Psalm 140 (139):9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Another translation conveys the plea: Do not grant, O Lord, in accordance with the wishes of the wicked. The essence of this expression is a heartfelt request: do not fulfill his desires against me. It emphasizes that he does not wish for his wishes to be realized, implying a plea against even the smallest portion of his intentions coming to pass. Such is the nature of evil individuals; they are deeply engaged in scheming against their neighbors, resembling the adversary who prowls around "like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). This relentless pursuit was evident when he assailed Job and sought to lead Peter astray, as indicated by the Lord's words: “Behold, Satan hath asked to sift you as wheat” (Luke 22:31). One can see the overwhelming nature of his intent.

Our Lord has commanded me, fellow believers, and through them, the Lord Almighty, to share the meaning of this psalm with your hearts, as far as God enables me. May He assist your petitions, so that I may express what is necessary, that you may listen, and that the Word of God may be beneficial for us all. For it is not beneficial to everyone, as not all possess faith. 1 Thessalonians 3:2

You likely grasped the essence of this psalm as you sang it; therein, the church of Christ, amid the wicked, laments and cries out to God in prayer. In every prophetic utterance, her voice resonates with the cry of one who is in need and unsatisfied, yearning and thirsting for righteousness (Matthew 5:6), to whom a fullness is promised and awaits at the end.

At the concluding part of the psalm directed to David himself, you should not expect an ending other than the one provided for you by the Apostle. For Christ is the culmination. Romans 10:4 He was of David’s lineage, not regarding His divinity, by which He created David, but concerning His humanity; thus, He has chosen to be referenced as David in prophecy. Take heed of this, for the psalm is sung to David Himself; it is to hear the voice of His Body and to be part of His Body. Let the voice you have heard also be yours, and join me in prayer as we say:

“Rescue me, O Lord, from the wicked,” Psalm 139:1. Not merely from an individual, but from a category; not from certain vessels only, but from their very leader, the devil himself. Why speak of man if addressing the devil? Because he, too, is called man in a symbolic sense. Matthew 13:24-28 Hence, illuminated not by ourselves but in the Lord, Ephesians 5:8, let us pray not only against darkness, which represents sinners still ensnared by the devil, but also against their leader, the devil who acts within the children of defiance. “Rescue me from the wicked man.” This is tantamount to saying “from the unrighteous man,” for he is labeled wicked for being unjust, to prevent the notion that any unjust man could possibly be good. For many unrighteous individuals may appear harmless; they do not exhibit fierceness, are not savage, nor do they persecute or oppress; yet they are still unrighteous because they indulge in moral depravity, drunkenness, and pleasures of the flesh. Thus, every unrighteous person, regardless of their demeanor, requires caution, whether they are gentle or fierce. Anyone ensnared in their path or caught in their net shall discover the harm concealed within what seemed innocuous. Indeed, my brethren, even thorns do not prick from the root. Remove the thistles and touch their roots to see if it causes pain. However, what induces your suffering arises from that root. Therefore, do not let those who appear gentle and kind yet are devoted to carnal pleasures and corrupted desires deceive you. Though they may seem mild, they are, in fact, the root of thorns.

Therefore, my beloved, Body of Christ, members of Christ, as you find yourselves in the midst of such wicked individuals inclined towards evil desires and deadly pleasures, rebuke them immediately, confront them boldly, and eradicate them swiftly. Let the root be destroyed, and there will be no source left from which the thorn may emerge. If you fail to act, they will undoubtedly become your adversaries. They may remain silent, concealing their enmity, but they cannot genuinely have affection for you. And since they lack love for you, and since those who harbor hatred must strive to do you harm, let neither your speech nor your heart hesitate to implore God: “Deliver me, O Lord, from the unrighteous man.”

“From the one who devises wickedness in his heart,” Psalm 139:2. Deliver me from them, let Thy mighty hand be the ultimate source of deliverance for me. For it is effortless to evade open hostility; it is easy to turn away from an overt enemy, while iniquity often lingers in both their speech and their hearts. This hidden foe is difficult to avoid, as they may speak virtue while concealing malice within. They are engaged in a ceaseless battle. What defines a conflict? They cause me to struggle all day long. From such hearts arise everything a Christian fights against: rebellion, division, heresy, brutal opposition—all emanating from hidden malice, for they utter pleasant words from their mouths while waging war within their minds. Despite the soothing words of peace, turmoil persists in their thoughts. “All day long” suggests an unending conflict, for all time. They have sharpened their tongues like serpents. Psalm 139:3. If you seek to understand this individual, consider the serpent, the most cunning of creatures, skilled at inflicting harm; it slithers without feet, so its approach is unnoticed. It moves with apparent smoothness that belies its true crookedness. Likewise, they stealthily advance to inflict damage, hiding venom beneath a delicate exterior. The poison of serpents lies beneath their lips; observe that there is one reality beneath their mouths yet another in their utterances.

“Preserve me, O Lord, from the hand of the sinner, from the unrighteous deliver me,” Psalm 139:4. Here they reveal their true nature, and we require not understanding but action: we must pray, without needing to identify who they are. Further, he instructs how to pray against such individuals. Many pray ineffectively against wicked people, questioning who dares to lead them astray. This can easily be misinterpreted. Everyone has foes seeking to cheat in business or disrupt their lives, plotting troubles for their families or harming their property through deceitful means. Of this, there can be no doubt. But the concern should not merely focus on their deception in business matters, rather on how they may lead you away from the Body of Christ, attempting to draw you into their fold. Just as Christ serves as the head of the righteous, the devil assumes the headship over those committed to evil. What does it mean to mislead my steps? It signifies that if he has obstructed your path to God, your righteous intentions may falter, deviate, or lose their way, or stumble, or cease progressing. Whoever has caused this has led you astray and betrayed you. Pray against such snares, that you do not forfeit your heavenly inheritance, that you do not lose Christ, your fellow heir; for you are destined to dwell eternally with Him who has made you an heir.

“The proud have hidden a snare for me,” Psalm 139:5. He encapsulates the essence of the devil by labeling them ‘Proud.’ Thus, they often claim righteousness, despite their unrighteousness. Confessing their sins is therefore grievous to them. They are the falsely righteous who must inevitably resent the truly righteous. For no one envies another in what they neither desire nor aspire to be. Hence arise all temptations and deceptions from others. This is the very essence of the devil’s downfall, as he envied the man who remained upright.

Yet those proud individuals set traps for me; they attempted to lead me astray. How did they do this? They stretched out cords as traps. What kind of cords? Scripture provides clarity, revealing that “For every one is bound by the bonds of his sins;” Proverbs 5:22. Isaiah unequivocally states, “Woe to those who draw sin along with them like a rope.” Isaiah 5:18 Why is it labeled a rope? Because every sinner who persists in their sins accumulates more sin; and when they must, rather than confessing their transgressions and seeking reform, they often compound their sins through blame. By convincing the righteous to partake in the same sins they practice, they seek to entrap us. Thus, he says, “They spread cords and snares,” meaning their sins were intended to bring me to ruin. Where did they do this? In the paths they laid stumbling blocks before me—not from the paths, but rather at the edges of the paths. Your ways represent God’s commandments. They place obstacles in your pathways; do not veer from them or cast yourself upon stumbling blocks. Do not presume that God will prevent them from placing such hindrances in your paths; rather, He allows them to do so to ensure that you do not stray.

And what remains? What is the solution amidst such tribulations and dangers? “I have said unto the Lord, Thou art my God,” Psalm 139:6. The clarion call of prayer is compelling and instills confidence. Is He not the God of others? What is He not, as the true God? Yet He is intimately for those who delight in Him, who serve Him, and who willingly submit to Him. Even the wicked, despite their reluctance, ultimately yield to Him. Hear with Thy ears the voice of my prayer. He did not say: ‘Hear, O Lord, my prayer’; but he asserts, the voice of my prayer—his living prayer, the essence of his supplication—not merely the sound of his words but what breathes life into them. All other lifeless noises can be classified as mere sounds, not genuine words. True words belong to those who possess a soul, the living. Yet how many approach God in prayer while devoid of comprehension of Him, lacking proper thoughts about Him! They may produce the sound of prayer, but their hearts remain silent because there is no vitality within them. This was the prayer of one who breathed life—he recognized God as his God, understood by whom he had been redeemed and from whom he had been rescued.

After bringing this plea before God, let him exclaim: “Lord, Lord. You are the Lord God,” highlighting the genuine Lordship, unlike human lords who purchase us with money, but rather the Lord who redeems through His blood. “O Lord, Lord, You are the strength of my salvation,” Psalm 139:7; meaning He is the one who upholds my joy. What does the strength of my salvation signify? He has articulated the challenges posed by the snares and nets of sinners, the wicked, and devil’s vessels encircling him, the proud who harbor envy against the righteous. Yet he swiftly introduces comfort: “Whoever endures to the end shall be saved.” This observation provoked both anxiety and hope—truly, I shall attain salvation if I persevere to the end; yet endurance in pursuit of salvation requires strength. “Thou art the strength of my salvation; Thou enable me to endure so that I may behold salvation.”

As he grapples with this struggle, he reflects on the grace of God; in his time of heat and drought, he discovers a shadow of refuge. “Thou hast overshadowed my head in the day of battle,” indicating in times of conflict, sparing me from overwhelming heat and desiccation.

“Do not deliver me, O Lord, in accordance with my desire for the sinner,” Psalm 139:8. Behold, what goodness Thy overshadowing shall provide, shielding me from suffering due to my own desires. And what harm could the sinner inflict upon me, however infuriated he may be? The wicked may rage against the martyrs, dragging them into captivity, binding them with chains, imprisoning them, executing them, exposing them to beasts, and incinerating them. All these actions were taken, yet God did not abandon them to such fates, for they were not offered up by their own will. Therefore, fervently pray that God may not subject you to the sinner by your own desire, for in longing, you grant access to the devil. The devil offers profit before you and entices you towards wickedness; true gain emerges only through wrongdoing: profit is the bait, wickedness the snare. Be mindful of that bait to recognize the net; for without engaging in wickedness, no gain shall follow, and in partaking in wrongful acts, you shall be ensnared. Thus, your head shall be darkened in battle-day. For longing kindles passion, while the overshadowing of the Lord tempers desire, so that we may restrain what quickens within us and avoid being ensnared. They have plotted against me; forsake me not, lest they overpower me.

Do not abandon me, O Lord, to my yearning for the wicked. It is my longing, O Lord, to seek salvation; thus, please do not leave me and do not allow me to fall into the hands of the wicked, meaning the adversary, should I deviate from this yearning. They have plotted against me, so do not leave me, lest they grow arrogant. He implores God to conceal him within the refuge of His cries and beneath His powerful hand, from which no one can escape, praying this so that his foes do not become presumptuous, as they often do in other situations.

The Bible teaches that “if anyone looks at a woman with lust, he has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). Consequently, the prophet expresses, “Do not hand me over to the adversary due to my desires; it is preferable for me to be assessed for my actions rather than for my intentions.”

Do not surrender me, O Lord, to the will of the wicked. Simmachus rendered it as: May the Lord thwart the intentions of the wrongdoer; similarly, Theodotion and Aquila expressed it as: May the one who longs for my demise find his desires unfulfilled. However, according to the Septuagint's translation, it is to be understood as: may he not attain through me what he seeks; for while I long for salvation, he wishes for my destruction; therefore do not grant him my request. They plot against me, do not abandon me, lest they be exalted. All their schemes are focused on my death. Hence, do not withhold Your providential care from me, lest I provide them cause for pride.

Do not, O Lord, hand me over to a wicked person who preys on my desires. Do not allow me, as the Lord says, to be betrayed by a sinner to a demon for my wrongful passions, for I, too, struggle with sinful desires at times. Therefore, I implore You not to judge me harshly or abandon me to a demon. A sinner embodies lawlessness.

In the initial part, the psalmist implores God to restrain the ambitions of the unrighteous and to render their schemes and endeavors futile. He is deeply convinced that it is solely within God's authority, at His discretion, to nullify the wicked intentions of ungodly individuals and to reduce their unlawful aspirations to nothing. In the subsequent section, he reiterates this plea with different phrasing, asking God to prevent the fulfillment of sinful thoughts and to swiftly obliterate them. The ensuing phrase, that they may not be exalted, indicates that the wicked, prideful in their arrogance, assume an elevation above the skies, believing that no adverse circumstances could befall them. As a result, they disregard God’s Providence, treating all occurrences as beneath them, as if they wield dominion over the universe and all that transpires within it with ease.

Ultimately, in the fulfillment of the prophecy regarding Christ—the Law and the Prophets having completed their purpose—this psalm was revealed to David through the Holy Spirit. In this scripture, the prophet earnestly petitions God for deliverance from Saul and other cruel oppressors. Particularly, this psalm resonates profoundly with Christ the Lord, who uttered a poignant prayer to God the Father amidst his afflictions, a vital plea in the face of persecution, and a model for every faithful believer's prayer against both visible and unseen adversaries. The voice of Christ cries out to God the Father during His passion concerning the traitor Judas and the malicious assembly of the Jews, who daily conspired in secret to bring harm to Christ the Lord.

They plotted to erase David’s path, concealing traps and obstacles before him. The psalmist, expressing his deep faith, implores that the Lord will not abandon him or allow him to fall into the hands of the wicked. In this mindset, he calls out to the Lord, "Do not forsake me, lest I be exalted!"