Psalms 141
What Happens in This Chapter
David asks God to hear him quickly. He asks God to guard his words and keep his heart away from evil. He says he would rather be corrected by a good person than share a feast with people who do wrong. He ends by asking God to keep him safe from the traps set for him.
Plain reading written for kids. Short sentences, everyday words, one idea at a time.
Lord, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.
1Lord, I am calling out to you. Please come to me quickly. Listen to my voice when I call to you.
2Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
2Let my prayer come to you like sweet-smelling smoke. Let my lifted hands be like the evening gift given to you.
Incense is a sweet-smelling smoke that was burned as a gift to God. In the evening, people also brought an animal gift to God. David is saying he wants his prayer to be that kind of gift.
3Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
3Lord, put a guard over my mouth. Watch the door of my lips so I speak well.
4Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.
4Do not let my heart turn to anything evil. Keep me from joining bad people in doing wrong. Do not let me share their fancy food.
5Let 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.
5Let a good person correct me. That kindness is like good oil on my head. I will not turn it away. And I keep praying about the wrong things people do.
"It shall not break my head" is old English. It means David will not push the correction away. The Berean says, "let me not refuse it."
6When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.
6Their leaders will be thrown down from the rocky cliffs. Then the people will listen to my words, because my words are good.
7Our bones are scattered at the grave’s mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth.
7Our bones lie scattered by the mouth of the grave. It looks like ground broken up when someone plows a field.
8But mine eyes are unto thee, O GOD the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.
8But my eyes are looking to you, Lord God. I come to you to keep me safe. Do not leave me with no help at all.
9Keep me from the snares which they have laid for me, and the gins of the workers of iniquity.
9Keep me away from the traps that bad people set for me. Keep me from the tricks they use to catch me.
10Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal escape.
10Let those who do wrong get caught in their own nets. And let me walk past safely.
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