John Calvin Commentary Psalms 140

To the chief Musician, etc. I cannot bring myself to restrict this Psalm to Doeg, as the great body of interpreters do, for the context will clearly show that it speaks of Saul and of the counselors who continually inflamed the king—himself sufficiently incensed—against the life of one who was a saint of God. As he was a figure of Christ, we should not wonder that the agents of the devil directed so much of their rage against him. And this is the reason why he comments so sharply on their rancor and treachery.

The terms wicked and violent men denote their unwarranted attempts at his destruction without any provocation. He therefore commends his cause to God, as having sought peace with them, as never having injured them, but as being the innocent object of their unjust persecution. The same rule must be observed by us all, as it is against violence and wickedness that the help of God is extended. David is not multiplying mere terms of reproach as men do in their personal disputes, but conciliating God’s favor by supplying a proof of his innocence, for God must always be on the side of good and peaceable men.

Who imagine mischiefs in their heart. Here he charges them with inward malignity of heart. And it is plain that the reference is not to one man merely, for he passes to the plural number (in a manner sufficiently common), reverting from the head to all his associates and partners in guilt.

Indeed, what was formerly said in the singular number may be taken indefinitely, as grammarians say. In general, he repeats what I have noticed already: that the hostility to which he was subjected arose from no cause of his. From this we learn that the more wickedly our enemies assail us, and the more treachery and clandestine acts they manifest, the nearer is the promised aid of the Holy Spirit, who Himself dictated this form of prayer by the mouth of David.

The second clause may be rendered in three ways. Literally, it reads, who gather wars, and so some understand it. But it is well known that prepositions are often omitted in Hebrew, and no doubt he means that they stirred up general enmity by their false information, being like the trumpet that sounds to battle.

Some render the verb—to conspire, or plot together, but this is a far-fetched and meager sense. He intimates afterwards how they stirred up unjust war by the wicked calumnies which they spread, as they could not crush a good and innocent person by violence, except by first overwhelming him with calumny.

Keep me, O Jehovah! To complaints and accusations he now again adds prayer, from which it appears more clearly, as I observed already, that it is God whom he seeks to be his avenger. It is the same sentiment repeated, with one or two words changed; for he had said deliver me, now he says keep me, and for the wicked man he substitutes the hand of the wicked.

He had spoken of their conceiving mischiefs, now of their plotting how they might ruin a poor, unsuspecting individual. What he had said of their fraud and deceit he repeats in figurative language, which is not lacking in emphasis. He speaks of nets spread out on every side to circumvent him, unless God interposed for his help.

Though at first sight the metaphors may seem more obscure than the prayer was in its simple, unfigurative expression, they are far from obscuring the previous declarations, and they add much to their strength. From the word גאים, geim, which signifies proud or lofty in Hebrew, we learn that he does not speak of common men, but of men in power, who considered that they would have no difficulty in crushing an insignificant individual.

When our enemies attack us in the insolence of pride, let us learn to resort to God, who can repel the rage of the wicked. Nor does he mean to say that they attacked him merely by bold and violent measures, for he complains of their spreading traps and snares; both methods are spoken of, namely, that while they were confident of the power they possessed, they devised stratagems for his destruction.

I said to Jehovah. In these words he shows that his prayers were not merely those of the lips, as hypocrites will make loud appeals to God for mere appearance, but that he prayed with earnestness, and from a hidden principle of faith. Until we have a persuasion of being saved through the grace of God there can be no sincere prayer.

We have here an excellent illustration of the nature of faith, in the Psalmist’s turning himself away from public view, so that he may address God apart, hypocrisy being excluded in this internal exercise of the heart. This is true prayer—not the mere idle lifting up of the voice, but the presentation of our petitions from an inward principle of faith.

To foster in himself a persuasion of obtaining his present requests from God, he recalls to his mind what deliverances God had already extended to him. He speaks of God having been to him as a shield in every time of danger.

Some read the words in the future tense—Thou wilt cover my head in the day of battle. But it is evident David speaks of protection previously experienced from the hand of God, and from this derives comfort to his faith.

He comes forth, not as a raw and undisciplined recruit, but as a soldier well-tested in previous engagements. The strength of salvation is equivalent to salvation displayed with no ordinary power.

Grant not, O Jehovah! the desires of the wicked. We might render these words as Establish not, though the meaning would be the same—that God would restrain the desires of the wicked and frustrate all their aims and attempts. We see from this that it is in His power, whenever He sees fit, to frustrate the unprincipled designs of men, their wicked expectations, and to dash their schemes.

When, therefore, it is found impracticable to bring our enemies to a right state of mind, we are to pray that the devices which they have imagined may be immediately overthrown and thwarted. In the next clause, there is more ambiguity. As the Hebrew verb פוק, puk, means to lead out, as well as to strike or fall, the words might mean that God would not carry into effect the counsels of the wicked.

But the opinion of those may be correct who read—their thought is Thou wilt not strike, David representing such hopes as the wicked are accustomed to entertain. We find him elsewhere (Psalms 10:6) describing their pride in a similar way, in entirely overlooking divine providence, and considering all events as subject to their control, and the world placed under their sole management.

The word which follows would thus fit appropriately—they shall be lifted up, in allusion to the wicked being inflated by pride through the idea that they can never be overtaken by adversity. If the other reading is preferred, the negative particle must be considered as repeated—“Do not allow their attempts to be put into effect; let them not be exalted.” At any rate, David is to be considered as censuring the security of his enemies, in taking no account of God and in surrendering themselves to unbridled license.

As for the head, etc. There may be a doubt whether, under the term head, he refers to the chief of the faction opposed to him, for we can suppose an inversion in the sentence and a change of the plural to the singular number, bringing out this sense.

Let the mischief of their wicked speeches, which they intended against me, fall upon their own head. As almost all interpreters, however, have taken the other view, I have adopted it, only understanding the reference as being to Saul rather than Doeg. There follows an imprecation upon the whole company of his enemies generally, that coals may fall upon them, alluding to the awful fate of Sodom and Gomorrah.

We find this elsewhere (Psalms 11:6) set forth by the Spirit of God as an example of Divine vengeance, to terrify the wicked; and Jude (Jude 1:7) declares that God testified, by this example of everlasting significance, that He would be the Judge of all the ungodly.

Some translate what follows — the wilt cast them into the fire, which could be acceptable. But as ב (beth) in Hebrew often denotes instrumentality, we may properly render the words — thou wilt cast them down By fire, or With fire, as God sent it against Sodom and Gomorrah.

He prays that they may be sunk into deep pits, from where they may never rise. God sometimes heals those whom He has struck with great severity; David cuts off the reprobate from the hope of pardon, knowing them to be beyond recovery. If they had been disposed to repentance, he would have been inclined on his part to mercy.