Text: Psalm 141:1-10 (ESV)

1 O LORD, I call upon you; hasten to me!

Give ear to my voice when I call to you!

2 Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,

and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!

3 Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth;

keep watch over the door of my lips!

4 Do not let my heart incline to any evil,

to busy myself with wicked deeds

in company with men who work iniquity,

and let me not eat of their delicacies!

5 Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness;

let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head;

let my head not refuse it.

Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds.

6 When their judges are thrown over the cliff,

then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant.

7 As when one plows and breaks up the earth,

so shall our bones be scattered at the mouth of Sheol.

8 But my eyes are toward you, O GOD, my Lord;

in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless!

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

and from the snares of evildoers!

10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets,

while I pass by safely

MY EYES ARE TOWARD YOU, O GOD, MY LORD

David has been maligned and slandered. How should he respond? He was tempted to use strong words and vile speech in return but he did not. David prays that he may be kept from such sins. That he won’t follow the evil ways of the wicked (v.1-4).

O LORD, I call upon you; hasten to me!

Give ear to my voice when I call to you!

2 Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,

and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!

3 Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth;

keep watch over the door of my lips!

4 Do not let my heart incline to any evil,

to busy myself with wicked deeds

in company with men who work iniquity,

and let me not eat of their delicacies!

If ever a godly person has a cause to rebuke him, David prays that he may receive it as a blessing. I is as if he has been anointed with oil. But, he will always remain opposed to evil (v.5).

5 Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness;

let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head;

let my head not refuse it.

Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds.

People will be forced to take notice when God acts, for his punishments will leave the wicked completely shattered (v.6-7).

6 When their judges are thrown over the cliff,

then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant.

7 As when one plows and breaks up the earth,

so shall our bones be scattered at the mouth of Sheol.

Even when the wicked is still actively on attack mode, David prays that he will be saved from the traps and deception they have set for him (v.8-10).

8 But my eyes are toward you, O GOD, my Lord;

in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless!

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

and from the snares of evildoers!

10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets,

while I pass by safely.

Listen and FOLLOW us on our podcast

-------------------------

Visit and FOLLOW Gospel Light Filipino on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram