March 25
Reading: Psalm 141
A Psalm of David.
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.
At the first reading, one might think that Psalm 141 is another imprecatory psalm. It isn’t. Yes, there is an acknowledgement that the wicked will get what they deserve, but David’s concern here is not with the wicked, but for himself. He wants to be sure that he is not among the wicked.
In verses 1-2 David speaks of a prayer that he is bringing before God, a prayer that he desperately wants God to hear and heed. He wants this prayer to be incense before God. He wants it to be counted as worship. What is the prayer?
We get the meat of the prayer in verses 3-4, and then two caveats on the prayer in verses 5-7 and then 8-10. This prayer recalls David’s prayer at the end of Psalm 139.
Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting! Psalm 139:23-24
You can see in Psalm 141:3-4 that David does not want to speak like wicked men. He does not want to do what wicked men do. He does not want to keep the company that wicked men keep. I imagine David to be thinking of Psalm 1:1.
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers.
David needs God’s help to avoid this unrighteousness. He needs God to watch over him.
In verses 5-7 David adds to this request a prayer that God would help him listen to wise counsel even when it hurts, and to avoid bad advice.
Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. Proverbs 19:20
Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy. Proverbs 27:6
Finally, in verses 8-10 David asks God for help and protection, because he’s going to need it. His enemies would love it if David were to fail in his desire to follow the Lord.