Psalm 140:9
New International Version
Those who surround me proudly rear their heads; may the mischief of their lips engulf them.

New Living Translation
Let my enemies be destroyed by the very evil they have planned for me.

English Standard Version
As for the head of those who surround me, let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them!

Berean Standard Bible
May the heads of those who surround me be covered in the trouble their lips have caused.

King James Bible
As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.

New King James Version
As for the head of those who surround me, Let the evil of their lips cover them;

New American Standard Bible
“As for the head of those who surround me, May the harm of their lips cover them.

NASB 1995
“As for the head of those who surround me, May the mischief of their lips cover them.

NASB 1977
“As for the head of those who surround me, May the mischief of their lips cover them.

Legacy Standard Bible
“As for the head of those who surround me, May the trouble from their lips cover them.

Amplified Bible
“Those who surround me raise their heads; May the mischief of their own lips come upon them.

Christian Standard Bible
When those who surround me rise up, may the trouble their lips cause overwhelm them.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When those who surround me rise up, may the trouble their lips cause overwhelm them.

American Standard Version
As for the head of those that compass me about, Let the mischief of their own lips cover them.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
The evil of their lips will cover them.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
As for the head of them that compass me, the mischief of their lips shall cover them.

Contemporary English Version
They have me surrounded, but make them the victims of their own vicious lies.

Douay-Rheims Bible
The head of them compassing me about: the labour of their lips shall overwhelm them.

English Revised Version
As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Let the heads of those who surround me be covered with their own threats.

Good News Translation
Don't let my enemies be victorious; make their threats against me fall back on them.

International Standard Version
May those who surround me discover that the trouble they talk about falls on their own head!

JPS Tanakh 1917
As for the head of those that compass me about, Let the mischief of their own lips cover them.

Literal Standard Version
The chief of my surrounders, | The perverseness of their lips covers them.

Majority Standard Bible
May the heads of those who surround me be covered in the trouble their lips have caused.

New American Bible
Those who surround me raise their heads; may the mischief they threaten overwhelm them.

NET Bible
As for the heads of those who surround me--may the harm done by their lips overwhelm them!

New Revised Standard Version
Those who surround me lift up their heads; let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them!

New Heart English Bible
As for the head of those who surround me, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.

Webster's Bible Translation
As for the head of those that encompass me, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.

World English Bible
As for the head of those who surround me, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.

Young's Literal Translation
The chief of my surrounders, The perverseness of their lips covereth them.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Rescue Me, O LORD, From Evil Men
8Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked; do not promote their evil plans, lest they be exalted. Selah 9May the heads of those who surround me be covered in the trouble their lips have caused. 10May burning coals fall on them; may they be thrown into the fire, into the miry pits, never to rise again.…

Cross References
Psalm 7:16
His trouble recoils on himself, and his violence falls on his own head.

Psalm 94:23
He will bring upon them their own iniquity and destroy them for their wickedness. The LORD our God will destroy them.

Proverbs 18:7
A fool's mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul.


Treasury of Scripture

As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.

let the mischief

Psalm 7:16
His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.

Psalm 64:8
So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away.

Psalm 94:23
And he shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; yea, the LORD our God shall cut them off.

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Caused Chief Compass Cover Covered Covereth Encompass Evil Head Heads Lips Mischief Overwhelm Perverseness Round Surround Surrounders Trouble
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Caused Chief Compass Cover Covered Covereth Encompass Evil Head Heads Lips Mischief Overwhelm Perverseness Round Surround Surrounders Trouble
Psalm 140
1. David prays to be delivered from Saul and Doeg
8. He prays against them
12. He comforts himself by confidence in God














(9) Head.--Ewald, who keeps to the text, takes rosh in the sense of poison (see Psalm 69:22, Note):--

"The poison of those encircling me,

Let them be covered with the perdition of their lips.

This brings Psalm 140:8-9 into harmony with Psalm 140:4. But the emendation given above is better.

Verse 9 - As for the head of those that compass me about. The "head" of David's enemies is put in contrast with his own "head" (see ver. 7). While God shields and protects his head, theirs has no protection, but the mischief of their own lips which covers them, but with confusion, rather than with defense or safety.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
May the heads
רֹ֥אשׁ (rōš)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7218: The head

of those who surround me
מְסִבָּ֑י (mə·sib·bāy)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 4524: That which surrounds or is round

be covered
יְכַסֵּֽמוֹ׃‪‬ (yə·ḵas·sê·mōw)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 3680: To plump, fill up hollows, to cover

in the trouble
עֲמַ֖ל (‘ă·mal)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5999: Toil, wearing effort, worry, wheth, of body, mind

their lips have caused.
שְׂפָתֵ֣ימוֹ (śə·p̄ā·ṯê·mōw)
Noun - fdc | third person masculine plural
Strong's 8193: The lip, language, a margin


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OT Poetry: Psalm 140:9 As for the head of those who (Psalm Ps Psa.)
Psalm 140:8
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