— Psalm 140 (Vulgate / Hebrew)
Eripe me, Domine, ab homine malo
By GRAHAM JOHN
A psalm of protection and moral clarity, confronting violence, manipulation, and the destructive power of speech, while affirming trust in divine justice.
14 verses total
VERSUS 1–14 (LATIN + LITERAL ENGLISH + WORD NOTES)
1
Eripe me, Domine, ab homine malo: a viro iniquo eripe me.
Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man; rescue me from the unjust man.
Word Notes
- ēripiō, ēripere, ēripuī, ēriptum — to rescue, snatch away
- homo, hominis (m.) — man
- malus, mala, malum — evil
- iniquus, iniqua, iniquum — unjust, wicked
2
Qui cogitaverunt iniquitates in corde: tota die constituebant prælia.
Who devised injustices in their heart; all day long they stirred up battles.
Word Notes
- cogitō, cogitāre, cogitāvī — to devise, plan
- iniquitas, iniquitatis (f.) — injustice
- constituō, constituere, constituī — to set up
- prœlium, prœliī (n.) — battle
3
Acuērunt linguas suas sicut serpentis: venenum aspidum sub labiis eorum.
They sharpened their tongues like a serpent’s; the venom of asps is under their lips.
Word Notes
- acuō, acuere, acuī, acūtum — to sharpen
- lingua, linguae (f.) — tongue
- serpens, serpentis (m./f.) — serpent
- venēnum, venēnī (n.) — poison
- aspis, aspidis (f.) — asp, viper
- labium, labiī (n.) — lip
4
Custodi me, Domine, de manu peccatoris: et ab hominibus iniquis eripe me.
Guard me, O Lord, from the hand of the sinner; and rescue me from unjust men.
Word Notes
- custōdiō, custōdīre, custōdīvī — to guard
- manus, manūs (f.) — hand
- peccātor, peccātōris (m.) — sinner
5
Qui cogitaverunt supplantare gressus meos: absconderunt superbi laqueum mihi.
Who planned to trip my steps; the proud hid a snare for me.
Word Notes
- supplantō, supplantāre, supplantāvī — to trip up
- gressus, gressūs (m.) — step
- abscondō, abscondere, abscondī — to hide
- superbus, superba, superbum — proud
- laqueus, laqueī (m.) — snare
6
Et funes extenderunt in laqueum pedibus meis: juxta iter scandalum posuerunt mihi.
They stretched cords for a snare for my feet; beside the path they set a stumbling block for me.
Word Notes
- funis, funis (m.) — rope, cord
- extendō, extendere, extendī, extentum — to stretch
- pes, pedis (m.) — foot
- scandalum, scandalī (n.) — stumbling block
7
Dixi Domino: Deus meus es tu: exaudi, Domine, vocem deprecationis meæ.
I said to the Lord: You are my God; hear, O Lord, the voice of my plea.
Word Notes
- dīcō, dīcere, dīxī, dictum — to say
- exaudiō, exaudīre, exaudīvī — to hear, answer
- dēprecātiō, dēprecātiōnis (f.) — supplication
8
Domine, Domine, virtus salutis meæ: obumbrasti super caput meum in die belli.
O Lord, Lord, strength of my salvation: you have covered my head in the day of battle.
Word Notes
- virtus, virtutis (f.) — strength
- salūs, salūtis (f.) — salvation
- obumbrō, obumbrāre, obumbrāvī — to overshadow
- bellum, bellī (n.) — war
9
Ne tradas me, Domine, a desiderio meo peccatori: cogitaverunt adversus me, ne derelinquas me.
Do not hand me over, O Lord, to the desire of the sinner; they have plotted against me — do not abandon me.
Word Notes
- trādō, trādere, trādidī, trāditum — to hand over
- desiderium, desideriī (n.) — desire
- adversus — against
- derelinquō, derelinquere, derelīquī — to abandon
10
Caput circuitus eorum: labor labiorum ipsorum operiet eos.
The head of their plotting — the labour of their lips will cover them.
Word Notes
- circuitus, circuitūs (m.) — encircling, scheme
- labor, labōris (m.) — labour, toil
- operiō, operīre, operuī, opertum — to cover
11
Cadent super eos carbones: in ignem dejicies eos, in miseriis non subsistent.
Coals will fall upon them; you will cast them into fire; in misery they will not endure.
Word Notes
- carbō, carbōnis (m.) — coal
- dēiciō, dēicere, dēiēcī — to cast down
- ignis, ignis (m.) — fire
- subsistō, subsistere, substitī — to endure
12
Vir linguosus non dirigetur in terra: virum injustum mala capient in interitu.
A man of slander will not prosper on the earth; evil will seize the unjust man unto destruction.
Word Notes
- linguōsus, linguōsa, linguōsum — talkative, slanderous
- dīrigō, dīrigere, dīrēxī, dīrectum — to establish, direct
- interitus, interitūs (m.) — destruction
13
Cognovi quia faciet Dominus judicium inopis: et vindictam pauperum.
I know that the Lord will execute justice for the poor and vindication for the needy.
Word Notes
- cognōscō, cognōscere, cognōvī — to know
- judicium, judiciī (n.) — justice
- inops, inopis (m./f.) — poor
- pauper, pauperis (m./f.) — needy
14
Verumtamen justi confitebuntur nomini tuo: et habitabunt recti cum vultu tuo.
Surely the righteous will give thanks to your name, and the upright will dwell in your presence.
Word Notes
- verumtamen — nevertheless, surely
- justus, justa, justum — righteous
- habitō, habitāre, habitāvī — to dwell
- vultus, vultūs (m.) — face, presence
MORPHOLOGY EXERCISES (5)
Identify tense, voice, mood, and principal parts:
- eripe
- cogitaverunt
- acuērunt
- obumbrasti
- confitebuntur
MORPHOLOGY EXERCISES — KEY
eripe
- Verb: ēripiō, ēripere, ēripuī, ēriptum
- Tense: present
- Voice: active
- Mood: imperative
- Meaning: deliver!
cogitaverunt
- Verb: cogitō, cogitāre, cogitāvī
- Tense: perfect
- Voice: active
- Mood: indicative
- Meaning: they devised
acuērunt
- Verb: acuō, acuere, acuī, acūtum
- Tense: perfect
- Voice: active
- Mood: indicative
- Meaning: they sharpened
obumbrasti
- Verb: obumbrō, obumbrāre, obumbrāvī
- Tense: perfect
- Voice: active
- Mood: indicative
- Meaning: you covered
confitebuntur
- Verb: confiteor, confiteri, confessus sum
- Tense: future
- Voice: deponent
- Mood: indicative
- Meaning: they will give thanks
TRANSLATION EXERCISES (5)
Translate into Latin:
- Deliver me from the evil man.
- They sharpened their tongues.
- Guard me from unjust men.
- The Lord will judge the poor.
- The righteous will dwell in your presence.
TRANSLATION EXERCISES — KEY
- Eripe me ab homine malo.
- Acuerunt linguas suas.
- Custodi me ab hominibus iniquis.
- Dominus faciet judicium inopis.
- Justi habitabunt cum vultu tuo.
SUMMARY (≈120 words)
Psalm 140 confronts the ethics of conflict, especially the violence carried by speech. The enemy is not only physical but verbal: tongues sharpened like weapons, plots laid in words. The psalmist refuses to meet deceit with deceit, instead anchoring resistance in prayer and trust. Justice is not seized but awaited. Significantly, the psalm ends not with triumph but with presence: the righteous dwell before God. Survival here is moral before it is physical. Integrity, not dominance, is the true deliverance.
REFLECTION QUESTION
Where in your own experience has harm come not through force, but through words — and what would it mean to resist without becoming what you oppose?