Psalm 141:1

1 41 (Mizmor of Dovid) Hashem, I cry unto Thee; make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto Thee.

Psalm 141:1 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 141:1

Lord, I cry unto thee
With great earnestness, importunity, and fervency, being in distress; and knowing vain was the help of man, and that none could deliver him but the Lord, and therefore continued crying unto him for help ^F23; make haste unto me;
which shows he was in a desperate condition; that he could not help himself, nor could any creature, only the Lord; and he was at a distance from him, as it seemed to him, and he delayed assistance; and therefore desires he would immediately draw nigh and be a present help in his time of need, and work speedy deliverance for him, his case requiring haste; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee;
a request the psalmist frequently makes, not contenting himself with prayer, without desiring and looking for an answer to it.

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 "Auxilium vocat, et duros conclamat agrestes", Virgil.

Psalm 141:1 In-Context

1 41 (Mizmor of Dovid) Hashem, I cry unto Thee; make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto Thee.

2 Let my tefillah be set forth before Thee like ketoret; and the lifting up of my hands as the minchat erev.

3 Be shomer, Hashem, over my mouth; guard the door of my lips.

4 Let not my lev incline to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men that work iniquity; and let me not eat of their dainties.

5 Let the tzaddik strike me; it shall be chesed; and let him reprove me; it shall be shemen, which my rosh shall not refuse; for still shall my tefillah be against their evil deeds.