John Calvin Commentary Psalms 140:4

"Keep me, O Jehovah, from the hands of the wicked; Preserve me from the violent man: Who have purposed to thrust aside my steps." — Psalms 140:4 (ASV)

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.