Psalms 141

Psalms 141:1

Psalm 141: Prayer Counted as Incense141:1 At the outset of the Psalm David prays for audience and acceptance. As his plaintive cry wings its way heavenward, he asks that the LORD will come to him quickly and listen attentively. 141:2 This verse is extraordinarily beautiful. He asks that his prayer might be as pleasing and fragrant to God as incense, and that the lifting up of his hands in supplication might have the same impact with the Lord as the evening sacrifice. 141:3, 4 But then he moves from generalities to specifics. His first main concern is that he might be kept from partnership with ungodly men in word or in deed. He asks for a guard to be stationed at his mouth to prevent the escape of any wrong word, to keep the door of his lips from speech that would not be honoring to the Lord. Then too, he asks for a heart that is free from any hankering to collaborate with the corrupt men in their wicked practices. He does not want to partake of their advantages, however attractive or tempting they might seem. 141:5 The suggestions, criticisms and rebukes of godly friends are welcomed by sensible people. We often cannot see faults in ourselves as clearly as we can see them in others. Only those who really care for us are willing to point out our defects and “blind spots.” It is a kindness on their part and should be welcomed like medicine by us. For still my prayer is against the deeds of the wicked.The connection here is abrupt, but the meaning seems to be that David continues to pray that the criminal plans of the wicked men mentioned in verse 4 will fail. Darby translates this clause “for yet my prayer also is [for them] in their calamities.” Here the thought is that he prays for those who rebuke him in kindness when trouble comes into their lives. Some take it to mean that he prays for his enemies in their calamities, but such a magnanimous Christian attitude seems to be contradicted by verse 10. 141:6 Their judges are overthrown by the sides of the cliff, and they hear my words, for they are sweet.Their judges here probably refers to the ring-leaders of the evil Mafia. When they meet their inevitable doom, the rest of the sinners will realize that David’s words were true after all. 141:7 Our bones are scattered at the mouth of the grave, as when one plows and breaks up the earth.Here the subject seems to shift from the enemies of Israel to the Jewish people themselves. Their persecutions have been as thorough as the plowing of a field. Now it is as if nothing is left but their skeletons, and Sheol waits with open mouth to devour the bones. This makes us think of Ezekiel’s vision of the dry bones, referring, of course, to Israel (Eze_37:1-14). 141:8-10 In the last three verses, the psalmist prays for deliverance for himself and retribution for his enemies. His expectation is solely from the Lord, and his hope for refuge and defense is in GOD alone. Therefore he asks that he might be delivered from the well-laid traps of the ungodly, and that they themselves may be caught in them.