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Psalm 140:4

LORD, keep me from the hands of the wicked. Preserve me from the violent men who have determined to trip my feet.

2those who devise mischief in their hearts. They continually gather themselves together for war.
3They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent. Viper’s poison is under their lips. Selah.
4LORD, keep me from the hands of the wicked. Preserve me from the violent men who have determined to trip my feet.
5The proud have hidden a snare for me, they have spread the cords of a net by the path. They have set traps for me. Selah.
6I said to the LORD, “You are my God.” Listen to the cry of my petitions, LORD.
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← Psalm 140:3Psalm 140:5 →
Notice

Hands that seize and feet that stumble make the danger concrete: the speaker asks God for protection from people intent on causing harm.

Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.

What does the phrase “determined to trip my feet” reveal about the danger behind this prayer?

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Who comes to mind when you read this plea for protection from violent people?

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Connect

Where else Scripture says this

7 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.

This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
Psalm 118:13You pushed me back hard, to make me fall, but the LORD helped me.Both describe someone intent on making the speaker fall; Psalm 140 asks for protection, while Psalm 118 recounts the LORD’s help.
Psalm 140:1For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. Deliver me, LORD, from evil men. Preserve me from violent men:Both verses ask the LORD to preserve the speaker from violent men, repeating the plea for protection within the same psalm.
Psalm 36:11Don’t let the foot of pride come against me. Don’t let the hand of the wicked drive me away.Both prayers name the hands of the wicked as a threat and ask God to keep those people from overpowering the speaker.
Psalm 18:48He rescues me from my enemies. Yes, you lift me up above those who rise up against me. You deliver me from the violent man.Deliverance from violent people links these texts: Psalm 140 pleads for protection, while Psalm 18 declares that God rescues the speaker.
2 Samuel 22:3God is my rock in whom I take refuge; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge. My savior, you save me from violence.Both turn to God for safety from violence, with Samuel’s song describing him as refuge and the psalm asking him to preserve.
2 Samuel 22:49who brings me away from my enemies. Yes, you lift me up above those who rise up against me. You deliver me from the violent man.Both speak of violent opponents and God’s deliverance, one as a plea for preservation and the other as praise for rescue.
Proverbs 18:5To be partial to the faces of the wicked is not good, nor to deprive the innocent of justice.The shared thread is harm involving the wicked; Proverbs condemns unjust treatment, while the psalm seeks protection from violent people.
Where this verse fits

Injustice and anger. fear for the future.

What the Bible says about anger →What the Bible says about fear →
One step

Something small to carry out of this verse

Pray for someone facing violence, using this verse

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Encouragement

The threat remains unresolved in this verse. Asking God for protection has a place in faithful prayer, and the harm intended by violent people can be named before him.

Now put it in your words.

Start an entry on Psalm 140:4. Write what it stirs. Psalmlog sets your words beside Scripture and gives you one next step. Your first entry is free, no account needed.

Keep goingPsalm 140 · the whole chapter with its connection mapPsalms · every chapterBuild a reading plan through Psalms

Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).