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!
Yahweh, I call out to you; [please] help me quickly! Listen to me when I am calling to you.
2 May my prayer be like incense before you, my uplifted hands like an evening offering.
Accept my prayer as though it were incense [being burned as an offering] [SIM] to you. And accept me while I lift up my hands [to pray] to you like you accept sacrifices [that I offer to you each] evening [SIM].
3 Lord, make sure I don't say anything I shouldn't—keep a watch over my conversations.
Yahweh, do not allow me to say [MTY] things that are wrong; guard 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.
Prevent me from wanting to do anything that is wrong, and from joining with wicked men when they want to do evil deeds [DOU]. Do not [even] allow me to share in eating delightful food with them!
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.
It is all right if righteous people strike/hit me or rebuke me because they are trying to act kindly toward me [to teach me to do what is right], but I do not want wicked [people] to [honor me by] anointing my head with [olive] oil; I am always praying [that you will punish them because of] the wicked deeds [that they do].
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 rulers are thrown down from the top of rocky cliffs, people will know that what you, Yahweh, said [about them] is true.
7 Just as the earth is broken up by the plough, so shall their bones be scattered at the mouth of Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
Like a log that is split and cut into small pieces [SIM], their shattered bones will be scattered [on the ground] near [other] graves. (Sheol h7585)
8 But I'm looking to you, Lord God, for I find protection in you. Don't let me die!
But Yahweh God, I [continue to] ask you [to help me]. I ask you to protect me; do not allow me to (die/be killed) [now]!
9 Keep me safe from the traps they have set to catch me, from the snares of evil people.
[It is as though] people have set traps for me; protect me from falling into those traps, [It is as though] they have spread nets to catch me; keep me from being caught in those nets.
10 Let them fall into their own traps while I pass by unharmed.
I desire that wicked [people] will fall into the traps they have set [to catch me] while I escape [from them].
