Psalm 141

Psalm 141

Prayer for Preservation from Evil

A Psalm of David.

¹I call upon you, O Lord; come quickly to me;

give ear to my voice when I call to you.^*

²Let my prayer be counted as incense before you

and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice.^*

³Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord;

keep watch over the door of my lips.

⁴Do not turn my heart to any evil,

to busy myself with wicked deeds

in company with those who work iniquity;

do not let me eat of their delicacies.^*

⁵Let the righteous strike me;

let the faithful correct me.

Never let the oil of the wicked anoint my head,^l

for my prayer is continually^m against their wicked deeds.^*

⁶When they are given over to those who shall condemn them,

then they shall learn that my words were pleasant.

⁷Like a rock that one breaks apart and shatters on the land,

so shall their bones be strewn at the mouth of Sheol.^n*

⁸But my eyes are turned toward you, O God, my Lord;

in you I seek refuge; do not leave me defenseless.^*

⁹Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me

and from the snares of evildoers.^*

¹⁰Let the wicked fall into their own nets,

while I alone escape.^*