· Translation: KJV

Psalms 140:2those who devise mischief in their hearts. They continually gather themselves together for war.

The setting

Ancient Israel, likely during David's reign. A leader under attack writes in fear as enemies plot against him in Jerusalem, modern-day Israel.

The emotion here: paranoid but not delusional - real enemies, real fear

The original word

zamam (זָמַם) — to plot with deliberate intention, not random hostility but calculated evil

Why it matters

Ancient warfare often began with months of political scheming before actual battle

Read with care

What most readers miss in Psalms 140:2

The phrase 'gather themselves together' implies organized conspiracy, not individual hatred

Common misconceptionPeople think this is about spiritual warfare with demons, but it's about actual human enemies with real plans to cause harm.

Bible Genome reading

Psalms 140:2 — Bible Genome reading

SpeakerDavid
EraUnited Kingdom
Primary emotionanxious
Literary typepsalm
MarkPrayer

Emotional genome

Comfort power30%
Quotability40%
Memorability50%
Crisis relevance90%
Standalone50%
Themes:enemy schemesconstant warfare

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open Psalms 140

Psalms 140:2 comes from the book of Psalms, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to David. The dominant emotion in this verse is anxious, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the psalm genre of biblical literature. Key themes include enemy schemes, constant warfare. Notable phrases: devise mischief in their hearts. This verse is a prayer.

Your reflection

What does Psalms 140:2 mean to you, today?

A short note. A question. A prayer. Saved privately to your Soul Garden, dated, and tied to this verse forever.

Speak your heart →

Get 3 verses for "anxious"

Delivered to your inbox right now. Free.