Psalms 141
1 A psalm of David. Yahweh, I am crying out to you; come quickly to me. Listen to me when I call to you.
“A psalm of David.” O Lord, I call thee, hasten unto me: give ear unto my voice, when I call unto thee.
2 May my prayer be like incense before you; may my lifted hands be like the evening sacrifice.
May my prayer be valued as incense before thee, the lifting up of my hands, as the evening offering.
3 Yahweh, place a guard over my mouth; guard the door of my lips.
Set, O Lord, a watch unto my mouth: keep a guard at the door of my lips.
4 Do not let my heart desire any evil thing or participate in sinful activities with men who behave wickedly. May I not eat any of their delicacies.
Permit not my heart to incline after any evil thing, to practise deeds in wickedness with men that are doers of wrong: and let me not eat of their dainties.
5 Let a righteous man hit me; it will be a kindness to me. Let him correct me; it will be like oil on my head; may my head not refuse to accept it. But my prayer is always against their wicked deeds.
If the righteous strike me, it is a kindness; and if he reprove me, it is [as] oil poured on the head, my head shall not refuse it; for yet my prayer also [is offered] in their sufferings.
6 Their leaders will be thrown down from the top of cliffs; they will hear that my own words are pleasant.
Are their judges fallen down through means of a rock: then will they listen to my words; for they are pleasant.
7 They will have to say, “As when one plows and breaks up the ground, so our bones have been scattered at the mouth of Sheol.” (Sheol h7585)
As when one cutteth in and splitteth open the earth: so are our bones scattered for the mouth of the grave. (Sheol h7585)
8 Surely my eyes are on you, Yahweh, Lord; in you I take refuge; do not leave my soul defenseless.
For unto thee, O Eternal Lord, are my eyes directed; in thee do I trust: pour not out my life.
9 Protect me from the snares that they have laid for me, from the traps of evildoers.
Guard me from the power of the snare which they have laid for me, and the traps of the wrong-doers.
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets while I escape.
Let the wicked fall into their own nets, altogether—while I pass safely by.
