What is the meaning of Psalm 140:1? For the choirmaster • The heading reminds us that the psalm was meant to be sung publicly, not kept private. David’s plea is designed to shape the congregation’s faith as they gather (see Psalm 62:1, “For the choirmaster”; 1 Chronicles 25:1, where David appoints singers). • Public worship confesses that God alone can deal with evil. The community hears and joins the prayer, uniting hearts around God’s righteous rule (Psalm 34:3). • By placing the psalm in the hands of the choirmaster, David teaches all generations to carry real fears to the Lord together (Hebrews 10:24-25). A Psalm of David • The superscription grounds the prayer in David’s life. Whether he was fleeing Saul (1 Samuel 19) or later facing Absalom’s coup (2 Samuel 15-17), David knew violent adversaries. • Because Scripture records David’s experiences accurately, his prayer becomes a reliable pattern for ours (Romans 15:4). • The Holy Spirit inspired David to write words that still speak to believers threatened by evil today (Acts 4:25). “Rescue me, O LORD, from evil men” • “Rescue” acknowledges utter dependence on the covenant LORD (Psalm 18:2-3). David looks beyond human solutions. • Evil is real, personal, and active. He does not soften the term; he calls perpetrators “evil men,” recognizing sin’s depth (Genesis 6:5; 2 Timothy 3:13). • The request echoes and anticipates Jesus’ model prayer, “Deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13). God’s people consistently cry out for supernatural intervention. • Confidence rests on God’s revealed character: He rescues those who love Him (Psalm 91:14-15) and ultimately punished evil at the cross (Colossians 2:15) and will in final judgment (Revelation 20:11-15). “Protect me from men of violence” • “Protect” conveys ongoing shelter. David expects God not only to snatch him away once but to keep guarding him (Psalm 121:7-8). • “Men of violence” depicts those who use force to achieve wicked aims—Saul’s spear, Absalom’s conspirators, or any modern persecutor (Psalm 86:14; Acts 14:5). • The phrase resonates with earlier praise: “He delivers me from my enemies; You exalt me above my foes; You rescue me from violent men” (Psalm 18:48). Past deliverances fuel present faith. • Believers today face physical hostility, social pressure, or spiritual attacks. The verse invites us to entrust every threat to the Lord who shields His own (Ephesians 6:10-11; 2 Thessalonians 3:2-3). summary Psalm 140:1 models a direct, faith-filled cry for deliverance. David—writing for congregational worship—acknowledges real, violent evil and turns immediately to the LORD for both rescue and continual protection. The verse teaches every generation to depend on God’s covenant faithfulness, to seek His safeguarding power, and to trust that He alone can and will preserve His people from the schemes of wicked men until ultimate victory is revealed in Christ. |
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