Psalms 140:11

Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him. LET NOT AN EVIL SPEAKER BE ESTABLISHED IN THE EARTH (CF. , AND CONTRAST 102:28): EVIL SHALL HUNT THE VIOLENT MAN - literally, 'Let not a man of the tongue be established in the earth: a man of violence (and) evil, He (Yahweh) shall hunt him.' Compare note, ; , "Let the angel of the Lord persecute them." So the accents require. But the English version is otherwise better, 'A man of violence, evil shall hunt him.' TO OVERTHROW (HIM) - literally, to 'over-throwings.'...

11._The man of tongue_, (232) _etc_. Some understand by this the _loquacious man_, but the sense is too restricted; nor is the reference to a reproachful, garrulous, vain and boastful man, but the man of virulence, who wars by deceit and calumny, and not openly. This is plain from what is said of the other class of persons in the subsequent part of the sentence, that his enemies were given to open violence as well as to treachery and cunning — like the lion as well as the wolf — as formerly he complained that the poison of the asp or viper was under their lips. The words run in the future tense, and many interpreters construe them into the optative form, or into a prayer; but I prefer retaining the future tense, as David does not appear so much to pray, as to look forward to a coming deliverance. Whether his enemies wrought by treachery, or by open violence, he looks forward to God as hi...

8-13 Believers may pray that God would not grant the desires of the wicked, nor further their evil devices. False accusers will bring mischief upon themselves, even the burning coals of Divine vengeance. And surely the righteous shall dwell in God's presence, and give him thanks for evermore. This is true thanksgiving, even thanks-living: this use we should make of all our deliverances, we should serve God the more closely and cheerfully. Those who, though evil spoken of and ill-used by men, are righteous in the sight of God, being justified by the righteousness of Christ, which is imputed to them, and received by faith, as the effect of which, they live soberly and righteously; these give thanks to the Lord, for the righteousness whereby they are made righteous, and for every blessing of grace, and mercy of life...

Verse Psalms 140:11. _LET NOT AN EVIL SPEAKER BE ESTABLISHED_] איש לשון _ish_ _lashon_, "a man of tongue." There is much force in the rendering of this clause in the _Chaldee_ גבר דמשתעי לישן תליתי gebar demishtai _lishan telithai_, "The man of detraction, or _inflammation_, with the _three-forked tongue_." He whose tongue is _set on fire from hell_; the tale-bearer, slanderer, and dealer in scandal: _with the_ _three-forked tongue_; wounding _three_ at once: his _neighbour_ whom he slanders; the _person_ who receives the slander; and _himself_ who deals in it. What a just description of a character which God, angels, and good men must detest! Let not such a one be established in the land; let him be unmasked; let no person trust him; and let all join together to hoot him out of society. "He shall be hunted by the ange...

LET NOT AN EVIL SPEAKER - literally, “A man of tongue.” That is, a man whom the tongue rules; a man of an unbridled tongue; a man who does not control his tongue. See the notes at James 3:2. BE ESTABLISHED IN THE EARTH - Be successful or prosperous; let him not carry out his designs. It is not desirable that a man should prosper in such purposes; and therefore, this is not a prayer of malignity, but of benevolence. EVIL SHALL HUNT THE VIOLENT MAN ... - More literally, “A man of violence - a bad man - they shall hunt him down speedily;” or, “let him be hunted down speedily. Let him who forms a project of violence and wrong - a bad man - be hunted as the beasts of prey are, and let his destruction come quickly.” Margin, “Let him be hunted to his overthrow.” But the explanation now g

EXPOSITION MAINLY a psalm of supplication. David is in great straits, threatened by violent and malignant enemies (Psalms 140:1), against whom he prays to God for aid (Psalms 140:1, Psalms 140:4, Psalms 140:6, Psalms 140:8). At the same time, he praises God for his protection in past dangers (Psalms 140:7), and expresses his confidence that judgment will overtake the wicked ...

LET NOT AN EVIL SPEAKER BE ESTABLISHED IN THE EARTH,.... One that sets his mouth against the heavens, and speaks evil of God; of his being, perfections, purposes, and providences: whose tongue walks through the earth, and speaks evil of all men, even of dignities; and especially of the saints of the most High, and of the Gospel and ways of Christ. Or, "a men of tongue" q; that uses his tongue in an ill way, in detractions and slanders r; in blaspheming God, his name and tabernacle, and those that dwell therein, as antichrist, Revelation 13:5; a man that calumniates with a triple tongue, so the Targum; like a serpent, whose tongue seems to be so sometimes. Kimchi applies this to Doeg, and Jarchi to Esau. The request is, that such an one might not be established in the earth; in the land of the living, as the Targum; might not increase and flourish in worldly substance, or be continued in

To the Chief Musician, a Psalm of David. Very likely this Psalm was written by David while he was being hunted about by Saul, and while all manner of falsehoods were being spoken against him. He therefore comforts himself in his God. He writes this Psalm, and he means to have it sung, and sung well; so he dedicates it «to the chief Musician.» There are some parts of our life which are so crowded with urgent necessity, and so full of divine mercy that we feel that, if we ever get through them, we will make a song about our deliverance, and dedicate that song unto God through «the chief Musician.» Psalms 140:1. _Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man;_ He is wicked at heart, and violent in his temper. Whenever we meet with such an adversary, we have good reason to cry to God: «Deliver me: preserve me.» Yet, if we must have enemies, we pr

PSALM 140-142 These three Psalms are Psalms of David. The third one in this series, 142 is another Maschil, the last Maschil Psalm, being a prayer when David was in the cave. In these Psalms the distress of Israel, the godly remnant of Israel, is again remembered. In Psalms 140:1 we see prophetically the evil and violent man, that man of sin of the last days. And therefore have we one more imprecatory prayer for the destruction of the wicked (verse 10). The last verses look forward to the overthrow of the wicked and the exaltation of the righteous. In Psalms 141:1 the righteous are seen in separation from the wicked, and the prayer for preservation. Psalms 142:1 contains continued prayer for deliverance

CXL. THE PRAYER OF A MAN HARD BESET BY TREACHEROUS FOES. It seems clear that the foes of whom the author complains are Jews, not foreign assailants. Slander and violence are their weapons, and the war which they stir up is party strife, not actual battle. Note further that the Psalmist characterises his enemies (Psalms 140:5) as the proud a very natural term for the poor and pious Pharisee to use of the rich and aristocratic Sadducee. We have no certain indication of the date at which the Ps. was written. We can only say that it is natural to regard it as a Pharisee Ps. and to compare Psalms 56-59, 82, 94. PSALMS 140:1. The Ps. begins with a double introduction, or rather with two variants of the same introduction,...