May the heads of those who surround me be covered in the trouble their lips have caused.
Parallel translations
- WEB As for the head of those who surround me, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.
- KJV As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.
- NKJV “As for the head of those who surround me, Let the evil of their lips cover them;
- NASB ¶“As for the head of those who surround me, May the harm of their lips cover them.
- NLT Let my enemies be destroyed by the very evil they have planned for 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 prays that the mischief of his enemies' own lips would fall back on their heads. It asks that their evil words recoil upon them in just retribution.
Overview
This imprecation requests that the harm plotted by the wicked return upon themselves, a principle of fitting justice. David leaves judgment to God rather than retaliating. Scripture affirms that sin reaps its own consequences, while the gospel offers escape for those who turn from evil to Christ (Galatians 6:7).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Ps 7:16His trouble recoils on himself, and his violence falls on his own head.
- Prov 18:7A fool’s mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul.
- Prov 12:13An evil man is trapped by his rebellious speech, but a righteous man escapes from trouble.
- Ps 94:23He will bring upon them their own iniquity and destroy them for their wickedness. The LORD our God will destroy them.
- Prov 10:11The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
- Esth 7:10So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the fury of the king subsided.
- Ps 64:8They will be made to stumble, their own tongues turned against them. All who see will shake their heads.
- Prov 10:6Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.
- Esth 5:14His wife Zeresh and all his friends told him, “Have them build a gallows fifty cubits high, and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai hanged on it. Then go to the banquet with the king and enjoy yourself.” The advice pleased Haman, and he had the gallows constructed.
- Matt 27:25All the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”
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 140:9 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.