Psalms 140 Overview
David asks rescue from evil men who plan war and set traps, calls for just consequences, and ends confident that the LORD maintains the cause of the afflicted.
Before you read Psalms 140
Coming from
Psalm 139 centered on god knows, surrounds, and formed the psalmist completely. Psalms is an anthology rather than a continuous chronological story, so the connection here is canonical and thematic.
In this chapter
David asks rescue from evil men who plan war and set traps, calls for just consequences, and ends confident that the LORD maintains the cause of the afflicted.
Leads into
Psalm 141 turns to prayer for guarded speech and protection from evil influence, continuing the Psalter’s arranged movement without requiring that the two psalms describe consecutive historical events.
Key understandingExplore deeper
Psalm 140 belongs to Book V of the Psalter (Psalms 107–150). The psalm gives violent injustice to God for judgment rather than authorizing vigilante retaliation.
Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper
Central truth
Deliverance from violent and scheming men.
Lament truth
In Psalm 140, biblical faith brings grief, fear, confusion, and need directly to God rather than hiding them.
Imprecatory truth
In Psalm 140, the psalm places the demand for justice before God rather than making private revenge the worshipper’s task.
Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper
Lament connection
Lamentations 3 shows the same biblical freedom to bring profound affliction before God while still remembering hope. This connection helps frame Psalm 140.
Imprecatory connection
Revelation 6:10 shows faithful sufferers asking the righteous Judge how long until He judges evil. This connection helps frame Psalm 140.
What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper
Keep lament in context
Do not mistake every anguished sentence in Psalm 140 for the psalmist’s settled theological conclusion; lament often voices how the crisis feels before faith answers it.
Keep imprecatory in context
The severe petitions in Psalm 140 appeal to God’s justice; they do not authorize personal vengeance, cruelty, or violence by the reader.
Read Psalms 140 watching for…
evil violent men.
poison adders.
cords and nets.
burning coals.
cause of poor.