The Meaning of Psalms 140:7 Explained

Psalms 140:7

KJV: O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.

YLT: O Jehovah, my Lord, strength of my salvation, Thou hast covered my head in the day of armour.

Darby: Jehovah, the Lord, is the strength of my salvation: thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.

ASV: O Jehovah the Lord, the strength of my salvation, Thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

O GOD  the Lord,  the strength  of my salvation,  thou hast covered  my head  in the day  of battle. 

What does Psalms 140:7 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 140:7 mean?

GOD the Lord the strength of my salvation You have covered my head in the day of battle
יְהֹוִ֣ה אֲ֭דֹנָי עֹ֣ז יְשׁוּעָתִ֑י סַכֹּ֥תָה לְ֝רֹאשִׁ֗י בְּי֣וֹם נָֽשֶׁק

יְהֹוִ֣ה  GOD 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: Jehovah—used primarily in the combination ‘Lord Jehovah’.
אֲ֭דֹנָי  the  Lord 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲדֹנָי  
Sense: my lord, lord.
עֹ֣ז  the  strength 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עֹז  
Sense: might, strength.
יְשׁוּעָתִ֑י  of  my  salvation 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: יְשׁוּעָה  
Sense: salvation, deliverance.
סַכֹּ֥תָה  You  have  covered 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: סוּךְ 
Sense: (Qal) to hedge, fence about, shut in.
לְ֝רֹאשִׁ֗י  my  head 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
בְּי֣וֹם  in  the  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
נָֽשֶׁק  of  battle 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: נֶשֶׁק 
Sense: equipment, weapons, armoury.