< Psalms 141 >
1 A psalm of David. Lord, I'm calling out to you! Please hurry up and help me! Please listen to me when I cry out to you!
A Psalm of David. Jehovah, I have called upon thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I call unto thee.
2 May my prayer be like incense before you, my uplifted hands like an evening offering.
Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening oblation.
3 Lord, make sure I don't say anything I shouldn't—keep a watch over my conversations.
Set a watch, O Jehovah, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
4 Don't let me think about evil things or take part in doing anything wrong with wicked people. I won't join in eating fancy food at their feasts.
Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise deeds of wickedness with men that are workers of iniquity; and let me not eat of their dainties.
5 Let a good person punish me in love—let them correct me. It will be like an anointing—I won't refuse it. But I still pray against those who do evil.
Let the righteous smite me, it is kindness; and let him reprove me, it is an excellent oil which my head shall not refuse: for yet my prayer also is [for them] in their calamities.
6 They shall be thrown down by the power of the rock that judges them, and then they will recognize what I said was true!
When their judges are thrown down from the rocks, they shall hear my words, for they are sweet.
7 Just as the earth is broken up by the plough, so shall their bones be scattered at the mouth of Sheol. (Sheol )
Our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol, as when one cutteth and cleaveth [wood] upon the earth. (Sheol )
8 But I'm looking to you, Lord God, for I find protection in you. Don't let me die!
For unto thee, Jehovah, Lord, are mine eyes; in thee do I trust: leave not my soul destitute.
9 Keep me safe from the traps they have set to catch me, from the snares of evil people.
Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me, and from the traps of the workers of iniquity.
10 Let them fall into their own traps while I pass by unharmed.
Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal pass over.