< 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. LORD, I cry to thee: make haste to me; give ear to my voice, when I cry to thee.
2 May my prayer be like incense before you; may my lifted hands be like the evening sacrifice.
Let my prayer be set forth before thee [as] incense; [and] the lifting up of my hands [as] the evening sacrifice.
3 Yahweh, place a guard over my mouth; guard the door of my lips.
Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep 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.
Incline not my heart to [any] evil thing, to practice wicked works with men that work iniquity: 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.
Let the righteous smite me; [it shall be] a kindness: and let him reprove me; [it shall be] an excellent oil, [which] shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also [shall be] in their calamities.
6 Their leaders will be thrown down from the top of cliffs; they will hear that my own words are pleasant.
When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.
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 )
Our bones are scattered at the grave's mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth [wood] upon the earth. (Sheol )
8 Surely my eyes are on you, Yahweh, Lord; in you I take refuge; do not leave my soul defenseless.
But my eyes [are] to thee, O GOD the LORD: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.
9 Protect me from the snares that they have laid for me, from the traps of evildoers.
Keep me from the snare [which] they have laid for me, and the gins of the workers of iniquity.
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets while I escape.
Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst I escape.