FRAMEWORKS:
Psalm 140: God deal with the unrighteous
For
the director of music. A psalm of David.
[Preliminary
Comments: More in the style of some of his earlier songs,
David calls on the Lord to come and deal with his enemies, those
who are unrighteous [and who express their unrighteousness in
various ways – doing evil [v.1], through violence [v.1], devising
evil plans [v.2], speaking slanderously [v.3], demonstrating wickedness
[v.4] and their arrogance [v.5]. He calls on the Lord for protection
from them [v.6,7], asking the Lord to bring down judgment on them
and deal with them [v.8-11]. He concludes by declaring his confidence
in the Lord's justice [v.12] which will evoke praise in the righteous
[v.13]. It is a psalm all about David's concern about the unrighteous.]
v.1-5
David asks the Lord to save him from his enemies and the way they
come at him
v.1
Rescue
me, Lord , from [i] evildoers;
protect me from the [ii] violent,
v.2 who
devise evil plans in their hearts
and stir up war every day.
v.3 They
make their tongues as sharp as a serpent's;
the poison of vipers is on their lips.
v.4
Keep
me safe, Lord , from the hands of the [iii]
wicked;
protect me from the [iv] violent,
who devise ways to trip my feet.
v.5 The
[v] arrogant have hidden a
snare for me;
they have spread out the cords of their
net
and have set traps for me along my path.
v.6,7
He asks for His protection, for Him to deliver him from them
v.6
I
say to the Lord , ‘You are my God.'
Hear, Lord, my cry for mercy.
v.7 Sovereign
Lord, my strong deliverer,
you shield my head in the day of battle.
v.8-11
He asks the Lord to deal with these enemies of righteousness
v.8
Do
not grant the
wicked
their desires, Lord;
[i] do
not let their plans succeed.
v.9
[ii] Those
who surround me proudly rear their heads;
[iii] may
the mischief of their lips engulf them.
v.10
[iv] May burning coals fall
on them;
[v] may
they be thrown into the fire,
into miry pits, never to rise.
v.11
[vi] May slanderers
not be established in
the land;
[vii] may
disaster hunt down the violent.
v.12
He rests secure in the God of justice ….
v.12
I
know that the Lord secures justice for the poor
and upholds the cause of the needy.
v.13
…. for whom the righteous will bring praise
v.13
Surely
the righteous will praise your name,
and the upright will live in your presence.
[Additional
Comments: The heart of this man of God, this man with
a heart after God [1 Sam 13:14 & Acts 13:22], is concerned
about those around him who are blatantly unrighteous and he spells
out both the forms it takes and how he wants the Lord to act against
it.]
Continue
to Psa 141