For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. Rescue me, O LORD, from evil men. Protect me from men of violence,
PSALM 140 David complains of the implacable cruelty of his enemies, and of their treachery and rancorous calumnies. In the close, having besought God’s help, and expressing his persuasion of obtaining his layout, he comforts himself with the hope of deliverance, and just vengeance being executed upon his enemies. To the chief Musician — A Psalm of David. Psalm 140:1-5 1. Deliver me, O Jehovah!
Commenting on Psalm 140:1-13
Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man. It reads like a clause of the Lord's prayer, "Deliver us from evil." David does not so much plead against an individual as against the species represented by him, namely, the being whose best description is—"the evil man." There are many such abroad; indeed we shall not find an unregenerate man who is not in some sense...
In this, as in other things, David was a type of Christ, that he suffered before he reigned, was humbled before he was exalted, and that as there were many who loved and valued him, and sought to do him honour, so there were many who hated and envied him, and sought to do him mischief, as appears by these verses, where, I.
Commenting on Psalm 140:1-7