Tehillim · Psalms

Tehillim Chapter 140

Author:: King David
14 verses
Book Five
Reading time:: 1 min
Day 28 of monthly cycle

Chapter 140 of Tehillim belongs to Book Five (chapters 107 through 150), and is traditionally attributed to King David. It contains 14 verses in vocalized Hebrew from the Westminster Leningrad Codex, paired with the JPS 1917 English translation (both public domain).

לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃
חַלְּצֵ֣נִי יְ֭הוָה מֵאָדָ֣ם רָ֑ע מֵאִ֖ישׁ חֲמָסִ֣ים תִּנְצְרֵֽנִי׃
אֲשֶׁ֤ר חָשְׁב֣וּ רָע֣וֹת בְּלֵ֑ב כָּל־י֝֗וֹם יָג֥וּרוּ מִלְחָמֽוֹת׃
שָֽׁנֲנ֣וּ לְשׁוֹנָם֮ כְּֽמוֹ־נָ֫חָ֥שׁ חֲמַ֥ת עַכְשׁ֑וּב תַּ֖חַת שְׂפָתֵ֣ימוֹ סֶֽלָה׃
שָׁמְרֵ֤נִי יְהוָ֨ה ׀ מִ֘ידֵ֤י רָשָׁ֗ע מֵאִ֣ישׁ חֲמָסִ֣ים תִּנְצְרֵ֑נִי אֲשֶׁ֥ר חָ֝שְׁב֗וּ לִדְח֥וֹת פְּעָמָֽי׃
טָֽמְנֽוּ־גֵאִ֨ים ׀ פַּ֡ח לִ֗י וַחֲבָלִ֗ים פָּ֣רְשׂוּ רֶ֭שֶׁת לְיַד־מַעְגָּ֑ל מֹקְשִׁ֖ים שָֽׁתוּ־לִ֣י סֶֽלָה׃
אָמַ֣רְתִּי לַ֭יהוָה אֵ֣לִי אָ֑תָּה הַאֲזִ֥ינָה יְ֝הוָ֗ה ק֣וֹל תַּחֲנוּנָֽי׃
יְהֹוִ֣ה אֲ֭דֹנָי עֹ֣ז יְשׁוּעָתִ֑י סַכֹּ֥תָה לְ֝רֹאשִׁ֗י בְּי֣וֹם נָֽשֶׁק׃
אַל־תִּתֵּ֣ן יְ֭הוָה מַאֲוַיֵּ֣י רָשָׁ֑ע זְמָמ֥וֹ אַל־תָּ֝פֵ֗ק יָר֥וּמוּ סֶֽלָה׃
רֹ֥אשׁ מְסִבָּ֑י עֲמַ֖ל שְׂפָתֵ֣ימוֹ יכסומו [יְכַסֵּֽמוֹ׃]
ימיטו [יִמּ֥וֹטוּ] עֲלֵיהֶ֗ם גֶּֽחָ֫לִ֥ים בָּאֵ֥שׁ יַפִּלֵ֑ם בְּ֝מַהֲמֹר֗וֹת בַּֽל־יָקֽוּמוּ׃
אִ֥ישׁ לָשׁוֹן֮ בַּל־יִכּ֪וֹן בָּ֫אָ֥רֶץ אִישׁ־חָמָ֥ס רָ֑ע יְ֝צוּדֶ֗נּוּ לְמַדְחֵפֹֽת׃
ידעת [יָדַ֗עְתִּי] כִּֽי־יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה יְ֭הוָה דִּ֣ין עָנִ֑י מִ֝שְׁפַּ֗ט אֶבְיֹנִֽים׃
אַ֣ךְ צַ֭דִּיקִים יוֹד֣וּ לִשְׁמֶ֑ךָ יֵשְׁב֥וּ יְ֝שָׁרִ֗ים אֶת־פָּנֶֽיךָ׃

English translation (JPS 1917)

For the Leader. A Psalm of David.
Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man; Preserve me from the violent man;
Who devise evil things in their heart; Every day do they stir up wars.
They have sharpened their tongue like a serpent; Vipers' venom is under their lips. Selah
Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; Preserve me from the violent man; Who have purposed to make my steps slip.
The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; They have spread a net by the wayside; They have set gins for me. Selah
I have said unto the LORD: 'Thou art my God'; Give ear, O LORD, unto the voice of my supplications.
O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, Who hast screened my head in the day of battle,
Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked; Further not his evil device, so that they exalt themselves. Selah
As for the head of those that compass me about, Let the mischief of their own lips cover them.
Let burning coals fall upon them; Let them be cast into the fire, Into deep pits, that they rise not up again.
A slanderer shall not be established in the earth; The violent and evil man shall be hunted with thrust upon thrust.
I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the poor, And the right of the needy.
Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto Thy name; The upright shall dwell in Thy presence.

Tehillim Chapter 140: questions and answers

Who wrote Tehillim chapter 140?

According to traditional Jewish attribution, chapter 140 was authored by King David. The book of Tehillim (Psalms) contains 150 chapters compiled by King David, including psalms by ten additional psalmists: Asaph, the sons of Korach, Moses, Heman, Ethan, and others.

How many verses does Psalm 140 have?

Psalm 140 contains 14 verses. The average unhurried reading time is about 1 minute.

Which of the Five Books of Psalms is chapter 140 in?

Chapter 140 belongs to Book Five (chapters 107 through 150). Parallel to Deuteronomy of the Torah's five books.

When is Psalm 140 read in the 30-day cycle?

Following the traditional 30-day cycle for reading the entire Tehillim once a month, Psalm 140 is read on day 28.

Is the Hebrew text of Psalm 140 pointed (with nikud)?

Yes. The Hebrew text comes from the Westminster Leningrad Codex via the Sefaria public-domain project, including full nikud (vowel pointing) and ta'amei mikra (cantillation marks).

Related chapters

Chapter 139 Chapter 141

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