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Selected Verse: Psalms 140:9 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ps 140:9	Strong Concordance	As for the head [07218] of those that compass me about [04524], let the mischief [05999] of their own lips [08193] cover [03680] them.
	King James	As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
Contrasts his head covered by God (Psa 140:7) with theirs, or (as "head" may be used for "persons") with them, covered with the results of their wicked deeds (Psa 7:16).

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

Contrasts his head covered by God (Psa 140:7) with theirs, or (as "head" may be used for "persons") with them, covered with the results of their wicked deeds (Psa 7:16).

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
As for the head of those that compass me about - Luther renders this, "The calamity which my enemies design against me must fall upon their own heads." The passage stands in contrast with Psa 140:7 : "Thou hast covered my head," etc. As for his own head, it had been protected in the day of battle. In reference now to the heads of his enemies - of those that compassed him about - he prays that what they had designed for "his" head might come by a just retribution on their own. The phrase "compass me about" refers to his enemies as being numerous, and as surrounding him on every side. See Psa 40:12; Psa 88:17; Psa 109:3; Psa 118:10-12. Let the mischief of their own lips cover them - Come upon them. The mischief which they have designed against me; that which they have conspired to bring on me. The reference is to a combination against him, or to some agreement which they had made to destroy him.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
The strophic symmetry is now at an end. The longer the poet lingers over the contemplation of the rebels the more lofty and dignified does his language become, the more particular the choice of the expressions, and the more difficult and unmanageable the construction. The Hiph. הסב signifies, causatively, to cause to go round about (Exo 13:18), and to raise round about (Ch2 14:6); here, after Jos 6:11, where with an accusative following it signifies to go round about: to make the circuit of anything, as enemies who surround a city on all sides and seek the most favourable point for assault; מסבּי from the participle מסב. Even when derived from the substantive מסב (Hupfeld), "my surroundings" is equivalent to איבי סביבותי in Psa 27:6. Hitzig, on the other hand, renders it: the head of my slanderers, from סבב, to go round about, Arabic to tell tales of any one, defame; but the Arabic sbb, fut. u, to abuse, the IV form (Hiphil) of which moreover is not used either in the ancient or in the modern language, has nothing to do with the Hebrew סבב, but signifies originally to cut off round about, then to clip (injure) any one's honour and good name. (Note: The lexicographer Neshwn says, i. 279b: Arab. 'l-sbb 'l - šatm w-qı̂l an aṣl 'l-sbb 'l - qaṭ‛ ṯm ṣâr 'l - štm, "sebb is to abuse; still, the more original signification of cutting off is said to lie at the foundation of this signification." That Arab. qṭ‛ is synonymous with it, e.g., Arab. lı̂štqt‛fı̂nâ, why dost thou cut into us? i.e., why dost thou insult our honour? - Wetzstein.) The fact that the enemies who surround the psalmist on every side are just such calumniators, is intimated here in the word שׂפתימו. He wishes that the trouble which the enemies' slanderous lips occasion him may fall back upon their own head. ראשׁ is head in the first and literal sense according to Psa 7:17; and יכסּימו (with the Jod of the groundform kcy, as in Deu 32:26; Kg1 20:35; Chethb יכסּוּמו, (Note: Which is favoured by Exo 15:5, jechasjûmû with mû instead of mô, which is otherwise without example.) after the attractional schema, Sa2 2:4; Isa 2:11, and frequently; cf. on the masculine form, Pro 5:2; Pro 10:21) refers back to ראשׁ, which is meant of the heads of all persons individually. In Psa 140:11 ימיטוּ (with an indefinite subject of the higher punitive powers, Ges. 137, note), in the signification to cause to descend, has a support in Psa 55:4, whereas the Niph. נמוט, fut. ימּט, which is preferred by the Ker, in the signification to be made to descend, is contrary to the usage of the language. The ἅπ. λεγ. מהמרות has been combined by Parchon and others with the Arabic hmr, which, together with other significations (to strike, stamp, cast down, and the like), also has the signification to flow (whence e.g., in the Koran, mâ' munhamir, flowing water). "Fire" and "water" are emblems of perils that cannot be escaped, Psa 66:12, and the mention of fire is therefore appropriately succeeded by places of flowing water, pits of water. The signification "pits" is attested by the Targum, Symmachus, Jerome, and the quotation in Kimchi: "first of all they buried them in מהמורות; when the flesh was consumed they collected the bones and buried them in coffins." On בּל־יקוּמוּ cf. Isa 26:14. Like Psa 140:10-11, Psa 140:12 is also not to be taken as a general maxim, but as expressing a wish in accordance with the excited tone of this strophe. אישׁ לשׁון is not a great talker, i.e., boaster, but an idle talker, i.e., slanderer (lxx ἀνὴρ γλωσσώδης, cf. Sir. 8:4). According to the accents, אישׁ חמס רע is the parallel; but what would be the object of this designation of violence as worse or more malignant? With Sommer, Olshausen, and others, we take רע as the subject to יצוּדנּוּ: let evil, i.e., the punishment which arises out of evil, hunt him; cf. Pro 13:21, חטּאים תּרדּף רעה, and the opposite in Psa 23:6. It would have to be accented, according to this our construction of the words, אישׁ חמס רע יצודני למדחפת. The ἅπ. λεγ. למדחפת we do not render, with Hengstenberg, Olshausen, and others: push upon push, with repeated pushes, which, to say nothing more, is not suited to the figure of hunting, but, since דּחף always has the signification of precipitate hastening: by hastenings, that is to say, forced marches.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

The strophic symmetry is now at an end. The longer the poet lingers over the contemplation of the rebels the more lofty and dignified does his language become, the more particular the choice of the expressions, and the more difficult and unmanageable the construction. The Hiph. הסב signifies, causatively, to cause to go round about (Exo 13:18), and to raise round about (Ch2 14:6); here, after Jos 6:11, where with an accusative following it signifies to go round about: to make the circuit of anything, as enemies who surround a city on all sides and seek the most favourable point for assault; מסבּי from the participle מסב. Even when derived from the substantive מסב (Hupfeld), "my surroundings" is equivalent to איבי סביבותי in Psa 27:6. Hitzig, on the other hand, renders it: the head of my slanderers, from סבב, to go round about, Arabic to tell tales of any one, defame; but the Arabic sbb, fut. u, to abuse, the IV form (Hiphil) of which moreover is not used either in the ancient or in the modern language, has nothing to do with the Hebrew סבב, but signifies originally to cut off round about, then to clip (injure) any one's honour and good name.

(Note: The lexicographer Neshwn says, i. 279b: Arab. 'l-sbb 'l - šatm w-qı̂l an aṣl 'l-sbb 'l - qaṭ‛ ṯm ṣâr 'l - štm, "sebb is to abuse; still, the more original signification of cutting off is said to lie at the foundation of this signification." That Arab. qṭ‛ is synonymous with it, e.g., Arab. lı̂štqt‛fı̂nâ, why dost thou cut into us? i.e., why dost thou insult our honour? - Wetzstein.)

The fact that the enemies who surround the psalmist on every side are just such calumniators, is intimated here in the word שׂפתימו. He wishes that the trouble which the enemies' slanderous lips occasion him may fall back upon their own head. ראשׁ is head in the first and literal sense according to Psa 7:17; and יכסּימו (with the Jod of the groundform kcy, as in Deu 32:26; Kg1 20:35; Chethb יכסּוּמו,

(Note: Which is favoured by Exo 15:5, jechasjûmû with mû instead of mô, which is otherwise without example.)

after the attractional schema, Sa2 2:4; Isa 2:11, and frequently; cf. on the masculine form, Pro 5:2; Pro 10:21) refers back to ראשׁ, which is meant of the heads of all persons individually. In Psa 140:11 ימיטוּ (with an indefinite subject of the higher punitive powers, Ges. 137, note), in the signification to cause to descend, has a support in Psa 55:4, whereas the Niph. נמוט, fut. ימּט, which is preferred by the Ker, in the signification to be made to descend, is contrary to the usage of the language. The ἅπ. λεγ. מהמרות has been combined by Parchon and others with the Arabic hmr, which, together with other significations (to strike, stamp, cast down, and the like), also has the signification to flow (whence e.g., in the Koran, mâ' munhamir, flowing water). "Fire" and "water" are emblems of perils that cannot be escaped, Psa 66:12, and the mention of fire is therefore appropriately succeeded by places of flowing water, pits of water. The signification "pits" is attested by the Targum, Symmachus, Jerome, and the quotation in Kimchi: "first of all they buried them in מהמורות; when the flesh was consumed they collected the bones and buried them in coffins." On בּל־יקוּמוּ cf. Isa 26:14. Like Psa 140:10-11, Psa 140:12 is also not to be taken as a general maxim, but as expressing a wish in accordance with the excited tone of this strophe. אישׁ לשׁון is not a great talker, i.e., boaster, but an idle talker, i.e., slanderer (lxx ἀνὴρ γλωσσώδης, cf. Sir. 8:4). According to the accents, אישׁ חמס רע is the parallel; but what would be the object of this designation of violence as worse or more malignant? With Sommer, Olshausen, and others, we take רע as the subject to יצוּדנּוּ: let evil, i.e., the punishment which arises out of evil, hunt him; cf. Pro 13:21, חטּאים תּרדּף רעה, and the opposite in Psa 23:6. It would have to be accented, according to this our construction of the words, אישׁ חמס רע יצודני למדחפת. The ἅπ. λεγ. למדחפת we do not render, with Hengstenberg, Olshausen, and others: push upon push, with repeated pushes, which, to say nothing more, is not suited to the figure of hunting, but, since דּחף always has the signification of precipitate hastening: by hastenings, that is to say, forced marches.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Mischief - The mischief which they design against me, shall fall upon themselves.

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¹⁶ His mischief [05999] shall return [07725] upon his own head [07218], and his violent [02555] dealing shall come down [03381] upon his own pate [06936].

⁷ O GOD [03069] the Lord [0136], the strength [05797] of my salvation [03444], thou hast covered [05526] my head [07218] in the day [03117] of battle [05402].

¹⁰ All nations [01471] compassed me about [05437]: but in the name [08034] of the LORD [03068] will I destroy [04135] them.
¹¹ They compassed me about [05437]; yea, they compassed me about [05437]: but in the name [08034] of the LORD [03068] I will destroy [04135] them.
¹² They compassed me about [05437] like bees [01682]; they are quenched [01846] as the fire [0784] of thorns [06975]: for in the name [08034] of the LORD [03068] I will destroy [04135] them.

³ They compassed [05437] me about also with words [01697] of hatred [08135]; and fought [03898] against me without a cause [02600].

¹⁷ They came round about [05437] me daily [03117] like water [04325]; they compassed [05362] me about together [03162].

¹² For innumerable [04557] evils [07451] have compassed [0661] me about: mine iniquities [05771] have taken hold [05381] upon me, so that I am not able [03201] to look up [07200]; they are more [06105] than the hairs [08185] of mine head [07218]: therefore my heart [03820] faileth [05800] me.

⁷ O GOD [03069] the Lord [0136], the strength [05797] of my salvation [03444], thou hast covered [05526] my head [07218] in the day [03117] of battle [05402].

⁶ Surely goodness [02896] and mercy [02617] shall follow [07291] me all the days [03117] of my life [02416]: and I will dwell [03427] in the house [01004] of the LORD [03068] for ever [0753] [03117].

²¹ Evil [07451] pursueth [07291] sinners [02400]: but to the righteous [06662] good [02896] shall be repayed [07999].

¹² I know [03045] that the LORD [03068] will maintain [06213] the cause [01779] of the afflicted [06041], and the right [04941] of the poor [034].

¹⁰ Let burning coals [01513] fall [04131] [04131] upon them: let them be cast [05307] into the fire [0784]; into deep pits [04113], that they rise not up again [06965].
¹¹ Let not an evil speaker [0376] [03956] be established [03559] in the earth [0776]: evil [07451] shall hunt [06679] the violent [02555] man [0376] to overthrow [04073] him.

¹⁴ They are dead [04191], they shall not live [02421]; they are deceased [07496], they shall not rise [06965]: therefore hast thou visited [06485] and destroyed [08045] them, and made all their memory [02143] to perish [06].

¹² Thou hast caused men [0582] to ride [07392] over our heads [07218]; we went [0935] through fire [0784] and through water [04325]: but thou broughtest us out [03318] into a wealthy [07310] place.

⁴ My heart [03820] is sore pained [02342] within [07130] me: and the terrors [0367] of death [04194] are fallen [05307] upon me.

¹¹ Let not an evil speaker [0376] [03956] be established [03559] in the earth [0776]: evil [07451] shall hunt [06679] the violent [02555] man [0376] to overthrow [04073] him.

²¹ The lips [08193] of the righteous [06662] feed [07462] many [07227]: but fools [0191] die [04191] for want [02638] of wisdom [03820].

² That thou mayest regard [08104] discretion [04209], and that thy lips [08193] may keep [05341] knowledge [01847].

¹¹ The lofty [01365] looks [05869] of man [0120] shall be humbled [08213], and the haughtiness [07312] of men [0582] shall be bowed down [07817], and the LORD [03068] alone shall be exalted [07682] in that day [03117].

⁴ And the men [0582] of Judah [03063] came [0935], and there they anointed [04886] David [01732] king [04428] over the house [01004] of Judah [03063]. And they told [05046] David [01732], saying [0559], That the men [0582] of Jabeshgilead [03003] [01568] were they that buried [06912] Saul [07586].

⁵ The depths [08415] have covered [03680] them: they sank [03381] into the bottom [04688] as [03644] a stone [068].

³⁵ And a certain [0259] man [0376] of the sons [01121] of the prophets [05030] said [0559] unto his neighbour [07453] in the word [01697] of the LORD [03068], Smite [05221] me, I pray thee. And the man [0376] refused [03985] to smite [05221] him.

²⁶ I said [0559], I would scatter them into corners [06284], I would make the remembrance [02143] of them to cease [07673] from among men [0582]:

¹⁷ I will praise [03034] the LORD [03068] according to his righteousness [06664]: and will sing praise [02167] to the name [08034] of the LORD [03068] most high [05945].

⁶ And now shall mine head [07218] be lifted up [07311] above mine enemies [0341] round about [05439] me: therefore will I offer [02076] in his tabernacle [0168] sacrifices [02077] of joy [08643]; I will sing [07891], yea, I will sing praises [02167] unto the LORD [03068].

¹¹ So the ark [0727] of the LORD [03068] compassed [05437] the city [05892], going about [05362] it once [06471] [0259]: and they came [0935] into the camp [04264], and lodged [03885] in the camp [04264].

⁶ And he built [01129] fenced [04694] cities [05892] in Judah [03063]: for the land [0776] had rest [08252], and he had no war [04421] in those years [08141]; because the LORD [03068] had given him rest [05117].

¹⁸ But God [0430] led [05437] the people [05971] about [05437], through the way [01870] of the wilderness [04057] of the Red [05488] sea [03220]: and the children [01121] of Israel [03478] went up [05927] harnessed [02571] out of the land [0776] of Egypt [04714].