Psalm 140:1

Deliver me, O LORD, from evil men; Preserve me from violent men, (Psalms 140:1)

Three Points:

1. O LORD

LORD is the word Yahweh. He is the self-exist and eternal. He was not created but is. He is all powerful and so can deliver. He delivered Noah from the flood, Daniel from the lions, and us from our sins (if we have asked Him to forgive our sins and trust Jesus, the Son of God).

2. Deliver me from the evil man

Deliver has the idea of separation from something, in this case evil people. Here these evil people plan physical harm and verbal abuse. We may have to endure such things, but we must remember that He will give us grace, peace, and a good testimony to them.

3. Preserve me from the violent man

Preserve has the idea of to keep safe and guard, while violent has the idea of cruel, evil violence as in physical, financial, and verbal abuse. He prays for protection if and when it happens to be kept safe.

Barnes writes: Margin, as in Hebrew, man of violences.” That is, one who has committed violence so often, who has so frequently done wrong, that this may be considered a characteristic of the man.

This would be a sad characteristic of a person. May God deliver us from being that kind of person.