Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options Listen to Psalm 141
Close NIV

Psalm 141
New International Version

Psalm 141

A psalm of David.

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

3 Set a guard over my mouth,(F) Lord;
    keep watch over the door of my lips.(G)
4 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)

5 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.

6 Their rulers will be thrown down from the cliffs,(M)
    and the wicked will learn that my words were well spoken.
7 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.”

8 But my eyes are fixed(Q) on you, Sovereign Lord;
    in you I take refuge(R)—do not give me over to death.
9 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)

Close EASY

Psalm 141
EasyEnglish Bible

David wrote this song.

An evening prayer[a]

141 Lord, I am calling to you for help.
    Come to me quickly!
    Please listen to what I am saying.
2 I offer my prayer to you like incense.
    Please accept it when I raise my hands to you.
    Accept it like a gift that I offer to you in the evening.
3 Lord, keep my mouth safe,
    so that I do not speak bad things.
4 Do not let my mind want evil things.
Do not let me join with wicked people,
    to do the same bad things that they do.
I do not even want to eat their good food.
5 If a good man hits me because he loves me,
    he is being kind to me.
If he shows me that I have done a wrong thing,
    that it is like special oil on my head.[b]
    I would not refuse it.
I continue to pray against what wicked people do.
6 They will throw their rulers down
    from high rocks.
Then they will agree that my words were true.
7 It will be like a farmer who ploughs his field,
    and breaks the earth into pieces.
Just like that, they will break the bones of wicked people.
They will throw their bones on the ground
    at the entrance to Sheol.

8 But I look to you for help, Almighty Lord.
    I need you to keep me safe.
    Do not let wicked people kill me.
9 They have prepared traps to catch me.
    Do not let me fall into the traps of those evil people.
10 May those bad people fall into their own traps!
    Then I will be free from their power.

Footnotes

  1. 141:1 Maybe David wrote this psalm when Absalom was trying to kill him. See 2 Samuel 15:13.
  2. 141:5 David is saying, ‘If a good man is angry with me, I will listen to what he says.’ He is warning me because he loves me, not because he hates me like an enemy. Special oil (olive oil) that is poured on someone's head shows that he is an important person.
Listen to Psalm 141
Close NKJV

Psalm 141
New King James Version

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.
2 Let my prayer be set before You (A)as incense,
(B)The lifting up of my hands as (C)the evening sacrifice.

3 Set a guard, O Lord, over my (D)mouth;
Keep watch over the door of my lips.
4 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.

5 (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.
6 Their judges are overthrown by the sides of the [a]cliff,
And they hear my words, for they are sweet.
7 Our bones are scattered at the mouth of the grave,
As when one plows and breaks up the earth.

8 But (G)my eyes are upon You, O God the Lord;
In You I take refuge;
[b]Do not leave my soul destitute.
9 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
Next
Psalm 140
Psalm 142
Next
dropdown
New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

July Summer Surge

More on the NIV

EasyEnglish Bible (EASY)

EasyEnglish Bible Copyright © MissionAssist 2019 - Charitable Incorporated Organisation 1162807. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

New King James Version (NKJV)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Learn the Bible in 30 days