Psalms 140

Psalms 140THEME: A prayer for deliverance from evil menAs we have gone through the Book of Psalms, we have come to groups of psalms that have been like a cluster of grapes or a stalk of bananas, in that they were all related to the same bunch. Psalms 140 has no visible connection with the marvelous theological one hundred thirty-ninth psalm that preceded it. Psalms 140 sets before us in prophecy the last days when the godly remnant of Israel will face the Antichristthat false messiah, the Man of Sin. It is a prayer of David, asking and praying for protection because evil men are about him. David was under some kind of pressure at this time, and we believe it was from the madman King Saul, who was the adumbration of the man of violence about whom the apostle Paul wrote in the second chapter of 2 Thessalonians. This psalm has an application for you and me today. Many of us could pray this prayer.

Psalms 140:1

In this verse is a designation of the Antichrist. He is called the “evil man” and the “violent man.” But John says there are many antichrists. “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time” (1Jn_2:18). I am sure that many of us have come in contact with evil men. David’s prayer is that he might be preserved and delivered from these evil men. That has always been my prayer in the ministry: “Oh, God, do not let me fall under the influence or the power of an evil man.” It is also dangerous for a minister to be under the influence or power of any one man or under the power of a little clique in a church. It is not only dangerous; it is dynamite.

Psalms 140:2

Paul speaks of the human race in the same manner (Rom_3:10-18). Human beings have tongues filled with poison. The tongue can destroy as much as any atom bomb. It can ruin a man’s reputation and blacken his life.

Psalms 140:4

This is David’s prayer, and it is also a prayer that the remnant will pray during the Great Tribulation. This is not a prayer for Christians in this day of grace. However, for the people who are in the Great Tribulation period and back under law, I see no reason why they shouldn’t pray this prayer for divine judgment and for divine wrath.

Psalms 140:8

The psalmist is praying against that wicked man, the Antichrist. As I have said before, this is not the kind of prayer a believer should pray. Rather, we should follow the instruction in Rom_12:19-21, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” In other words, don’t let yourself become bitter. Don’t get carried away with enmity and revenge, which will separate you from a walk of faith.

God will take care of things. It has been my experience that when we keep our hands off, God will generally move in and deal with those who attempt to thwart and hinder God’s work. Vengeance belongs to God. Turn the case over to Him. Then you can do something good for the individual who has injured you. God puts us in an unusual place.

Psalms 140:11

There is sure victory if we do not forsake the path of faith. “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1Jn_5:4). The wicked tongue is not going to be established or survive. The lie will finally be made known. Satan was a liar from the beginning, and he has a lot of his urchins running around today following his example. Someday they will all be exposed as liars.