Psalm 141

Protection from Sin and Sinners

A psalm of David.

Lord, I call on you; hurry to help me.
Listen to my voice when I call on you.(A)
May my prayer be set before you as incense,(B)
the raising of my hands as the evening offering.(C)

Lord, set up a guard for my mouth;
keep watch at the door of my lips.(D)
Do not let my heart turn to any evil thing
or perform wicked acts with evildoers.
Do not let me feast on their delicacies.(E)
Let the righteous one strike me—
it is an act of faithful love;
let him rebuke me—
it is oil for my head;
let me[a] not refuse it.(F)
Even now my prayer is against
the evil acts of the wicked.[b](G)
When their rulers[c] will be thrown off
the sides of a cliff,
the people[d] will listen to my words,
for they are pleasing.(H)

As when one plows and breaks up the soil,
turning up rocks,
so our[e] bones have been scattered
at the mouth of Sheol.(I)

But my eyes look to you, Lord, my Lord.
I seek refuge in you; do not let me die.[f](J)
Protect me from the trap they have set for me,
and from the snares of evildoers.(K)
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
while I pass by safely.(L)

Footnotes

  1. 141:5 Lit my head
  2. 141:5 Lit of them
  3. 141:6 Or judges
  4. 141:6 Lit cliff, and they
  5. 141:7 DSS reads my; some LXX mss, Syr read their
  6. 141:8 Or not pour out my life

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