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A Davidic Song

A Prayer for Maturity

141 Lord, I call to you,
    be quick to listen to me when I cry out!
Let my prayer be like incense offered before you,
    and my uplifted hands like the evening sacrifice.

Lord, set a guard over my mouth;
    keep watch over the door to my lips.
Don’t let my heart turn toward evil
    or involve itself in wicked activities
with men who practice iniquity.
    Let me not feast on their delicacies.

Let one who is righteous strike me;
    It is an act of gracious love.
Let him rebuke me,
    because it is oil for my head;
    do not let my head refuse it.
My prayers continuously will be
    against their wicked activities.
When their judges are thrown off the cliff,
    the people[a] will hear my words,
        for they are appropriate.

Just as one plows and breaks up the earth,
    our[b] bones are scattered
        near the entrance to the place of the dead.[c]
Nevertheless, my eyes are on you, Lord God,
    as I seek protection in you.
        Don’t leave me defenseless!
Protect me from the trap laid for me
    and from the snares of those who practice evil.
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
    while I come through.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 141:6 Lit. they
  2. Psalm 141:7 So MT LXX; DSS 11QPsa reads my; Syr reads their
  3. Psalm 141:7 Lit. to Sheol; i.e. the realm of the dead

Psalm 141

A psalm of David.

I call to you, Lord, come quickly(A) to me;
    hear me(B) when I call to you.
May my prayer be set before you like incense;(C)
    may the lifting up of my hands(D) be like the evening sacrifice.(E)

Set a guard over my mouth,(F) Lord;
    keep watch over the door of my lips.(G)
Do not let my heart(H) be drawn to what is evil
    so that I take part in wicked deeds(I)
along with those who are evildoers;
    do not let me eat their delicacies.(J)

Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness;
    let him rebuke me(K)—that is oil on my head.(L)
My head will not refuse it,
    for my prayer will still be against the deeds of evildoers.

Their rulers will be thrown down from the cliffs,(M)
    and the wicked will learn that my words were well spoken.
They will say, “As one plows(N) and breaks up the earth,(O)
    so our bones have been scattered at the mouth(P) of the grave.”

But my eyes are fixed(Q) on you, Sovereign Lord;
    in you I take refuge(R)—do not give me over to death.
Keep me safe(S) from the traps set by evildoers,(T)
    from the snares(U) they have laid for me.
10 Let the wicked fall(V) into their own nets,
    while I pass by in safety.(W)

141 Lord, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.

Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.

Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.

Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.

When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.

Our bones are scattered at the grave's mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth.

But mine eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.

Keep me from the snares which they have laid for me, and the gins of the workers of iniquity.

10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal escape.