Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings.

PSALMS 140:4KJV
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Psalms 140:4 (KJV)

What does Psalms 140:4 mean?

Psalms 140:4 is a prayer asking God to protect the speaker from people who intend harm, specifically from those who are violent and have planned to ruin his path in life. The verse highlights a plea for safety from both physical danger and the schemes of wicked individuals.

In this psalm, David is speaking directly to the LORD, asking for deliverance from enemies who are described as wicked and violent. The situation is one of real threat, where David feels targeted by people who have deliberately plotted against him. The verse shows the seriousness of the danger and David’s trust in God’s ability to guard him from harm.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 140:4

  • "Keep" (שָׁמַר, shamar): This word means to guard, watch over, or protect. David is not just asking for general help but for careful, ongoing protection.
  • "Wicked" (רָשָׁע, rasha): This term refers to people who act with intentional evil or injustice, not just those who make mistakes.
  • "Violent" (חָמָס, chamas): This word often points to those who use force, cruelty, or lawless behavior. It highlights the real threat of physical harm.
  • "Overthrow" (דָּחָה, dakhah): This means to push down or cause to stumble, showing that the danger is not only violence but also attempts to ruin David’s way of life or moral standing.

Why Psalms 140:4 matters

  • Psalms 140:4 clarifies that the danger is both physical and moral—David fears not just being attacked, but also being tripped up or led astray by the wicked.
  • The verse emphasizes that God is seen as the ultimate protector, not just from harm but from the plans and intentions of evil people.
  • This prayer fits into the larger theme of the psalm, where David repeatedly expresses his dependence on God in the face of real and present threats.

Where else these words appear

“overthrow” Hebrew H1760 · used in 10 verses

  • Psalms 35:5 Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them.
  • Psalms 118:13 Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall: but the LORD helped me.
  • Isaiah 11:12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

“violent” Hebrew H2555 · used in 59 verses

  • Genesis 6:11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
  • Psalms 58:2 Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth.
  • Jeremiah 51:46 And lest your heart faint, and ye fear for the rumour that shall be heard in the land; a rumour shall both come one year, and after that in another year shall come a rumour, and violence in the land, ruler against ruler.

“preserve” Hebrew H5341 · used in 62 verses

  • Exodus 34:7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.
  • Psalms 119:33 HE. Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.
  • Proverbs 13:3 He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.

“goings” Hebrew H6471 · used in 108 verses

  • Genesis 2:23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
  • Deuteronomy 9:19 For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure, wherewith the LORD was wroth against you to destroy you. But the LORD hearkened unto me at that time also.
  • 2 Kings 5:10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.