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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.

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