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A psalm by David.

141 O Lord, I cry out to you, “Come quickly.”
Open your ears to me when I cry out to you.
Let my prayer be accepted
as sweet-smelling incense in your presence.
Let the lifting up of my hands in prayer be accepted
as an evening sacrifice.

O Lord, set a guard at my mouth.
Keep watch over the door of my lips.
Do not let me be persuaded to do anything evil
or to become involved with wickedness,
with people who are troublemakers.
Do not let me taste their delicacies.

A righteous person may strike me or correct me out of kindness.
It is like lotion for my head.
My head will not refuse it,
because my prayer is directed against evil deeds.
When their judges are thrown off a cliff,
they will listen to what I have to say.
It will sound pleasant ⌞to them⌟.
As someone plows and breaks up the ground,
so our bones will be planted at the mouth of the grave.

My eyes look to you, Lord Almighty.
I have taken refuge in you.
Do not leave me defenseless.
Keep me away from the trap they set for me
and from the traps set by troublemakers.
10 Let wicked people fall into their own nets,
while I escape unharmed.

Psalm 141

A psalm of David.

I call to you, Lord, come quickly(A) to me;
    hear me(B) when I call to you.
May my prayer be set before you like incense;(C)
    may the lifting up of my hands(D) be like the evening sacrifice.(E)

Set a guard over my mouth,(F) Lord;
    keep watch over the door of my lips.(G)
Do not let my heart(H) be drawn to what is evil
    so that I take part in wicked deeds(I)
along with those who are evildoers;
    do not let me eat their delicacies.(J)

Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness;
    let him rebuke me(K)—that is oil on my head.(L)
My head will not refuse it,
    for my prayer will still be against the deeds of evildoers.

Their rulers will be thrown down from the cliffs,(M)
    and the wicked will learn that my words were well spoken.
They will say, “As one plows(N) and breaks up the earth,(O)
    so our bones have been scattered at the mouth(P) of the grave.”

But my eyes are fixed(Q) on you, Sovereign Lord;
    in you I take refuge(R)—do not give me over to death.
Keep me safe(S) from the traps set by evildoers,(T)
    from the snares(U) they have laid for me.
10 Let the wicked fall(V) into their own nets,
    while I pass by in safety.(W)