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Prayer for Preservation from Evil

A Psalm of David.

141 I call upon thee, O Lord; make haste to me!
    Give ear to my voice, when I call to thee!
Let my prayer be counted as incense before thee,
    and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice!

Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord,
    keep watch over the door of my lips!
Incline not my heart to any evil,
    to busy myself with wicked deeds
in company with men who work iniquity;
    and let me not eat of their dainties!

Let a good man strike or rebuke me in kindness,
    but let the oil of the wicked never anoint my head;[a]
    for my prayer is continually[b] against their wicked deeds.
When they are given over to those who shall condemn them,
    then they shall learn that the word of the Lord is true.
As a rock which one cleaves and shatters on the land,
    so shall their bones be strewn at the mouth of Sheol.[c]

But my eyes are toward thee, O Lord God;
    in thee I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless!
Keep me from the trap which they have laid for me,
    and from the snares of evildoers!
10 Let the wicked together fall into their own nets,
    while I escape.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 141:5 Gk: Heb obscure
  2. Psalm 141:5 Cn: Heb for continually and my prayer
  3. Psalm 141:7 The Hebrew of verses 5–7 is obscure

An Evening Prayer[a]

141 I call to you, Lord; help me now!
    Listen to me when I call to you.
(A)Receive my prayer as incense,
    my uplifted hands as an evening sacrifice.

Lord, place a guard at my mouth,
    a sentry at the door of my lips.
Keep me from wanting to do wrong
    and from joining evil people in their wickedness.
May I never take part in their feasts.

Good people may punish me and rebuke me in kindness,
    but I will never accept honor from evil people,
    because I am always praying against their evil deeds.
When their rulers are thrown down from rocky cliffs,
    the people will admit that my words were true.
Like wood that is split and chopped into bits,
    so their bones are scattered at the edge of the grave.[b]

But I keep trusting in you, my Sovereign Lord.
    I seek your protection;
    don't let me die!
Protect me from the traps they have set for me,
    from the snares of those evildoers.
10 May the wicked fall into their own traps
    while I go by unharmed.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 141:1 HEBREW TITLE: A psalm by David.
  2. Psalm 141:7 Verses 5-7 in Hebrew are unclear.

An Evening Prayer for Sanctification and Protection.

A Psalm of David.

141 Lord, I call upon You; (A)hurry to me!
(B)Listen to my voice when I call to You!
May my prayer be [a]counted as (C)incense before You;
The (D)raising of my hands as the (E)evening offering.
Set a (F)guard, Lord, [b]over my mouth;
Keep watch over the (G)door of my lips.
(H)Do not incline my heart to any evil thing,
To practice deeds [c]of wickedness
With people who (I)do wrong;
And (J)may I not taste their delicacies.

May the (K)righteous strike me with mercy and discipline me;
It is (L)oil for the head;
My head shall not refuse it,
For my prayer (M)is still against their evil deeds.
Their judges are (N)thrown down by the sides of the rock,
And they hear my words, for they are pleasant.
As when one (O)plows and breaks open the earth,
Our (P)bones have been scattered at the (Q)mouth of [d]Sheol.

For my (R)eyes are toward You, [e]God, the Lord;
In You I (S)take refuge; (T)do not [f]leave me defenseless.
Keep me from the [g](U)jaws of the trap which they have set for me,
And from the (V)snares of those who do wrong.
10 May the wicked (W)fall into their own nets,
While I pass by [h](X)safely.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 141:2 Lit fixed
  2. Psalm 141:3 Lit to
  3. Psalm 141:4 Lit in
  4. Psalm 141:7 I.e., the netherworld
  5. Psalm 141:8 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  6. Psalm 141:8 Lit pour out my soul
  7. Psalm 141:9 Lit hands of the trap
  8. Psalm 141:10 Lit altogether

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)