Psalms 140:8Yahweh, don't grant the desires of the wicked. Don't let their evil plans succeed, or they will become proud. Selah.
The setting
Ancient Israel, ~1000 BC. David hiding in caves or palace, surrounded by enemies plotting his downfall...
The emotion here: exhausted from running, choosing prayer over revenge
The original word
rasha (רָשָׁע) — actively wicked, not just sinful but deliberately harmful
Why it matters
David wrote this while Saul's men were hunting him with 3,000 soldiers
Read with care
What most readers miss in Psalms 140:8
The 'Selah' means David paused here — this wasn't anger, it was disciplined prayer
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about personal revenge, but David is asking God to prevent evil people from succeeding so they won't hurt others. It's protection, not payback.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Psalms 140:8
Bible Genome reading
Psalms 140:8 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Psalms 140:8 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 seeking, with a comfort power of 60% and a tone that is urgent. It belongs to the psalm genre of biblical literature. Key themes include justice, prayer for protection, evil opposition. Notable phrases: don't grant the desires of the wicked. This verse is a prayer.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same seeking
“Pray without ceasing.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:17
“But let justice roll on like rivers, and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
— Amos 5:24
“Be it far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that …”
— Genesis 18:25
“Call to me, and I will answer you, and will show you great things, and difficult, which you don't know.”
— Jeremiah 33:3
“Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evi…”
— Luke 11:4
Your reflection
What does Psalms 140:8 mean to you, today?
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