Psalms 141

1 A Melody of David. O Yahweh, I have cried unto thee, Make thou haste to me, Give ear unto my voice, when I cry to thee.

“For the leader of the music. A psalm of David.” I cry to thee, O LORD! make haste unto me! Give ear to my voice, when I cry unto thee!

2 Let my prayer be set in order like incense before thee, —the lifting up of my hands, as the evening gift.

Let my prayer come before thee as incense, And the lifting-up of my hands, as the evening sacrifice!

3 Set thou, O Yahweh, a watch at my mouth, Keep thou guard over the door of my lips.

Set a watch, O LORD! before my mouth; Guard the door of my lips!

4 Let not my heart incline to a matter of wrong, that I should busy myself with practices in lawlessness, with men working iniquity, and let me not eat of their dainties.

Let not my heart incline to any evil thing; Let me not practise wickedness with the doers of iniquity, And let me not eat of their delicacies!

5 Let a righteous man smite me—a lovingkindness, that he should correct me, an oil for the head [which] let not my head refuse! For, yet, even my prayer, shall be in their calamities.

Let the righteous smite me, —it shall be a kindness; Let him reprove me, and it shall be oil for my head; Let him do it again, and my head shall not refuse it; But now I pray against their wickedness!

6 Their judges, have been hurled down by a crag, Now have men heard my sayings, for they have become sweet.

When their judges are hurled over the side of the rock, They shall hear how pleasant are my words.

7 As when one plougheth and furroweth the earth, Scattered about, are our bones at the mouth of hades! (Sheol h7585)

So are our bones scattered at the mouth of the underworld, As when one furroweth and ploweth up the land. (Sheol h7585)

8 Surely, unto thee, O Yahweh, My Lord, are mine eyes, In thee, have I sought refuge, Do not pour out my life.

But to thee do my eyes look, O Lord Jehovah! In thee is my trust; Let not my life be poured out!

9 Keep me out of the clutches of the trap they have set for me, and the snares of the workers of iniquity.

Preserve me from the snares which they have laid for me, And from the nets of evil-doers!

10 They who are lawless, shall fall into the nooses thereof, while, I, at the same time, pass on.

Let the wicked fall together into their own traps, Whilst I make my escape!