Psalm 141

Protection from Sin and Sinners

A psalm of David.

¹Lord, I call on you; hurry to help me.

Listen to my voice when I call on you. ^a

²May my prayer be set before you as incense, ^b

the raising of my hands as the evening offering. ^c

³Lord, set up a guard for my mouth;

keep watch at the door of my lips. ^d

⁴Do not let my heart turn to any evil thing

or perform wicked acts with evildoers.

Do not let me feast on their delicacies. ^e

⁵Let the righteous one strike me —

it is an act of faithful love;

let him rebuke me —

it is oil for my head;

let me ^f not refuse it. ^g

Even now my prayer is against

the evil acts of the wicked. ^h,ⁱ

⁶When their rulers ^j will be thrown off

the sides of a cliff,

the people ^k will listen to my words,

for they are pleasing. ^l

⁷As when one plows and breaks up the soil,

turning up rocks,

so our ^m bones have been scattered

at the mouth of Sheol. ⁿ

⁸But my eyes look to you, Lord, my Lord.

I seek refuge in you; do not let me die. ^o,^p

⁹Protect me from the trap they have set for me,

and from the snares of evildoers. ^q

¹⁰Let the wicked fall into their own nets,

while I pass by safely. ^r