A manual of the book of Psalms · Martin Luther
PSALM CXL.
_David prayeth to be delivered from Saul and Doeg.—He prayeth against them.—He comforteth himself by confidence in God._ To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man; Which imagine mischiefs in _their_ heart: continually are they gathered together _for_ war. They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders’ poison _is_ under their lips. Selah. Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man, who have purposed to overthrow my goings. The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords: they have spread a net by the way-side: they have set gins for me. Selah. I said unto the LORD, Thou _art_ my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD. O GOD the LORD, the strength of my salvation; thou hast covered my head in the day of battle. Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked; further not his wicked device, _lest_ they exalt themselves. Selah. _As for_ the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them. Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again. Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow _him_.
I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, _and_ the right of the poor. Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name; the upright shall dwell in thy presence. This Psalm is an ardent prayer against those hypocrites, who not only cause many offences, and lay many nets and snares for them that go on the right way, but proceed with terrible threats and unceasing cruelty against all who will not approve and follow their errors and wicked ways. The Psalmist therefore here prays that God would be pleased to disappoint their counsels and purposes, and all the wicked plots which they form, and devise, and to turn them on themselves and on their own heads; that all these enemies of the people of God may perish with that horrible judgment with which Pharaoh perished in the Red Sea, who, being at the same time struck with lightning from heaven, and overwhelmed with the waves of the sea, was utterly destroyed. This Psalm affords an abundant consolation to the godly; as the Psalmist saith in its conclusion, “The wicked shall fall into their own nets, whilst that I at all times escape.”
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.