Psalms 140:2
1 Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man;
Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.
3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders’ poison is under their lips. Selah.
4 Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings.
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- who devise evil in their hearts and stir up war all day long.
- KJV
- Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.
- WEB
- those who devise mischief in their hearts. They continually gather themselves together for war.
- ASV
- Who devise mischiefs in their heart; Continually do they gather themselves together for war.
- DARBY
- Who devise mischiefs in [their] heart; every day are they banded together for war.
- BLB
- those who devise evil in the heart, [and] all the day they stir up wars.
- ÅB
- som tenker ondt ut i hjertet, som hver dag samler seg til krig!
- OTB
- Som legger onde planer i sine hjerter;
De vekker stadig konflikter. - B1930
- som tenker ondt ut i hjertet, som hver dag samler sig til krig!
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Psalms 56:6
They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul.
Read in contextPsalms 36:4
He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.
Read in contextPsalms 64:5–6
They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them?
Read in contextProverbs 12:20
Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy.
Read in contextPsalms 120:7
I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.
Read in contextHosea 7:6
For they have made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire.
Read in contextNahum 1:11
There is one come out of thee, that imagineth evil against the LORD, a wicked counsellor.
Read in contextMicah 2:1–3
Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.
Read in context