Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings.
Parallel translations
- WEB Yahweh, keep me from the hands of the wicked. Preserve me from the violent men who have determined to trip my feet.
- BSB Guard me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked. Keep me safe from men of violence who scheme to make me stumble.
- NKJV Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; Preserve me from violent men, Who have purposed to make my steps stumble.
- NASB ¶Keep me, Lord, from the hands of the wicked; Protect me from violent men Who intend to trip up my feet.
- NLT O Lord, keep me out of the hands of the wicked. Protect me from those who are violent, for they are plotting against me.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
David asks God to keep him from the hands of the wicked who plan to trip his feet. It is a renewed plea for protection from those plotting his downfall.
Overview
Repeating his cry, David emphasizes the deliberate scheming of violent men set on making him stumble. His confidence lies not in his own strength but in God's keeping power. The Lord who guards His people's steps is the same Shepherd who keeps His own from ultimately falling (Jude 24).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Ps 36:11Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand of the wicked remove me.
- Ps 17:5Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.
- Ps 71:4Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
- Ps 17:8–9Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,
- Ps 37:32–40The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.
- Ps 55:1–3Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication.
- Prov 18:5It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 140:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.