Psalms 140:4

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Keep me, O Jehovah, from the hands of the wicked; Preserve me from the violent man: Who have purposed to thrust aside my steps.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

שָֽׁנֲנ֣וּ לְשׁוֹנָם֮ כְּֽמוֹ נָ֫חָ֥שׁ חֲמַ֥ת עַכְשׁ֑וּב תַּ֖חַת שְׂפָתֵ֣ימוֹ סֶֽלָה׃

Transliteration

šānănû ləšônām like nāḥāš ḥămat ʿakšûḇ taḥat śəpātêmô selāh

Grammar Details

*šānănû*: qal perfect 3rd person plural verb - they sharpened
*ləšônām*: feminine singular noun with 3rd person plural suffix - their tongue
*nāḥāš*: masculine singular noun with prefixed preposition kəmô (like) - serpent
*ḥămat*: construct state feminine singular noun - venom/poison of
*ʿakšûḇ*: masculine singular noun - adder/asp/viper
*taḥat*: preposition - under/beneath
*śəpātêmô*: feminine dual noun with 3rd person plural suffix (archaic form) - their lips
*selāh*: musical notation or interlude

Word Meanings

*šānănû*: they sharpened/they honed
*ləšônām*: their tongue/their language
*nāḥāš*: serpent/snake
*ḥămat*: venom of/poison of/fury of
*ʿakšûḇ*: adder/asp/viper
*śəpātêmô*: their lips/their speech
*selāh*: musical interlude/pause/lift up

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Ps 71:4 : 4 Rescue me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, Out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
Prov 18:5 : 5 To respect the person of the wicked is not good, [Nor] to turn aside the righteous in judgment.
Ps 17:8-9 : 8 Keep me as the apple of the eye; Hide me under the shadow of thy wings, 9 From the wicked that oppress me, My deadly enemies, that compass me about.
Ps 36:11 : 11 Let not the foot of pride come against me, And let not the hand of the wicked drive me away.
Ps 37:32-40 : 32 The wicked watcheth the righteous, And seeketh to slay him. 33 Jehovah will not leave him in his hand, Nor condemn him when he is judged. 34 Wait for Jehovah, and keep his way, And he will exalt thee to inherit the land: When the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. 35 I have seen the wicked in great power, And spreading himself like a green tree in its native soil. 36 But one passed by, and, lo, he was not: Yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. 37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; For there is a [happy] end to the man of peace. 38 As for transgressors, they shall be destroyed together; The end of the wicked shall be cut off. 39 But the salvation of the righteous is of Jehovah; He is their stronghold in the time of trouble. 40 And Jehovah helpeth them, and rescueth them; He rescueth them from the wicked, and saveth them, Because they have taken refuge in him.
Ps 55:1-3 : 1 For the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments. Maschil of David. Give ear to my prayer, O God; And hide not thyself from my supplication. 2 Attend unto me, and answer me: I am restless in my complaint, and moan, 3 Because of the voice of the enemy, Because of the oppression of the wicked; For they cast iniquity upon me, And in anger they persecute me.
Ps 17:5 : 5 My steps have held fast to thy paths, My feet have not slipped.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

Ps 140:1
86%
1For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Deliver me, O Jehovah, from the evil man; Preserve me from the violent man:
Ps 141:9-10
2 verses
81%
9Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me, And from the gins of the workers of iniquity.
10Let the wicked fall into their own nets, Whilst that I withal escape.
Ps 71:4
80%
4Rescue me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, Out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
Ps 140:5
80%
5The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; They have spread a net by the wayside; They have set gins for me. {H5542}
Ps 64:2
78%
2Hide me from the secret counsel of evil-doers, From the tumult of the workers of iniquity;
Ps 17:4-5
2 verses
78%
4As for the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the ways of the violent.
5My steps have held fast to thy paths, My feet have not slipped.
Ps 17:8-9
2 verses
78%
8Keep me as the apple of the eye; Hide me under the shadow of thy wings,
9From the wicked that oppress me, My deadly enemies, that compass me about.
Ps 59:1-3
3 verses
77%
1For the Chief Musician; [set to] Al-tashheth. [A Psalm] of David. Michtam; when Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him. Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: Set me on high from them that rise up against me.
2Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, And save me from the bloodthirsty men.
3For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul; The mighty gather themselves together against me: Not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Jehovah.
Ps 36:11
77%
11Let not the foot of pride come against me, And let not the hand of the wicked drive me away.
Ps 140:8-9
2 verses
77%
8Grant not, O Jehovah, the desires of the wicked; Further not his evil device, [lest] they exalt themselves. {H5542}
9As for the head of those that compass me about, Let the mischief of their own lips cover them.
Ps 16:1
76%
1Michtam of David. Preserve me, O God; For in thee do I take refuge.
Ps 28:3
76%
3Draw me not away with the wicked, And with the workers of iniquity; That speak peace with their neighbors, But mischief is in their hearts.
Job 16:11
76%
11God delivereth me to the ungodly, And casteth me into the hands of the wicked.
Ps 86:14
76%
14O God, the proud are risen up against me, And a company of violent men have sought after my soul, And have not set thee before them.
Ps 144:11
75%
11Rescue me, and deliver me out of the hand of {H5236} aliens, Whose mouth speaketh deceit, And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
Ps 31:15
75%
15My times are in thy hand: Deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.
Ps 119:134
75%
134Redeem me from the oppression of man: So will I observe thy precepts.
Ps 17:13
75%
13Arise, O Jehovah, Confront him, cast him down: Deliver my soul from the wicked by thy sword;
Ps 37:32
75%
32The wicked watcheth the righteous, And seeketh to slay him.
Prov 2:12
74%
12To deliver thee from the way of evil, From the men that speak perverse things;
Ps 119:110
74%
110The wicked have laid a snare for me; Yet have I not gone astray from thy precepts.
Ps 141:3-4
2 verses
74%
3Set a watch, O Jehovah, before my mouth; Keep the door of my lips.
4Incline not my heart to any evil thing, To practise deeds of wickedness With men that work iniquity: And let me not eat of their dainties.
2 Sam 22:49
74%
49And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: Yea, thou liftest me up above them that rise up against me; Thou deliverest me from the violent man.
Ps 19:13
74%
13Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous [sins]; Let them not have dominion over me: Then shall I be upright, And I shall be clear from great transgression.
Ps 139:19
74%
19Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: Depart from me therefore, ye bloodthirsty men.
Ps 140:11
74%
11An evil speaker shall not be established in the earth: Evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.
Ps 82:4
74%
4Rescue the poor and needy: Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.
Ps 121:7
74%
7Jehovah will keep thee from all evil; He will keep thy soul.
Ps 13:4
74%
4Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; [Lest] mine adversaries rejoice when I am moved.
Ps 31:4
74%
4Pluck me out of the net that they have laid privily for me; For thou art my stronghold.
Ps 18:48
74%
48He rescueth me from mine enemies; Yea, thou liftest me up above them that rise up against me; Thou deliverest me from the violent man.
Ps 40:11
74%
11Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O Jehovah; Let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.
Ps 143:9
74%
9Deliver me, O Jehovah, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.
Ps 94:16
74%
16Who will rise up for me against the evil-doers? Who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?
Ps 119:115
73%
115Depart from me, ye evil-doers, That I may keep the commandments of my God.
Ps 7:1
73%
1Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto Jehovah, concerning the words of Cush a Benjamite. O Jehovah my God, in thee do I take refuge: Save me from all them that pursue me, and deliver me,
2 Sam 22:19
73%
19They came upon me in the day of my calamity; But Jehovah was my stay.
Ps 120:2
73%
2Deliver my soul, O Jehovah, from lying lips, [And] from a deceitful tongue.
Ps 27:12
73%
12Deliver me not over unto the will of mine adversaries: For false witnesses are risen up against me, And such as breathe out cruelty.
Ps 12:7
73%
7Thou wilt keep them, O Jehovah, Thou wilt preserve them from this generation for ever.
Ps 18:18
73%
18They came upon me in the day of my calamity; But Jehovah was my stay.
Ps 54:3
73%
3For strangers are risen up against me, And violent men have sought after my soul: They have not set God before them. {H5542}
Ps 22:16
73%
16For dogs have compassed me: A company of evil-doers have inclosed me; They pierced my hands and my feet.