Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

PSALM 140: YOU PROTECTED ME Overcoming Evil With Good

Psalm 140 is a song by David when he was denied his rights and he was slipping into a hopeless situation. Accusers and slanderers surround him and strive to bring about his ruin. Only Yahweh can help.’ 1 It is the beginning of five psalms (140-144) that all deal with David’s bitter enemies who are try- ing to destroy him with their lies and evil plans. 140, 141 and 142 all mention their traps and snares. In this psalm and the next, David prays his darkest prayers for the fate of his accusers and attackers ask- ing that the Lord will hurl coals of fire from heaven, throw them directly into the fire, into the deepest pits and throw their leaders off of cliffs. These prayers are merely reversing the desires of the wicked as this was their plan for David. ‘The longer the poet lingers over the contemplation of the rebels the more lofty and dignified does his language become, the more particular the choice of the expressions, and the more difficult and unmanageable the construction.’ 2 It is obvious that David wants this persecution to end quickly in a flurry of God’s justice. It is outlined in five, brief sections, 3 of which end with an ‘Inter- lude’ (Selah):

I POISON OF A VIPER -

(Interlude) (Interlude) (Interlude)

1-3 4, 5 6-8 9-11

Evil Hearts Evil Hands Evil Desires

II PRESERVE ME -

III YOU PROTECTED ME -

IV DEEP PITS-

Evil Plans

V PRAISING YOUR NAME -

12, 13 Evil Defeated

INTRODUCTION:

“For the choir director. A Psalm of David.”

This psalm might be in reference to the last battle that David had to face in his long life of experi- encing treachery and rebellion and he calls for God’s intervention in the situation. The last revolt was led by Sheba, and it happened right after Absalom’s attempt to overthrow David. “Then a troublemaker named Sheba son of Bicri, a man from the tribe of Benjamin, blew a trumpet and shouted, ‘ We have nothing to do with David. We want no part of this son of Jesse. Come on, you men of Israel, let’s all go home!’ So the men of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba. But the men of Judah stayed with their king and escorted him from the Jordan River to Jerusalem.” (2 Sam. 20:1, 2) Sheba was eventually de- feated at the loyal city of ‘Abel’ when the citizens turned against him and beheaded him. The psalm also applies to all the subversion David endured throughout his life. “O Lord, rescue me from evil people. Preserve me from those who are violent, those who plot evil in their hearts and stir up trouble all day long. Their tongues sting like a snake; the poison of a viper drips from their lips. Interlude [Selah]” (1-3) The progression of the disease of evil is described in these verses. David asks both to be ‘rescued’ from these persons implying he has become their victim; and to be ‘preserved’ from them showing us that he prefers to avoid them altogether. 1. Evil- “evil people” They have given themselves to the impulses of darkness and identify com- pletely with all that is opposed to God. 2. Violent- “those who are violent” The evil that is resident in human nature is eventually expressed by violent acts against those who are innocent and righteous. 3. Evil Plans- “plot evil in their hearts” When someone is given to evil they possess a constant inner drive that plans the destruction of others. 4. War- “and stir up war” (NIV) A person with an evil nature is at war with themselves and those around them. I POISON OF A VIPER - 1-3 Evil Hearts (Interlude)

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