Psalms 141
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Lord, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.
2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
3 Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
4 Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.
5 Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.
6 When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.
7 Our bones are scattered at the grave's mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth.
8 But mine eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.
9 Keep me from the snares which they have laid for me, and the gins of the workers of iniquity.
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal escape.
Public Domain KJV text from Wordproject.org
Psalm 141:1-10
Give Ear to My Voice
A Psalm of David.
1O Lord, I call upon you; hasten to me!
Give ear to my voice when I call to you!
2Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,
and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!
3Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;
keep watch over the door of my lips!
4Do not let my heart incline to any evil,
to busy myself with wicked deeds
in company with men who work iniquity,
and let me not eat of their delicacies!
5Let 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 my prayer is continually against their evil deeds.
6When their judges are thrown over the cliff,
then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant.
7As when one plows and breaks up the earth,
so shall our bones be scattered at the mouth of Sheol.
8But my eyes are toward you, O God, my Lord;
in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless!
9Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me
and from the snares of evildoers!
10Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
while I pass by safely.
ESV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Psalm 141:1-10
Psalm 141
A psalm of David.
1I call to you, Lord, come quickly to me;
hear me when I call to you.
2May my prayer be set before you like incense;
may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.
3Set a guard over my mouth, Lord;
keep watch over the door of my lips.
4Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil
so that I take part in wicked deeds
along with those who are evildoers;
do not let me eat their delicacies.
5Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness;
let him rebuke me—that is oil on my head.
My head will not refuse it,
for my prayer will still be against the deeds of evildoers.
6Their rulers will be thrown down from the cliffs,
and the wicked will learn that my words were well spoken.
7They will say, “As one plows and breaks up the earth,
so our bones have been scattered at the mouth of the grave.”
8But my eyes are fixed on you, Sovereign Lord;
in you I take refuge—do not give me over to death.
9Keep me safe from the traps set by evildoers,
from the snares they have laid for me.
10Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
while I pass by in safety.
NIV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Commentary
“Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;
Keep watch over the door of my lips [to keep me from speaking thoughtlessly]” (Psalm 141:3, Amplified).
It’s just words, some might argue. Words have no tangible substance.
We should be free to say whatever we want. How could they be dangerous?
But “Just think how large a forest can be set on fire by a tiny flame! And the tongue is like a fire….It sets on fire the entire course of our existence with the fire that comes to it from hell itself” (James 3:5-6).
There is a better way: “When you rise in the morning, do you feel your helplessness, and your need of strength from God? and do you humbly, heartily make known your wants to your heavenly Father? If so, angels mark your prayers, and if these prayers have not gone forth out of feigned lips, when you are in danger of unconsciously doing wrong, and exerting an influence which will lead others to do wrong, your guardian angel will be by your side, prompting you to a better course, choosing your words for you, and influencing your actions." Messages to Young People, p. 90
Virginia Davidson
Artist—designing and building stained glass windows, Spokane Valley Seventh-day Adventist Church, Washington USA (as of this writing)
