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.
A psalm of David. Lord, I call to you: hasten, to me, attend to my voice, when I call to you.
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 be presented as incense before you, and my uplifted hands as the evening meal-offering.
3 Set thou, O Yahweh, a watch at my mouth, Keep thou guard over the door of my lips.
Set, O Lord, a watch on my mouth, put a guard on 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.
Incline not my heart to an evil matter, to busy myself in deeds of wickedness, in company with workers of evil: never may I partake of their dainties.
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.
A wound or reproof from a good person in kindness is oil which my head shall never refuse. In their misfortune my prayer is still with them.
6 Their judges, have been hurled down by a crag, Now have men heard my sayings, for they have become sweet.
Abandoned they are to the hands of their judges: they shall learn that my words are true.
7 As when one plougheth and furroweth the earth, Scattered about, are our bones at the mouth of hades! (Sheol h7585)
Like stones on a country road cleft and broken so lie our bones scattered for Death to devour. (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 my eyes are turned towards you, O Lord. Do not pour out my life, for in you I take refuge.
9 Keep me out of the clutches of the trap they have set for me, and the snares of the workers of iniquity.
Keep me safe from the trap they have laid for me, from the snares of the workers of trouble.
10 They who are lawless, shall fall into the nooses thereof, while, I, at the same time, pass on.
Into their own nets let wicked people fall; while I pass by in safety.
