Psalm 141

Protection from Sin and Sinners

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1} A Davidic psalm.

Lord, I call on You; hurry to help me.
Listen to my voice when I call on You.^(A)

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2}

May my prayer be set before You as incense,^(B)
the raising of my hands as the evening offering.^(C)

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3}

Lord, set up a guard for my mouth;
keep watch at the door of my lips.^(D)

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4}

Do not let my heart turn to any evil thing
or perform wicked acts
with men who commit sin.
Do not let me feast on their delicacies.^(E)

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5}

Let the righteous one strike me—
it is an act of faithful love;
let him rebuke me—
it is oil for my head;
let me^(a) not refuse it.^(F)
Even now my prayer is against
the evil acts of the wicked.^(b)^(G)

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6}

When their rulers^(c) will be thrown off
the sides of a cliff,
the people^(d) will listen to my words,
for they are pleasing.^(H)

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7}

As when one plows and breaks up the soil,
turning up rocks,
so our^(e) bones have been scattered
at the mouth of Sheol.^(I)

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8}

But my eyes look to You, Lord God.
I seek refuge in You; do not let me die.^(f)^(J)

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9}

Protect me from^(g) the trap they have set for me,
and from the snares of evildoers.^(K)

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10}

Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
while I pass by safely.^(L)

Footnotes:

a. Psalm 141:5: Lit my head

b. Psalm 141:5: Lit of them

c. Psalm 141:6: Or judges

d. Psalm 141:6: Lit cliff, and they

e. Psalm 141:7: DSS reads my; some LXX mss, Syr read their

f. Psalm 141:8: Or not pour out my life

g. Psalm 141:9: Lit from the hands of

Cross references:

A. Psalm 141:1: Psalm 22:19; Psalm 38:22; Psalm 70:5

B. Psalm 141:2: Exodus 30:8

C. Psalm 141:2: Luke 1:10; Luke 8:3-4

D. Psalm 141:3: Psalm 34:13; Psalm 39:1; Proverbs 13:3

E. Psalm 141:4: Psalm 119:36; Proverbs 23:6; Isaiah 32:6

F. Psalm 141:5: Ecclesiastes 7:5

G. Psalm 141:5: Psalm 109:4

H. Psalm 141:6: 2 Chronicles 25:12

I. Psalm 141:7: Psalm 53:5; Psalm 88:3-5

J. Psalm 141:8: Psalm 7:1; Psalm 57:1; Psalm 144:2

K. Psalm 141:9: Psalm 38:12; Psalm 140:5

L. Psalm 141:10: Psalm 7:15; Psalm 35:8; Psalm 57:6