Psalms 140:11

Study note

Setting — The psalmist petitions God against violent enemies who seek his life, specifically requesting the removal of slanderers and oppressors from the land. This prayer functions as a transitional curse between a plea for judgment on foes and a declaration of God's defense for the poor.

The words — The Hebrew word לָשׁוֹן (lashon) literally means "tongue" or speech, used here with the negative imperative בַּל־יִכּוֹן (bal-yikon) to command that a slanderer not be established. The phrase אִישׁ חָמָס (ish chamas) directly translates to "a man of violence," identifying the target of the requested calamity.

The thread — The connection between destructive speech and impending ruin mirrors Proverbs 18:21, which notes that those who love the tongue eat its fruit, and Proverbs 13:21, which states disaster pursues sinners. The psalmist's appeal for God to hunt down violence aligns with the broader biblical pattern of divine opposition to the wicked found in Psalms 34:21.

Why it lands — The verse explicitly states that slander and violence will be actively pursued and removed by God, requiring the reader to abandon self-justification and rely on divine justice to deal with oppressors.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.