Psalms Chapter 141 A Psalm by David.
1 LORD, I have called on you. Come to me quickly! Listen to my voice when I call to you.
2 Let my prayer be set before you like incense; the lifting up of my hands like the evening sacrifice.
3 Set a watch, LORD, before my mouth. Keep the door of my lips.
4 Don't incline my heart to any evil thing, to practise deeds of wickedness with men who work iniquity. Don't let me eat of their delicacies.
5 Let the righteous strike me, it is kindness; let him reprove me, it is like oil on the head; don't let my head refuse it; Yet my prayer is always against evil deeds.
6 Their judges are thrown down by the sides of the rock. They will hear my words, for they are well spoken.
7 "As when one ploughs and breaks up the earth, our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol."
8 For my eyes are on you, LORD, the Lord. In you, I take refuge. Don't leave my soul destitute.
9 Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me, from the traps of the workers of iniquity.
10 Let the wicked fall together into their own nets while I pass by.
Footnotes
- Verse 7 (Sheol)
- Sheol is the place of the dead.
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Psalms Chapter 141 A Psalm by David. Guide
In this song the influence of the external troubles upon the inner life of the singer is revealed. Throughout it breathes the spirit of fear lest the soul should be seduced from the attitude of whole-hearted loyalty to God. The peril most evidently threatening arises from the enticements of the ungodly; and the psalmist earnestly prays that he may be protected by Jehovah in speech and thought and action.
Without in so many words declaring so, the song clearly reveals the fact that the singer has be sorely tempted to turn aside to ways of ungodly men, to share their hospitality, and so escape their hostility. This peril is more subtle than that of the active opposition of these men, and in this distress he turns to God. This is his safety.
That he is able to say, "Mine eyes are unto Thee, O God the Lord," is a revelation of the fact that his anchor still holds, not only against the fierce onslaught of enemies, but also against the insidious temptation to turn aside from path of rectitude in order to escape the vindictive opposition of his enemies. If the former psalm reveals the perils of foes without, this no less clearly deals with the danger of fears within.
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
Psalms Chapter 141 Commentary
Chapter Outline
- 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.
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.