Psalms 141:1-4

Context

Psalm 141¹

A psalm of David.

141:1 O Lord, I cry out to you. Come quickly to me!

Pay attention to me when I cry out to you!

141:2 May you accept my prayer like incense,

my uplifted hands like the evening offering!²

141:3 O Lord, place a guard on my mouth!

Protect the opening³ of my lips!⁴

141:4 Do not let me have evil desires,⁵

or participate in sinful activities

with men who behave wickedly.⁶

I will not eat their delicacies.⁷

[141:1] ¹sn Psalm 141. The psalmist asks God to protect him from sin and from sinful men.

[141:2] ²tn Heb “may my prayer be established [like] incense before you, the uplifting of my hands [like] an evening offering.”

[141:3] ³tn Heb “door.” The Hebrew word occurs only here in the OT.

[141:3] ⁴sn My mouth…my lips. The psalmist asks God to protect him from speaking inappropriately or sinfully.

[141:4] ⁵tn Heb “do not turn my heart toward an evil thing.”

[141:4] ⁶tn Heb “to act sinfully in practices in wickedness with men, doers of evil.”

[141:4] ⁷sn Their delicacies. This probably refers to the enjoyment that a sinful lifestyle appears to offer.