Psalms 141

1 O LORD, I call upon you; ¹hasten to me! Give ear to my voice when I call to you!

2 Let ²my prayer be counted as incense before you, and ³the lifting up of my hands as ⁴the evening sacrifice!

3 ⁵Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; ⁶keep watch over the door of my lips!

4 ⁷Do not let my heart incline to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with men who ⁸work iniquity, and ⁹let me not eat of their delicacies!

5 ¹⁰Let a righteous man strike me--it is a kindness; let him rebuke me--it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it. Yet ¹¹my prayer is continually against their evil deeds.

6 When their judges are ¹²thrown over the cliff,^[a] then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant.

7 As when one plows and breaks up the earth, so shall our bones ¹³be scattered at the mouth of Sheol.^[b]

8 But ¹⁴my eyes are toward you, O GOD, my Lord; ¹⁵in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless!^[c]

9 Keep me from ¹⁶the trap that they have laid for me and from the snares of evildoers!

10 Let the wicked ¹⁷fall into their own nets, while I pass by safely.

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. Psalms 40:13; Psalms 70:5
• 2. Luke 1:10; Revelation 5:8; Revelation 8:3, 4
• 3. See Psalms 28:2
• 4. See Exodus 29:41
• 5. Psalms 34:13
• 6. Micah 7:5
• 7. Psalms 119:36
• 8. ver. 9; Psalms 94:4
• 9. Proverbs 23:6
• 10. [Proverbs 9:8; Proverbs 19:25; Proverbs 25:12; Proverbs 27:6; Ecclesiastes 7:5]
• 11. [Psalms 109:4]
• 12. 2 Chronicles 25:12; [Luke 4:29]
• 13. Psalms 53:5; [Ezekiel 37:1]
• 14. Psalms 25:15
• 15. See Psalms 11:1
• 16. See Psalms 140:5
• 17. [Psalms 7:15]

Footnotes

• [a]. Or When their judges fall into the hands of the Rock
• [b]. The meaning of the Hebrew in verses 6, 7 is uncertain
• [c]. Hebrew refuge; do not pour out my life!

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.