What is the meaning of Psalm 140:11? May no slanderer be established in the land “May no slanderer be established in the land” (Psalm 140:11a) • David asks the LORD to prevent anyone who traffics in false accusations from gaining a secure foothold among God’s people. This assumes a society ordered by truth, echoing Psalm 15:1-3, where the one who “does not slander with his tongue” is welcomed into God’s presence. • “Established” pictures permanence and influence. David wants lies uprooted before they can shape culture—similar to Proverbs 12:19, “Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.” • Slander attacks character; God defends reputations (Isaiah 54:17). David trusts the LORD to protect the innocent and to ensure that the power-brokers in Israel are truth-tellers (Psalm 101:5). • New-covenant believers are urged to the same standard: “Rid yourselves of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander” (1 Peter 2:1). The psalm’s petition reminds us to pray and work so that false speech never becomes normalized in church, family, or nation. may calamity hunt down the man of violence “may calamity hunt down the man of violence” (Psalm 140:11b) • Having asked that evil words be silenced, David now asks that evil deeds meet divine justice. Violence here is willful harm—oppression, intimidation, bloodshed (Psalm 11:5). • “Calamity” is pictured as an active pursuer, tracking the violent until judgment falls. Proverbs 13:21 mirrors the idea: “Misfortune pursues sinners.” • David does not seek personal vengeance; he appeals to God’s righteous order (Romans 12:19). Like Psalm 7:15-16, the violent are caught in the very traps they set. • This prayer anticipates the promise that God’s kingdom will finally remove all violence (Revelation 21:4, 27). Until then, Galatians 6:7 assures us, “God is not mocked: For whatever a man sows, he will reap.” • Believers trust that the same God who guards the innocent also brings the violent to account—encouraging steadfast faith while discouraging retaliation (Matthew 26:52). summary Psalm 140:11 expresses confidence that God will both protect truth and punish brutality. David prays that slander finds no lasting platform and that violence is relentlessly chased down by the consequences God ordains. The verse invites us to cherish truth, reject harmful speech, and rest in the certainty that the LORD vindicates the upright and brings justice to evildoers. |
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