Psalms 141

1 I call to you, Lord; help me now! Listen to me when I call to you.

2 Receive my prayer as incense, ¹ my uplifted hands as an evening sacrifice.

3 Lord, place a guard at my mouth, a sentry at the door of my lips.

4 Keep me from wanting to do wrong and from joining evil people in their wickedness. May I never take part in their feasts.

5 Good people may punish me and rebuke me in kindness, but I will never accept honor from evil people, because I am always praying against their evil deeds.

6 When their rulers are thrown down from rocky cliffs, the people will admit that my words were true.

7 Like wood that is split and chopped into bits, so their bones are scattered at the edge of the grave.

8 But I keep trusting in you, my Sovereign Lord. I seek your protection; don't let me die!

9 Protect me from the traps they have set for me, from the snares of those evildoers.

10 May the wicked fall into their own traps while I go by unharmed.

Psalms 141 Commentary

Chapter 141

David prays for God's acceptance and assistance. (1-4) That God would appear for his rescue. (5-10)

Verses 1-4 Make haste unto me. Those that know how to value God's gracious presence, will be the more fervent in their prayers. When presented through the sacrifice and intercession of the Saviour, they will be as acceptable to God as the daily sacrifices and burnings of incense were of old. Prayer is a spiritual sacrifice, it is the offering up the soul and its best affections. Good men know the evil of tongue sins. When enemies are provoking, we are in danger of speaking unadvisedly. While we live in an evil world, and have such evil hearts, we have need to pray that we may neither be drawn nor driven to do any thing sinful. Sinners pretend to find dainties in sin; but those that consider how soon sin will turn into bitterness, will dread such dainties, and pray to God to take them out of their sight, and by his grace to turn their hearts against them. Good men pray against the sweets of sin.

Verses 5-10 We should be ready to welcome the rebuke of our heavenly Father, and also the reproof of our brethren. It shall not break my head, if it may but help to break my heart: we must show that we take it kindly. Those who slighted the word of God before, will be glad of it when in affliction, for that opens the ear to instruction. When the world is bitter, the word is sweet. Let us lift our prayer unto God. Let us entreat him to rescue us from the snares of Satan, and of all the workers of iniquity. In language like this psalm, O Lord, would we entreat that our poor prayers should set forth our only hope, our only dependence on thee. Grant us thy grace, that we may be prepared for this employment, being clothed with thy righteousness, and having all the gifts of thy Spirit planted in our hearts.

Cross References

• 1. 141.2Revelation 5.8.

Footnotes

• [a]. [Verses 5-7 in Hebrew are unclear.]

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 141

\\<>\\. This psalm was written about the same time, and upon the same occasion, as that going before and what follows after; even when David was persecuted by Saul, and when he was in great danger of his enemies, and snares were laid for his life.