The Righteous One amid snares, confidently expecting the ruin of the ungodly and his on reward  

What was true of David in this psalm was similarly true of Christ. The maliciousness and spite of enemies are described, and the confidence and trust of both confessed. It is to God they look in their afflictions, and acknowledge that God the Lord was the strength of their salvation. It was this helmet of salvation that covered their heads, and the shield of faith that defended both. 

The popular doctrine that God loves everybody does not fit into the sentiments of this psalm. We may well ask if He does, when does He stop loving them? Is it love we see operating in v10? Rather, there is a description of violent justice enacted, and the judgment of God falling as burning coals upon the wicked. That is not necessarily reserved for the final day, but it also occurs in time.

-Pastor Jeff O’ Neil

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Psalm 140

¹LORD, from the ill and froward man
Give me deliverance,
And do thou safe preserve me from
The man of violence:

²Who in their heart mischievous things
Are meditating ever;
And they for war assembled are
Continually together.

³Much like unto a serpent’s tongue
Their tongues they sharp do make;
And underneath their lips there lies
The poison of a snake.

⁴LORD, keep me from the wicked’s hands,
From violent men me save;
Who utterly to overthrow
My goings purpos’d have.

⁵The proud for me a snare have hid,
And cords; yea, they a net
Have by the way-side for me spread;
They gins for me have set.

⁶I said unto the LORD, Thou art
My God: unto the cry
Of all my supplications,
LORD, do thine ear apply.

⁷O GOD the Lord, who art the strength
Of my salvation:
A cov’ring in the day of war
My head thou hast put on.

⁸Unto the wicked man, O LORD,
His wishes do not grant;
Nor further thou his ill device,
Lest they themselves should vaunt.

⁹As for the head and chief of those
About that compass me,
Ev’n by the mischief of their lips
Let thou them cover’d be.

¹⁰Let burning coals upon them fall,
Them throw in fiery flame,
And in deep pits, that they no more
May rise out of the same.

¹¹Let not an evil speaker be
On earth established:
Mischief shall hunt the violent man,
Till he be ruined.

¹²I know God will th’ afflicted’s cause
Maintain, and poor men’s right.
¹³Surely the just shall praise thy name;
Th’ upright dwell in thy sight.