Psalm 141

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 141:3

Keep the door of my lips. How needed is a sentinel and guard at the door! For lack of it, what mischief has been wrought! Who can recount all the ills of unguarded speech? I. LIP - SINS : THEIR CAUSE . 1. Impulsive temperament . Like as a stroke from the whip, which would only make the common cart-horse slowly shake his head, but would send the thorough-bred flying over the hedge in a very tornado of rage, so there are men who are never roused to hasty speech, they... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 141:3

Our lip-watchman. Our lips are poetically presented as the door of our mouth. A man's heart is not to be trusted as an inspirer of speech. Every man needs to have the speech examined and tested before it is let pass the door of his lips. The psalmist feels that he cannot trust himself to examine, criticize, qualify his own speech, especially in times of excitement. And yet he must do this work himself. No one but himself can know what he is inwardly urged to say. In asking God to set a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 141:3

The power of human speech for good and evil. There is, perhaps, no other power given us by God which more evidently distinguishes us from the beasts, than the power of intelligent speech. And perhaps we have no power that can do more to help and bless others. And yet this also is true—no other faculty is more degraded by sin. One is led even to exclaim, "What shall be done unto thee, O thou deceitful tongue, thou lovest all devouring words!" I. THE POWER OF MAN 'S SPEECH FOR... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 141:4

Incline not my heart to any evil thing ; i . e . let not my heart be inclined to any form of evil. To practice wicked works (rather, wicked practices ) with men that work iniquity; and let me not eat of their dainties. Let me not be drawn in to their life of sinful luxury. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 141:4

God's preventions. This prayer, "Incline not my heart to any evil thing," should be compared with the clause in the Lord's Prayer, "Lead us not into temptation." In neither case can God be thought of as the direct cause of evil or temptation; but in both cases he may be thought of as the indirect occasion. God does place men in circumstances in connection with which temptation may come to them; and the circumstances may even induce an evil inclination to yield to the temptation. It... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 141:5

Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness ; rather, let the righteous smite me kindly , as in the margin. And let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head ; rather, which my head shall not refuse . The psalmist will prefer the reproof of the righteous to the dainty allurements of the wicked. He will regard their words as an oil of welcome, such as was poured upon the head of favored guests ( Luke 7:36 ), and his head will not refuse ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 141:5

The excellent oil of reproof; or, kindness smiting. Much may be learned from this verse concerning the very difficult and delicate task of reproving others. We learn— I. THAT REPROOF MAY BE SO ADMINISTERED AS TO BE EVEN WELCOMED . "Let the righteous smite me," etc.; and further down in the verse, "Let not my head refuse it;" such is the truer rendering of the Revised Version in the clause which our Authorized Version reads, "which shall not break my head." It is... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 141:5

Praying for others. The psalmist here says he will do this. We need not trouble about the right rendering of this difficult verse, but may take it as it stands. It says that the calamities of the righteous shall stir the psalmist's soul to pray for them. He loved them much, even though they severely rebuked him, indeed, because they did so. I. IT IS A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE . We pray for ourselves, and it is right we should, for unless we ourselves are right with God we shall care... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 141:5

Reproof and kindness. "Let the righteous man treat me with any amount of ignominious reproach for my sins, yet I will prefer him to the ungodly, however prosperous, my prayer being ever that I may be saved from the evil deeds of the latter." Read, "Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: let him reprove me; such oil for my head let not my head refuse." Roberts tells us that in the East "certain oils are said to have a most salutary effect on the head; hence, in fevers, or any... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 141:6

When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words. Calamity opens the heart to receive instruction. The "judges"— i . e . the leaders—among David's enemies are visited with a grievous calamity, expressed metaphorically by their being dashed upon rocks. This disposes them to listen to David's words, which are well worth listening to, since they are sweet . read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 141:3

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 141:3

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 141:3

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 141:4

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 141:4

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 141:5

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 141:5

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 141:5

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 141:5

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 141:6

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