Psalm 140:2

Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(2) Imagine . . .—Or, contrive, plot.

Gathered together.—This translation follows the analogy of Psalm 56:6. Others render, “dwell with wars.” But it is preferable to derive from a root meaning to incite: “They are continually stirring up wars.” It is the situation described in Psalm 120:7 and frequently; Israel would be at peace, but within and without are those ever trying to involve her in troubles.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

140:1-7 The more danger appears, the more earnest we should be in prayer to God. All are safe whom the Lord protects. If he be for us, who can be against us? We should especially watch and pray, that the Lord would hold up our goings in his ways, that our footsteps slip not. God is as able to keep his people from secret fraud as from open force; and the experience we have had of his power and care, in dangers of one kind, may encourage us to depend upon him in other dangers.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Which imagine mischiefs in their heart - Here the language is changed to the plural number in the Hebrew, implying that while there was one man who was eminent in his wickedness and his wrong-doing, there were many others associated with him, acting under his direction. The word "mischiefs" in the Hebrew means "evils; wickednesses." It was not a single purpose; the plan embraced many forms of evil - doing him wrong in every way possible.

Continually are they gathered together for war - They are organized for this purpose; they are constantly prepared for it. The word rendered "gathered together" properly means to sojourn, to dwell for a time; and it has been proposed by some to render this, "All the day they dwell with wars;" that is, they are constantly involved in them. But the word may mean also "to gather together," as in Psalm 56:6.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2-5. This character of the wicked, and the devices planned against the pious, correspond to Ps 10:7; 31:13; 58:4, &c.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

To execute those bloody enterprises which they had devised in the first clause of this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Which imagine mischiefs in their heart,.... This shows that not a single person barely is meant but more, as Saul's courtiers; who were secretly and continually meditating mischief against David, traducing him to Saul, and devising things to take away his life. Such were the Jews to Christ, who were always plotting to entangle him, or contriving to kill him; and so wicked men are ever devising mischief against the quiet in the land, which is very abominable to God; and rightly observed here, to prevail upon the Lord to preserve from them, Psalm 2:1;

continually are they gathered together for war; so Saul gathered together three thousand men, and went in pursuit of David, as an enemy, to take him. So Herod and Pontius Pilate joined together, though before enemies, in the prosecution of Christ; and Jews and Gentiles gathered together against him: so the saints, being in a warfare state, have their enemies, who often combine against them, and attack them, and will not suffer them to be at rest and peace; as sin, Satan, the world, and false teachers; see Psalm 120:7.

Geneva Study Bible

Which imagine mischiefs in their {b} heart; continually are they gathered together for war.

(b) That is, by their false accusations and lies, they kindle the hatred of the wicked against me.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

2. Who have devised evils in their heart] Secretly and deliberately.

continually &c.] Every day do they stir up strife: lit. wars. They are perpetually trying to pick a quarrel with me.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 2. - Which imagine mischiefs in their heart (comp. Psalm 28:3; Psalm 36:4; Psalm 62:3). Continually are they gathered together for war; rather, continually do they stir up wars (comp. Psalm 68:30; Psalm 120:7). Psalm 140:2

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The assimilation of the Nun of the verb נצר is given up, as in Psalm 61:8; Psalm 78:7, and frequently, in order to make the form more full-toned. The relative clause shows that אישׁ חמסים is not intended to be understood exclusively of one person. בּלב strengthens the notion of that which is deeply concealed and premeditated. It is doubtful whether יגוּרוּ signifies to form into troops or to stir up. But from the fact that גּוּר in Psalm 56:7; Psalm 59:4, Isaiah 54:15, signifies not congregare but se congregare, it is to be inferred that גּוּר in the passage before us, like גּרה (or התגּרה in Deuteronomy 2:9, Deuteronomy 2:24), in Syriac and Targumic גּרג, signifies concitare, to excite (cf. שׂוּר together with שׂרה, Hosea 12:4.). In Psalm 140:4 the Psalm coincides with Psalm 64:4; Psalm 58:5. They sharpen their tongue, so that it inflicts a fatal sting like the tongue of a serpent, and under their lips, shooting out from thence, is the poison of the adder (cf. Sol 4:11). עכשׁוּב is a ἅπαξ λεγομ. not from כּשׁב (Jesurun, p. 207), but from עכשׁ, Arab. ‛ks and ‛kš, root ‛k (vid., Fleischer on Isaiah 59:5, עכּבישׁ), both of which have the significations of bending, turning, and coiling after the manner of a serpent; the Beth is an organic addition modifying the meaning of the root.

(Note: According to the original Lexicons Arab. ‛ks signifies to bend one's self, to wriggle, to creep sideways like the roots of the vine, in the V form to move one's self like an adder (according to the Ḳamûs) and to walk like a drunken man (according to Neshwn); but Arab. ‛kš signifies to be intertwined, knit or closely united together, said of hairs and of the branches of trees, in the V form to fight hand to hand and to get in among the crowd. The root is apparently expanded into עכשׁוב by an added Beth which serves as a notional speciality, as in Arab. ‛rqûb the convex bend of the steep side of a rock, or in the case of the knee of the hind-legs of animals, and in Arab. charnûb (in the dialect of the country along the coast of Palestine, where the tree is plentiful, in Neshwn churnûb), the horn-like curved pod of the carob-tree (Ceratonia Siliqua), syncopated Arab. charrûb, charrûb (not charûb), from Arab. charn, cogn. qarn, a horn, cf. Arab. chrnâyt, the beak of a bird of prey, Arab. chrnûq, the stork [vid. on Psalm 104:17], Arab. chrnı̂n, the rhinoceros [vid. on Psalm 29:6], Arab. chrnuı̂t, the unicorn [vid. ibid.]. - Wetzstein.)