141 Lord, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.

Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.

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.

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.

When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.

Our bones are scattered at the grave's mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth.

But mine eyes are unto thee, O God the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.

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.

141 1 David being grievously persecuted under Saul, only fleeth unto God to have succor. 3 Desiring him to bridle his affections, that he may patiently abide till God take vengeance of his enemies.

A Psalm of David.

O Lord, I [a]call upon thee: haste thee unto me: hear my voice, when I cry unto thee.

Let my prayer be directed in thy sight as incense, and the [b]lifting up of mine hands as an evening sacrifice.

Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and keep the [c]door of my lips.

Incline not mine heart to evil, that I should commit wicked works with them that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their [d]delicates.

Let the righteous smite me: for that is a benefit: and let [e]him reprove me, and it shall be a precious oil that shall not break mine head: for within a while I shall even [f]pray in their miseries.

When their judges shall be cast down in stony places, they shall [g]hear my words, for they are sweet.

Our bones lie scattered at the [h]grave’s mouth, as he that heweth wood or diggeth in the earth.

But mine eyes look unto thee, O Lord God: in thee is my trust: leave not my soul destitute.

Keep me from the snare, which they have laid for me, and from the gins of the workers of iniquity.

10 Let the wicked fall into [i]his nets [j]together, while I escape.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 141:1 He showeth that there is none other refuge in our necessities, but only to flee unto God for comfort of soul.
  2. Psalm 141:2 He meaneth his earnest zeal and gesture, which he used in prayer: alluding of the sacrifices which were by God’s commandment offered in the old Law.
  3. Psalm 141:3 He desireth God to keep his thoughts and ways either from thinking or executing vengeance.
  4. Psalm 141:4 Let not their prosperity allure me to be wicked as they are.
  5. Psalm 141:5 He could abide all corrections, that came of a loving heart.
  6. Psalm 141:5 By patience I shall see the wicked so sharply handled, that I shall for pity pray for them.
  7. Psalm 141:6 The people which followeth their wicked rulers in persecuting the Prophet, shall repent and turn to God, when they see their wicked rulers punished.
  8. Psalm 141:7 Here appeareth that David was miraculously delivered out of many deaths, as 2 Cor. 1:9, 10.
  9. Psalm 141:10 Into God’s nets, whereby he catcheth the wicked in their own malice.
  10. Psalm 141:10 So that none of them escape.