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

Salmo 141

Oración vespertina suplicando santificación y protección

Salmo de David.

141 Oh Señor, a Ti clamo, apresúrate a venir a mí(A).
Escucha mi voz(B) cuando te invoco.
Sea puesta mi oración delante de Ti como incienso(C),
El alzar de mis manos(D) como la ofrenda de la tarde(E).
Señor, pon guarda a mi boca(F);
Vigila la puerta de mis labios(G).
No dejes que mi corazón se incline a nada malo(H),
Para practicar obras impías
Con los hombres que hacen iniquidad(I),
Y no me dejes comer de sus manjares(J).
¶Que el justo me hiera con bondad y me reprenda(K);
Es aceite sobre la cabeza(L);
No lo rechace mi cabeza,
Pues todavía mi oración es contra sus obras malas(M).
Sus jueces son lanzados contra los costados de la peña(N),
Y oyen mis palabras, que son agradables.
Como cuando se ara(O) y se rompe la tierra,
Nuestros huesos han sido esparcidos(P) a la boca del Seol(Q).
¶Porque mis ojos miran hacia Ti(R), oh Dios, Señor;
En Ti me refugio(S), no me desampares(T).
Guárdame de las garras de la trampa que me han tendido(U),
Y de los lazos de los que hacen iniquidad(V).
10 Caigan los impíos en sus propias redes(W),
Mientras yo paso a salvo(X).

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)

Psalm 141[a]

Prayer for Deliverance from the Wicked

A psalm of David.

Lord, I call to you; hasten to me;
    listen to my plea when I call.
Let my prayer be incense[b] before you;
    my uplifted hands an evening offering.(A)
Set a guard, Lord, before my mouth,
    keep watch over the door of my lips.(B)
Do not let my heart incline to evil,
    to perform deeds in wickedness.
On the delicacies of evildoers
    let me not feast.
[c]Let a righteous person strike me; it is mercy if he reproves me.
    Do not withhold oil from my head(C)
    while my prayer opposes their evil deeds.
May their leaders be cast over the cliff,
    so that they hear that my speeches are pleasing.
Like the plowing and breaking up of the earth,
    our bones are strewn at the mouth of Sheol.
For my eyes are upon you, O Lord, my Lord;(D)
    in you I take refuge; do not take away my soul.
Guard me from the trap they have set for me,
    from the snares of evildoers.(E)
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
    while only I pass over them safely.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 141 A lament of an individual (Ps 141:1–2) who is keenly aware that only the righteous can worship God properly and who therefore prays to be protected from the doomed wicked (Ps 141:3–10).
  2. 141:2 Incense: lit., “smoke,” i.e., the fragrant fumes arising from the altar at the burning of sacrificial animals or of aromatic spices; also used in Rev 5:8 as a symbol of prayer. My uplifted hands: the gesture of supplication, cf. Ps 28:2; 63:5; 88:10; 119:48; 134:2; 143:6.
  3. 141:5–7 The Hebrew text is obscure.