The Meaning of Psalms 140:10 Explained

Psalms 140:10

KJV: Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again.

YLT: They cause to fall on themselves burning coals, Into fire He doth cast them, Into deep pits -- they arise not.

Darby: Let burning coals fall on them; let them be cast into the fire; into deep waters, that they rise not up again.

ASV: Let burning coals fall upon them: Let them be cast into the fire, Into deep pits, whence they shall not rise.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Let burning coals  fall  {08675;04131:08686} upon them: let them be cast  into the fire;  into deep pits,  that they rise not up again. 

What does Psalms 140:10 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 140:1-13 - Confidence In God's Protection
Here is a picture of a man who is beset by foes. Around are slander and hatred; at his feet stratagems and traps. There is no help save in Him who alone can cover the head in the day of battle. Similar experiences befall God's people still. Some are hunted by earthly enemies; others are stung by the fiery darts of the wicked. In Psalms 140:1-5 life is like a path through a forest, where adders hide and where gins are laid. At any moment the foe may break from his ambush. In Psalms 140:6-7 faith discovers God, at such a time, as strength, salvation, and protection.
There follows, in Psalms 140:8-12, a terrible outburst. Instead of the let of the imperative, many read the shall of prediction. We belong to the kingdom of Christ, the teachings of which are given in Matthew 5:1-48. The only coals of fire that we can deal with are those of love and mercy, which we heap on the heads of our enemies. The least in the kingdom of love stands on a higher plane than the greatest in the kingdom of law. But let the wicked remember Romans 2:5. The psalm ends in a gladder strain, Psalms 140:13. There is an inner sanctuary where we shall be safe! [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 140

1  David prays to be delivered from Saul and Doeg
8  He prays against them
12  He comforts himself by confidence in God

What do the individual words in Psalms 140:10 mean?

- Let fall upon them burning coals into the fire let them be cast Into deep pits not that they rise up again
[ימיטו] (יִמּ֥וֹטוּ) עֲלֵיהֶ֗ם גֶּֽחָ֫לִ֥ים בָּאֵ֥שׁ יַפִּלֵ֑ם בְּ֝מַהֲמֹר֗וֹת בַּֽל־ יָקֽוּמוּ

[ימיטו]  - 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אֲבַדֹּה  
Sense: a lost thing, something lost, a perishing.
(יִמּ֥וֹטוּ)  Let  fall 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: מֹוט  
Sense: to totter, shake, slip.
עֲלֵיהֶ֗ם  upon  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
גֶּֽחָ֫לִ֥ים  burning  coals 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: גַּחַל 
Sense: coal, burning coal, coals of fire, hot coals.
בָּאֵ֥שׁ  into  the  fire 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.
יַפִּלֵ֑ם  let  them  be  cast 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.
בְּ֝מַהֲמֹר֗וֹת  Into  deep  pits 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine plural
Root: מַהֲמֹרֹות  
Sense: a flood, a pit of water, watery pit.
יָקֽוּמוּ  that  they  rise  up  again 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.