What does Psalms Chapter 139 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Evil men’s plans and serpent tongues accompany rescue requests. Past head overshadowing differs from requested protection. Future ruin and justice close with future praise and dwelling.

Chapter breakdown

Eripe me, Domine is the incipit with wicked-deliverance heading and unto-the-end psalm of David inscription. The speaker asks rescue from evil and unjust men who devise iniquity and battles all day. Tongues are sharpened like serpent, asp venom beneath lips, not literal fangs substituted. He asks keeping from wicked hands and rescuing from men proposing to supplant steps. Proud people hid net, stretched snare cords and placed a wayside stumblingblock.

He said Thou art my God and asks hearing, names the Lord salvation’s strength and recalls head overshadowed on battle day. No helmet is specified. He asks not to be given up from my desire to wicked, not forsaken lest plotters triumph. The wording is not changed to their desire.

The labor of surrounding heads’ lips shall overwhelm them; coals shall fall and God will cast them into fire with inability to stand in miseries. A tongue-full man shall not be established and evil shall catch unjust unto destruction. The speaker knows the Lord will do needy justice and revenge poor; just people shall glorify and upright shall dwell with countenance. These future assertions remain attributed without a witnessed triumphant resolution, added eternity or causal law of intrinsic self-destruction.

The story inside

Opening: Evil men’s plans and serpent tongues accompany rescue requests. Development: Past head overshadowing differs from requested protection. Conclusion: Future ruin and justice close with future praise and dwelling.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Evil men’s plans and serpent tongues accompany rescue requests.
2
Past head overshadowing differs from requested protection.
3
Future ruin and justice close with future praise and dwelling.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 66688–66689
Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: rescue me from the unjust man.
Lines 66694–66695
They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent: the venom of asps is under their lips.
Lines 66700–66702
The proud have hidden a net for me. And they have stretched out cords for a snare: they have laid for me a stumblingblock by the wayside.
Lines 66707–66708
O Lord, Lord, the strength of my salvation: thou hast overshadowed my head in the day of battle.
Lines 66719–66720
A man full of tongue shall not be established in the earth: evil shall catch the unjust man unto destruction.
Lines 66722–66723
I know that the Lord will do justice to the needy, and will revenge the poor.
Lines 66725–66726
But as for the just, they shall give glory to thy name: and the upright shall dwell with thy countenance.