¶Keep me, Lord, from the hands of the wicked; Protect me from violent men Who intend to trip up my feet.
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.
- KJV Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings.
- 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.
- 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 36:11Don’t let the foot of pride come against me. Don’t let the hand of the wicked drive me away.
- Ps 17:5My steps have held fast to your paths. My feet have not slipped.
- Ps 71:4Rescue me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
- Ps 17:8–9Keep me as the apple of your eye. Hide me under the shadow of your wings,
- Ps 37:32–40The wicked watches the righteous, and seeks to kill him.
- Ps 55:1–3For the Chief Musician. On stringed instruments. A contemplation by David. Listen to my prayer, God. Don’t hide yourself from my supplication.
- Prov 18:5To be partial to the faces of the wicked is not good, nor to deprive the innocent of justice.
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
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