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Psalms 141

BSB·10 verses ·Old Testament
✦ Tap any verse to open Scripture Explorer — original Hebrew/Greek, commentary, notes & highlights
1I call upon Youקְ֭רָאתִיךָqə·rā·ṯî·ḵā — To call, summon, or proclaimH7121 — Full Word Study →, O LORDיְהוָ֣הYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study →; come quicklyח֣וּשָׁהḥū·šāh — To hurry; to hasten with eagernessH2363 — Full Word Study → to me. Hearהַאֲזִ֥ינָהha·’ă·zî·nāh — to listen, give ear, hear attentivelyH238 — Full Word Study → my voiceק֝וֹלִ֗יqō·w·lî — voice, sound, or cryH6963 — Full Word Study → when I callבְּקָרְאִי־bə·qā·rə·’î- — To call, summon, or proclaimH7121 — Full Word Study → to You. 2May my prayerתְּפִלָּתִ֣יtə·p̄il·lā·ṯî — Prayer; formal or spontaneous petition to GodH8605 — Full Word Study → be setתִּכּ֤וֹןtik·kō·wn — to establish, prepare, or make firmH3559 — Full Word Study → before Youלְפָנֶ֑יךָlə·p̄ā·ne·ḵā — face; presence; beforeH6440 — Full Word Study → like incenseקְטֹ֣רֶתqə·ṭō·reṯ — Fragrant incense; sweet-smelling smoke offeringH7004 — Full Word Study →, my upliftedמַֽשְׂאַ֥תmaś·’aṯ — Lifting up, burden, or tribute offeringH4864 — Full Word Study → handsכַּ֝פַּ֗יkap·pay — Palm of the hand; hollow of anything; power or controlH3709 — Full Word Study → like the eveningעָֽרֶב׃‘ā·reḇ — Evening, the time of day when sun setsH6153 — Full Word Study → offeringמִנְחַת־min·ḥaṯ- — Gift offering; present or tributeH4503 — Full Word Study →. 3Setשִׁיתָ֣הšî·ṯāh — to set, place, or appointH7896 — Full Word Study → a guardשָׁמְרָ֣הšā·mə·rāh — A guard, watch, or lookout postH8108 — Full Word Study →, O LORDיְ֭הוָהYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study →, over my mouthלְפִ֑יlə·p̄î — Mouth; lips; edge; openingH6310 — Full Word Study →; keep watchנִ֝צְּרָ֗הniṣ·ṣə·rāh — to guard, watch, keep, preserveH5341 — Full Word Study → atעַל־‘al- — upon, over, against; concerningH5921 — Full Word Study → the doorדַּ֥לdal — Door; gate; valve or leaf of a doorH1817 — Full Word Study → of my lipsשְׂפָתָֽי׃śə·p̄ā·ṯāy — Lips; edge, border, or shoreH8193 — Full Word Study →. 4Do not letאַל־’al- — do not; negative imperative particleH408 — Full Word Study → my heartלִבִּ֨יlib·bî — Heart; the center of emotion, will, and intellectH3820 — Full Word Study → be drawnתַּט־taṭ- — to stretch out, extend, incline, bendH5186 — Full Word Study → to any evilרָ֡עrā‘ — evil, bad, harm, disasterH7451 — Full Word Study → thingלְדָבָ֪ר׀lə·ḏā·ḇār — word, matter, thing, affairH1697 — Full Word Study → or take partלְהִתְע֘וֹלֵ֤לlə·hiṯ·‘ō·w·lêl — to glean; to work thoroughly; to maltreat or abuseH5953 — Full Word Study → in worksעֲלִל֨וֹת׀‘ă·li·lō·wṯ — deed, action, or workH5949 — Full Word Study → of wickednessבְּרֶ֗שַׁעbə·re·ša‘ — Wickedness, moral evil, depravityH7562 — Full Word Study → withאֶת־’eṯ- — with, together with, againstH854 — Full Word Study → menאִישִׁ֥ים’î·šîm — man, male person, husbandH376 — Full Word Study → who doפֹּֽעֲלֵי־pō·‘ă·lê- — to do, work, make, performH6466 — Full Word Study → iniquityאָ֑וֶן’ā·wen — Evil, wickedness, iniquity, or worthlessnessH205 — Full Word Study →; let me notוּבַל־ū·ḇal- — not, lest, nothingH1077 — Full Word Study → feastאֶ֝לְחַ֗ם’el·ḥam — to fight; to consume; to battleH3898 — Full Word Study → on their delicaciesבְּמַנְעַמֵּיהֶֽם׃bə·man·‘am·mê·hem — delicacy, pleasant food, daintyH4516 — Full Word Study →. 5Let the righteous manצַדִּ֨יק׀ṣad·dîq — Righteous, just person; one who is right with GodH6662 — Full Word Study → strike meיֶֽהֶלְמֵֽנִי־ye·hel·mê·nî- — to strike down, smite, or shatter with forceH1986 — Full Word Study →; let his rebukeוְֽיוֹכִיחֵ֗נִיwə·yō·w·ḵî·ḥê·nî — To rebuke, reprove, or correct with reasoningH3198 — Full Word Study → be an act of loving devotionחֶ֡סֶדḥe·seḏ — Covenant loyalty and steadfast kindnessH2617 — Full Word Study →. It is oilשֶׁ֣מֶןše·men — Oil; ointment; fat; luxuryH8081 — Full Word Study → for my headרֹ֭אשׁrōš — Head; chief; beginning; topH7218 — Full Word Study →; let me notאַל־’al- — do not; negative imperative particleH408 — Full Word Study → refuse itיָנִ֣יyā·nî — to nullify, disallow, or break (a vow or covenant)H5106 — Full Word Study →. Forכִּי־kî- — because, since, that (conjunction/reason marker)H3588 — Full Word Study → my prayer is ever againstוּ֝תְפִלָּתִ֗יū·ṯə·p̄il·lā·ṯî — Prayer; formal or spontaneous petition to GodH8605 — Full Word Study → the deeds of the wickedבְּרָעוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃bə·rā·‘ō·w·ṯê·hem — evil, bad, harm, disasterH7451 — Full Word Study →. 6When their rulersשֹׁפְטֵיהֶ֑םšō·p̄ə·ṭê·hem — to judge, govern, or execute justiceH8199 — Full Word Study → are thrown downנִשְׁמְט֣וּniš·mə·ṭū — to release, let fall, or abandonH8058 — Full Word Study → fromבִֽידֵי־ḇî·ḏê- — hand; power, strength, controlH3027 — Full Word Study → the cliffsסֶ֭לַעse·la‘ — Rock; cliff; stone fortressH5553 — Full Word Study →, the people will listenוְשָׁמְע֥וּwə·šā·mə·‘ū — to hear, listen, obeyH8085 — Full Word Study → to my wordsאֲ֝מָרַ֗י’ă·mā·ray — Word, speech, saying, utteranceH561 — Full Word Study →, forכִּ֣יkî — because, since, that (conjunction/reason marker)H3588 — Full Word Study → they are pleasantנָעֵֽמוּ׃nā·‘ê·mū — to be pleasant, delightful, or agreeableH5276 — Full Word Study →. 7As whenכְּמ֤וֹkə·mōw — Like; according to; asH3644 — Full Word Study → one plowsפֹלֵ֣חַp̄ō·lê·aḥ — to split, cleave, or cut throughH6398 — Full Word Study → and breaks upוּבֹקֵ֣עַū·ḇō·qê·a‘ — To break open, split, or break throughH1234 — Full Word Study → the soilבָּאָ֑רֶץbā·’ā·reṣ — Land, earth, or countryH776 — Full Word Study →, so our bonesעֲ֝צָמֵ֗ינוּ‘ă·ṣā·mê·nū — bone; body; substance; strengthH6106 — Full Word Study → have been scatteredנִפְזְר֥וּnip̄·zə·rū — to scatter, disperse, spread abroadH6340 — Full Word Study → at the mouthלְפִ֣יlə·p̄î — Mouth; lips; edge; openingH6310 — Full Word Study → of Sheolשְׁאֽוֹל׃šə·’ō·wl — The grave; the abode of the dead; the underworldH7585 — Full Word Study →. 8Butכִּ֤יkî — because, since, that (conjunction/reason marker)H3588 — Full Word Study → my eyesעֵינָ֑י‘ê·nāy — Eye; sight; appearance; fountainH5869 — Full Word Study → are fixed on Youאֵלֶ֨יךָ׀’ê·le·ḵā — to, toward, against; directional and relational prepositionH413 — Full Word Study →, O GODיְהֹוִ֣הYah·weh — The LORD, the covenant God of IsraelH3069 — Full Word Study → the Lordאֲדֹנָ֣י’ă·ḏō·nāy — Master, LordH136 — Full Word Study →. In You I seek refugeחָ֝סִ֗יתִיḥā·sî·ṯî — To take refuge; to seek shelter or safetyH2620 — Full Word Study →; do notאַל־’al- — do not; negative imperative particleH408 — Full Word Study → leaveתְּעַ֥רtə·‘ar — to uncover, expose, or lay bareH6168 — Full Word Study → my soul defenseless. 9Keep meשָׁמְרֵ֗נִיšā·mə·rê·nî — To guard, keep, observe, preserveH8104 — Full Word Study → fromמִ֣ידֵיmî·ḏê — hand; power, strength, controlH3027 — Full Word Study → the snaresפַ֭חp̄aḥ — Snare, trap, or thin metal sheetH6341 — Full Word Study → they have laidיָ֣קְשׁוּyā·qə·šū — to lay a snare or trap; to ensnareH3369 — Full Word Study → for me, and from the luresוּ֝מֹקְשׁ֗וֹתū·mō·qə·šō·wṯ — snare, trap, or netH4170 — Full Word Study → of evildoersפֹּ֣עֲלֵיpō·‘ă·lê — to do, work, make, performH6466 — Full Word Study →. 10Let the wickedרְשָׁעִ֑יםrə·šā·‘îm — wicked, guilty, morally corruptH7563 — Full Word Study → fallיִפְּל֣וּyip·pə·lū — to fall; collapse; perishH5307 — Full Word Study → into their own netsבְמַכְמֹרָ֣יוḇə·maḵ·mō·rāw — A hunter's net or snareH4364 — Full Word Study →, whileעַֽד־‘aḏ- — until, till, up to (temporal or spatial limit)H5704 — Full Word Study → Iאָ֝נֹכִ֗י’ā·nō·ḵî — I, myself (first-person singular pronoun)H595 — Full Word Study → pass by in safetyאֶעֱבֽוֹר׃’e·‘ĕ·ḇō·wr — to cross over; to pass through or beyondH5674 — Full Word Study →.
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Chapter Commentary — Psalms 141
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Chapter Overview

Psalm 141 is a heartfelt prayer of David, offered when he is in distress and surrounded by those who would lead him into sin. The psalmist cries out to God for protection—not primarily from physical danger, but from spiritual compromise. This psalm reveals the deepest concern of a godly heart: the fear of falling into wickedness through the influence of others. David asks God to guard his words, his heart, and his choices, demonstrating that true safety comes through surrender to God's moral will, not merely through escape from enemies.

Verses 1–2: An Urgent Appeal for God's Attention

David begins with an earnest cry to the Lord, asking Him to hear and respond quickly. The phrase "make haste unto me" expresses the urgency of his need. He compares his prayer to incense—a recurring biblical image of worship rising before God's throne (see Revelation 5:8)—and to the evening sacrifice, the regular offering at the temple. This comparison is rich: just as the ancient priests brought sacrifices at appointed times, David presents his whole self as an offering, his prayer as a fragrant gift. He is not demanding, but humbly approaching God with reverence, asking that his words and his lifted hands be received as worship. This teaches us that prayer itself is an act of worship when offered with sincere devotion.

Verses 3–4: The Prayer for Moral Protection

Here David makes his central request: "Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips." He recognizes that his greatest vulnerability is not external but internal—his own words and heart. The image of a guard at a door shows David's need for God's constant vigilance over his speech. He follows this with an even deeper prayer: "Incline not my heart to any evil thing." Notice that he does not ask God to make him stop sinning, but to protect him from being drawn toward sin in the first place. This is preventive prayer. He specifically requests protection from being influenced by companions who practice iniquity, and asks not to share in their luxuries ("dainties")—understanding that fellowship in pleasure often leads to fellowship in sin. This demonstrates spiritual wisdom: we must avoid both the enticements and the company of those who lead toward evil.

Verses 5–7: Welcoming Correction from the Righteous

In striking contrast to his prayer against the wicked, David welcomes rebuke from righteous people. "Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness." He views correction as a blessing, comparing it to healing oil. Even if such rebuke is painful ("shall not break my head"), he values truth more than comfort. He even promises that his prayers will follow the righteous in their times of trouble—showing that he prays for those who correct him. Verses 6–7 are more obscure, but they seem to indicate that when the wicked face judgment, David's faithful words will prove their worth. This reflects the psalmist's confidence that living justly will ultimately vindicate him.

Verses 8–10: Trust and Final Petition

David concludes by anchoring his whole prayer in trust: "But mine eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord: in thee is my trust." Despite his fears, his gaze remains fixed on God. He asks to be kept from traps and snares set by the wicked, and prays that they fall into their own nets while he escapes. This is not vindictiveness but justice—the prayer that God would not allow evil to triumph and that righteousness would be preserved.

Application for Today

Psalm 141 invites us to examine our hearts regarding temptation and spiritual influence. Rather than praying only for deliverance from consequences, we should pray for protection from desires themselves. Ask God to guard your words, to keep your heart from being drawn toward compromise, and to surround you with voices of godly correction. Welcome rebuke from mature believers, and remember that true victory is not escape from pressure, but steadfastness in righteousness.

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