Old Testament Commentary - Psalms 140

by Don R. Hender

To King David's credit, though guilty of grevious sins himself. He never openly turns from the Lord but does constantly seek after him. One might well ask, 'What good does it do for a convicted murderer in prison to pray and appeal unto the Lord?' God hears all prayers. And all righteous appeals before him. The wicked, by the way which we all are, have the greatest need of prayer. By their prayers they may confess their sins and gain whatever alloted forgiveness there is available for them. Which is worse, to completely turn away from God to the point of denial and become a Son of Perdition to be cast off into outer darkness with Lucifer and his angels or to continue to appeal unto God for forgiveness and gain the reward of the telestial glory through the forgiveness of Christ's atonement, mercy and grace? Certainly the one is infinitely greater than the other as to its glory and happiness.
Here in, King David continues to plead to the Lord against those who are the seekers of evil intent against him and his Kingdom. Though a sinner himself, he is still the Lord's anointed King and the sovern of the House of Israel of the Lord. Certainly the Lord will hear his prayers and grant righteous answers to them for the benefit of the Lord's kingdom and people. As long as the Lord's people turn unto him, even in their sins, he will hear and answer their prayers of righteousness.

Scriptural Text [& Editorial] Commentary & Explanation Footnotes ~ References ~ JST

CHAPTER 140
David prays for deliverance from his enemies—The Lord maintains the cause of the poor and afflicted.

To the chief Mucician, A Psalm of David

1 ^aDeliver me, O LORD, from the evil man^a: preserve me from the violent man^a;
2 Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.
3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' ^apoison is under their lips. Selah.
1^a the evil man ... the violent man He who has proclaimed to rule this earth with blood and horror is none other than Satan, the Devil. It is Satan who works to place it in the hearts of men to do evil, to do violence and to act in war against one another continually. Any such prayer requesting peace against the forces of the evil one, of the Devil will be heard and honored by the Lord. And more actively so will the Lord act in a righteous cause and the cause of the righteous.

4 Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings.
5 The proud have hid a ^asnare for me^a, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set ^bgins for me. Selah.
5^a The proud have hid a snare from me King David's problems was not just from outside his kingdom. Those who knew of David's faults, sins and failings well had made plans in their own 'pride' of being lifted up above him, likely presuming themselves to be better than him and thus seeking to usurp and replace him. Though not King David, the circumstance of Joseph Smith from time to time was to experience the same type of usurption upon the part of those who prided themselves to be Joseph's judge and to place themselves above him and even to replace him. Such is the wickedness and failings of those who might otherwise be considered righteous in the eyes of God. For regardless of their own life they lead or have led, theirs is not to judge the fate of another whom the Lord has placed in a position by His hand. Such was the supporting voice of Dan Jones the Welshman to whom Joseph once pretended to be drunk and asked what Dan thought of a drunked prophet. To which Dan replied whether drunk or not, Joseph Smith was still the anointed prophet of God. Such is the lesson to be learned here. Whether or not David of Saul were the proper examples of righteous living or not, as long as they were the Lord's anointed and the Lord had not acted of himself to remove them, those who were in subjection to their position were still so required to support and sustain them and not to attempt to over throw them. David had such enemies and one such was his own son Absalom. The question of Absalom's degree of relative 'worthiness' in comparison to his father King David, was no determining factor. David would be supported by the Lord as long as the Lord had appointed him to be King. This is a lesson to those who propose to undercut another in the name of 'prideful' beterment than another. It ought not to be so. The way of the Lord is to stand in support of he whom the Lord or the hand of the Lord had placed in any such position until it is by the hand of the Lord that the change is made. That is the way and order of the Lord. He who follows other practices and proceedures is not of the Lord but of the Devil no matter how 'selfrighteousness' they may seem or proclaim themselves to be. (See Psalm 75 which speaks of those who in pride raise their own 'horn' to the belittlement of others).

6 I said unto the LORD, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD.
7 O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.
8 Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; lest they exalt themselves. Selah.

9 As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.
10 Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again.

11 Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.

12 I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.
13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy ^apresence.

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 140 David prays for deliverance from his enemies—The Lord maintains the cause of the poor and afflicted.
To the chief Mucician, A Psalm of David
1 ^aDeliver me, O LORD, from the evil man^a: preserve me from the violent man^a; 2 Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war. 3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' ^apoison is under their lips. Selah.	1^a the evil man ... the violent man He who has proclaimed to rule this earth with blood and horror is none other than Satan, the Devil. It is Satan who works to place it in the hearts of men to do evil, to do violence and to act in war against one another continually. Any such prayer requesting peace against the forces of the evil one, of the Devil will be heard and honored by the Lord. And more actively so will the Lord act in a righteous cause and the cause of the righteous.
4 Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings. 5 The proud have hid a ^asnare for me^a, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set ^bgins for me. Selah.	5^a The proud have hid a snare from me King David's problems was not just from outside his kingdom. Those who knew of David's faults, sins and failings well had made plans in their own 'pride' of being lifted up above him, likely presuming themselves to be better than him and thus seeking to usurp and replace him. Though not King David, the circumstance of Joseph Smith from time to time was to experience the same type of usurption upon the part of those who prided themselves to be Joseph's judge and to place themselves above him and even to replace him. Such is the wickedness and failings of those who might otherwise be considered righteous in the eyes of God. For regardless of their own life they lead or have led, theirs is not to judge the fate of another whom the Lord has placed in a position by His hand. Such was the supporting voice of Dan Jones the Welshman to whom Joseph once pretended to be drunk and asked what Dan thought of a drunked prophet. To which Dan replied whether drunk or not, Joseph Smith was still the anointed prophet of God. Such is the lesson to be learned here. Whether or not David of Saul were the proper examples of righteous living or not, as long as they were the Lord's anointed and the Lord had not acted of himself to remove them, those who were in subjection to their position were still so required to support and sustain them and not to attempt to over throw them. David had such enemies and one such was his own son Absalom. The question of Absalom's degree of relative 'worthiness' in comparison to his father King David, was no determining factor. David would be supported by the Lord as long as the Lord had appointed him to be King. This is a lesson to those who propose to undercut another in the name of 'prideful' beterment than another. It ought not to be so. The way of the Lord is to stand in support of he whom the Lord or the hand of the Lord had placed in any such position until it is by the hand of the Lord that the change is made. That is the way and order of the Lord. He who follows other practices and proceedures is not of the Lord but of the Devil no matter how 'selfrighteousness' they may seem or proclaim themselves to be. (See Psalm 75 which speaks of those who in pride raise their own 'horn' to the belittlement of others).
6 I said unto the LORD, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD. 7 O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle. 8 Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; lest they exalt themselves. Selah.
9 As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them. 10 Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again.
11 Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.
12 I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor. 13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy ^apresence.