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A Psalm by David.

141 Yahweh, I have called on you.
    Come to me quickly!
    Listen to my voice when I call to you.
Let my prayer be set before you like incense;
    the lifting up of my hands like the evening sacrifice.
Set a watch, Yahweh, before my mouth.
    Keep the door of my lips.
Don’t incline my heart to any evil thing,
    to practice deeds of wickedness with men who work iniquity.
    Don’t let me eat of their delicacies.
Let the righteous strike me, it is kindness;
    let him reprove me, it is like oil on the head;
    don’t let my head refuse it;
    Yet my prayer is always against evil deeds.
Their judges are thrown down by the sides of the rock.
    They will hear my words, for they are well spoken.
“As when one plows and breaks up the earth,
    our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.”[a]
For my eyes are on you, Yahweh, the Lord.
    In you, I take refuge.
    Don’t leave my soul destitute.
Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me,
    from the traps of the workers of iniquity.
10 Let the wicked fall together into their own nets
    while I pass by.

Footnotes

  1. 141:7 Sheol is the place of the dead.

Prayer for Safekeeping from Wickedness

A Psalm of David.

141 Lord, I cry out to You;
Make haste to me!
Give ear to my voice when I cry out to You.
Let my prayer be set before You (A)as incense,
(B)The lifting up of my hands as (C)the evening sacrifice.

Set a guard, O Lord, over my (D)mouth;
Keep watch over the door of my lips.
Do not incline my heart to any evil thing,
To practice wicked works
With men who work iniquity;
(E)And do not let me eat of their delicacies.

(F)Let the righteous strike me;
It shall be a kindness.
And let him rebuke me;
It shall be as excellent oil;
Let my head not refuse it.

For still my prayer is against the deeds of the wicked.
Their judges are overthrown by the sides of the [a]cliff,
And they hear my words, for they are sweet.
Our bones are scattered at the mouth of the grave,
As when one plows and breaks up the earth.

But (G)my eyes are upon You, O God the Lord;
In You I take refuge;
[b]Do not leave my soul destitute.
Keep me from (H)the snares they have laid for me,
And from the traps of the workers of iniquity.
10 (I)Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
While I escape safely.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 141:6 rock
  2. Psalm 141:8 Lit. Do not make my soul bare