cunning and venom.
5. snare [and] net—for threatening dangers (compare Ps 38:12; 57:6).
6. (Compare Ps 5:1-12; 16:2).
7. day of battle—literally, "of armor," that is, when using it.
8. (Compare Ps 37:12; 66:7).
lest they exalt themselves—or, they will be exalted if permitted to prosper.
9. Contrasts his head covered by God (Ps 140:7) with theirs, or (as "head" may be used for "persons") with them, covered with the results of their wicked deeds (Ps 7:16).
10. (Compare Ps 11:6; 120:4).
cast into the fire; into deep pits—figures for utter destruction.
11. an evil speaker—or, "slanderer" will not be tolerated (Ps 101:7). The last clause may be translated: "an evil (man) He (God) shall hunt," &c.
12. (Compare Ps 9:4).
13. After all changes, the righteous shall have cause for praise. Such
shall dwell—shall sit securely, under God's protection (Ps 21:6; 41:12).