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Psalm 140 Bible study: You have covered my head
Psalm 140 prays about men who "have sharpened their tongues like a serpent" (Psalm 140:3), and its "Viper’s poison is under their lips" (Psalm 140:3) is nearly the words of Romans 3:13. Five of its Hebrew words come nowhere else in the Hebrew Bible. The LORD covered the psalmist's head (140:7), and he asks that the mischief of their own lips cover theirs (140:9).
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“I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and justice for the needy.”
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“Romans 3:13 says, "The poison of vipers is under their lips."”
Is that in Psalm 140, or not? Make your call.
What's really going on
Tongues like a serpent's
The psalm's title is "For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David" (140:1), and its first words are a prayer: "Deliver me, LORD, from evil men. Preserve me from violent men" (140:1) (tap Preserve, violent). Then it says what these men do, and most of it is done with the mouth. They are "those who devise mischief in their hearts" (140:2). "They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent. Viper’s poison is under their lips" (140:3) (tap sharpened, serpent, Viper, poison). Near the end the psalm comes back to their lips: "let the mischief of their own lips cover them" (140:9), and "An evil speaker won’t be established on the earth" (140:11). In Hebrew An evil speaker is two words, ish lashon: the word for men in "violent men" (140:1), and the word for tongues in 140:3. The psalm never says what they said. It has Selah three times, at the end of 140:3, 140:5 and 140:8, and this chapter's readings turn where it does; Psalm 3's notes set out what the lexicons say of the word.
Honest questions
Questions people ask about Psalm 140
- "Deliver me, LORD, from evil men" (140:1). The title names David. Who were these men?
- "Let burning coals fall on them. Let them be thrown into the fire, into miry pits, from where they never rise" (140:10). How can a psalm pray like this?
- "I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted" (140:12). The psalm never says the psalmist was rescued. How can he say "I know"?
That was a taste
The rest of Psalm 140 is waiting in Favor
- A snare, a net, and traps
- Whose head is covered
- Under their lips, in Romans
- Psalm 64, much the same
- On their own head
- 6 questions as you read
- 13 more Hebrew words
- A short check at the end
- Your notes, saved as you go
Favor reads the Bible in order, so you'll reach Psalm 140 with everything before it in view. First week free, then $10 a month per person.
The Hebrew word behind it
עַכְשׁוּבakhshuvsay akh-SHOOV
Strong's: "an asp (from lurking coiled up)". Brown-Driver-Briggs: "usu. asp, viper, but perh. = spider". "Viper’s poison is under their lips" (140:3). The Hebrew Bible has this word only here. Romans has "The poison of vipers is under their lips" (Romans 3:13), and doesn't name the psalm.
For your group
Psalm 140 Bible study questions
- 1"They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent" (140:3). When have someone's words felt like poison to you, and where did you take it?
- 2"I said to the LORD, “You are my God.” Listen to the cry of my petitions, LORD" (140:6). What changes when you say the first line before you ask for anything?
- 3"I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and justice for the needy" (140:12). Where do you need to trust that this week?
Leading a group? In Favor, everyone reads Psalm 140 during the week and answers these questions privately. Answers stay sealed until you meet, then appear together, and you can print the week's sheet.
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Questions
What is Favor?
Favor is a Bible study app that explains every chapter as you read: the Hebrew and Greek behind the words, the details most readers miss, and how each part of the Bible leads to Jesus. Read on your own, or start a Bible study with friends, family or your church.
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Favor takes the Bible as one story, in order, so you'll reach Psalm 140 with everything that leads up to it in view. Start from Genesis, or meet Jesus first in the Gospels. You can read the text of any chapter in Favor's Look up whenever you like.
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The World English Bible, a modern, readable translation in the public domain. God's name appears as "the LORD", as in most English Bibles.
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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Hebrew and Greek words are checked against the original-language texts and public-domain lexicons. What we believe · Favor home