Psalms 140:2
in Psalms 140who devise evil in their hearts and stir up war all day long.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Who devise mischiefs in their heart; Continually do they gather themselves together for war.
KJV
Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.
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This verse in Psalms 140
Commentary
12 notes on this verseWhich imagine mischiefs in their heart,.... This shows that not a single person barely is meant but more, as Saul's courtiers; who were secretly and continually meditating mischief against David, traducing him to Saul, and devising things to take away his life.
This site's exposition
Rescue me, O LORD, from evil men
on Psalms 140:1-3
The danger named is men of violence who devise evil in the heart and stir up war all day. The weapon is the tongue, sharpened like a snake, with the venom of vipers on the lips. Romans 3:13 quotes that last line word for word.
This site's exposition
who devise evil in their hearts
The plotting starts in the heart and ends in open war. The verb for stir up, gur, can mean to gather together, so they gather others for war. Psalm 120:7 sets the same contrast of a man for peace among men bent on war.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Who have devised iniquities in their heart. He is speaking about the heretics.
"Who have imagined unrighteousnesses in their heart" [Psalm 140:2]....From them free me, from them let Your hand be most powerful to deliver me. For easy is it to avoid open enmities, easy is it to turn aside from an enemy declared and manifest, while iniquity is in his lips as well as his heart; he is a troublesome enemy, he is secret, he is with difficulty avoided, who bears good things in his lips, while in his heart he conceals evil things. "All the day long did they make war." What is, "war"? They made for me what I was to fight against all the day. For from thence, from such hearts as these, arises all that the Christian fights against. Be it sedition, be it schism, be it heresy, be it turbulent opposition, it springs not save from these imaginings which were concealed, and while they spoke good words with their lips, "all the day long did they make war." You hear words of peace, yet making war departs not from their thoughts. For the words, "all the day long," signify without intermission, throughout the whole time.
The Reformation1 voice
In general he repeats what I have noticed already, that the hostility to which he was subjected arose from no cause of his. From this we learn that the more wickedly our enemies assail us, and the more of treachery and clandestine acts they manifest, the nearer is the promised aid of the Holy Spirit, who himself dictated this form of prayer by the mouth of David.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Those who can agree in nothing else can agree to persecute a good man. Herod and Pilate will unite in this, and in this they resemble Satan, who is not divided against himself, all the devils agreeing in Beelzebub.
Keep me from doing as they do, or as they would have me do, or as they promise themselves I shall do." Note, The more malice appears in our enemies against us the more earnest we should be in prayer to God to take us under his protection. In him believers may count upon a security, and may enjoy it and themselves with a holy serenity. Those are safe whom God preserves.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
4 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
Which imagine mischiefs in their heart. They cannot be happy unless they are plotting and planning, conspiring and contriving. They seem to have but one heart, for they are completely agreed in their malice; and with all their heart and soul they pursue their victim. One piece of mischief is not enough for them; they work in the plural, and prepare many arrows for their bow. What they cannot actually do they nevertheless like to think over, and to rehearse on the stage of their cruel fancy. It is an awful thing to have such a heart disease as this.
Which imagine mischiefs in their heart. They cannot be happy unless they are plotting and planning, conspiring and contriving. They seem to have but one heart, for they are completely agreed in their malice; and with all their heart and soul they pursue their victim. One piece of mischief is not enough for them; they work in the plural, and prepare many arrows for their bow. What they cannot actually do they nevertheless like to think over, and to rehearse on the stage of their cruel fancy. It is an awful thing to have such a heart disease as this. When the imagination gloats over doing harm to others, it is a sure sign that the entire nature is far gone in wickedness. Continually are they gathered together for war. They are a committee of opposition in permanent session: they never adjourn, but perpetually consider the all absorbing question of how to do the most harm to the man of God. They are a standing army always ready for the fray: they not only go to the wars, but dwell in them. Though they are the worst of company, yet they put up with one another, and are continually in each other's society, confederate for fight. David's enemies were as violent as they were evil, as crafty as they were violent, and as persistent as they were crafty. It is hard dealing with persons who are only in their element when they are at daggers drawn with you. Such a case calls for prayer, and prayer calls on God.
They gathered together - He and his courtiers form plots and cabals against my life.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Which imagine mischiefs in their heart - Here the language is changed to the plural number in the Hebrew, implying that while there was one man who was eminent in his wickedness and his wrong-doing, there were many others associated with him, acting under his direction. The word “mischiefs” in the Hebrew means “evils; wickednesses.” It was not a single purpose; the plan embraced many forms of evil - doing him wrong in every way possible. Continually are they gathered together for war - They are organized for this purpose; they are constantly prepared for it. The word rendered “gathered together” properly means to sojourn, to dwell for a time; and it has been proposed by some to render this, “All the day they dwell with wars;” that is, they are constantly involved in them. But the word may mean also “to gather together,” as in Psa 56:6.
The words behind it
8 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֲשֶׁ֤ר | ʾasher | [those] who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| חָשְׁב֣וּ | chashevu | they plan | H2803 → | 124 times |
| רָע֣וֹת | raot | evil things | H7451 → | 662 times |
| בְּלֵ֑ב | belev | in [the] heart | H3820 → | 595 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| י֝֗וֹם | yom | day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| יָג֥וּרוּ | yaguru | they stir up trouble | H1481 → | 97 times |
| מִלְחָמֽוֹת׃ | milchamot | wars | H4421 → | 320 times |
אֲשֶׁ֤ר[those] who
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
חָשְׁב֣וּthey plan
chashevuH2803 →124 times
רָע֣וֹתevil things
raotH7451 →662 times
בְּלֵ֑בin [the] heart
belevH3820 →595 times
כָּל־every
kol-H3605 →5413 times
י֝֗וֹםday
yomH3117 →2304 times
יָג֥וּרוּthey stir up trouble
yaguruH1481 →97 times
מִלְחָמֽוֹת׃wars
milchamotH4421 →320 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 120:7I am in favor of peace; but when I speak, they want war.
it leads to
- Matthew 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 109:4
In return for my love they accuse me, but I am a man of prayer.
- Psalms 34:14
Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
- Matthew 5:9
Through
Psalms 36:4Even on his bed he plots wickedness; he sets himself on a path that is not good; he fails to reject evil.
it leads to
- Proverbs 4:16
For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall.
- Micah 2:1
Woe to those who devise iniquity and plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they accomplish it because the power is in their hands.
- Isaiah 65:2
All day long I have held out My hands to an obstinate people who walk in the wrong path, who follow their own imaginations,
- Proverbs 4:16
Through
Psalms 56:6They conspire, they lurk, they watch my steps while they wait to take my life.
it leads to
- Psalms 71:10
For my enemies speak against me, and those who lie in wait for my life conspire,
- Psalms 59:3
See how they lie in wait for me. Fierce men conspire against me for no transgression or sin of my own, O LORD.
- Psalms 71:10
About Psalms
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Psalms; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 140; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 7; Jerome, Homily 50, on Psalm 139; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.