Psalm 141:1-5 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 141:1-4

Mercy to accept what we do well, and grace to keep us from doing ill, are the two things which we are here taught by David's example to pray to God for. I. David loved prayer, and he begs of God that his prayers might be heard and answered, Ps. 141:1, 2. David cried unto God. His crying denotes fervency in prayer; he prayed as one in earnest. His crying to God denotes faith and fixedness in prayer. And what did he desire as the success of his prayer? 1. That God would take cognizance of it:... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 141:5-10

Here, I. David desires to be told of his faults. His enemies reproached him with that which was false, which he could not but complain of; yet, at the same time, he desired his friends would reprove him for that which was really amiss in him, particularly if there was any thing that gave the least colour to those reproaches (Ps. 141:5): let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness. The righteous God (so some); ?I will welcome the rebukes of his providence, and be so far from quarrelling... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 141:1

Lord, I cry unto thee ,.... With great earnestness, importunity, and fervency, being in distress; and knowing vain was the help of man, and that none could deliver him but the Lord, and therefore continued crying unto him for help F23 "Auxilium vocat, et duros conclamat agrestes", Virgil. ; make haste unto me ; which shows he was in a desperate condition; that he could not help himself, nor could any creature, only the Lord; and he was at a distance from him, as it seemed to him,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 141:2

Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense ,.... Which was offered every morning on the altar of incense, at which time the people were praying, Exodus 30:1 ; and was an emblem of it, even of pure, holy, and fervent prayer; which being offered on the altar Christ, which sanctifies every gift, and by him the High Priest; through whom every sacrifice is acceptable unto God; and through whose blood and righteousness, and the sweet incense of his mediation and intercession, it becomes... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 141:3

Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth ,.... While praying, as Jarchi and Kimchi; that he might not utter any rash, unguarded, and unbecoming word; but take and use the words which God gives, even the taught words of the Holy Ghost; or lest, being under affliction and oppression, he should speak unadvisedly with his lips, and utter any impatient murmuring and repining word against God; or express any fretfulness at the prosperity of the wicked, or speak evil of them; especially of Saul, the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 141:4

Incline not my heart to any evil thing ,.... Or "evil word" F26 לדבר רע "ad verbum malum", Montanus. , as the Targum; since out of the abundance of that the mouth speaketh, Matthew 12:34 ; or to any sinful thing, to the commission of any evil action: not that God ever inclines men's hearts to sin by any physical influence, it being what is repugnant to his nature and will, and what he hates and abhors; for though he hardens the hearts of wicked men, and gives them up to the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 141:5

Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness ,.... Or, "smite me in kindness" F1 εν ελεει , Sept. "in misericordia", V. L. "benigne ac clementer", Michaelis. . In love; in a loving and friendly manner, which makes reproofs the more agreeable and effectual. Not the righteous God, as Arama; though he does sometimes smite his people for their sins, Isaiah 57:17 ; that is, reproves, corrects, and chastises them, and that in love and for their good; and therefore such smitings... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 141:1

Lord, I cry unto thee - Many of David's Psalms begin with complaints; but they are not those of habitual plaint and peevishness. He was in frequent troubles and difficulties, and he always sought help in God. He ever appears in earnest; at no time is there any evidence that the devotion of David was formal. He prayed, meditated, supplicated, groaned, cried, and even roared, as he tells us, for the disquietude of his soul. He had speedy answers; for he had much faith, and was always in... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 141:2

As incense - Incense was offered every morning and evening before the Lord, on the golden altar, before the veil of the sanctuary. Exodus 29:39 , and Numbers 28:4 . As the evening sacrifice - This was a burnt-offering, accompanied with flour and salt. But it does not appear that David refers to any sacrifice, for he uses not זבח zebach , which is almost universally used for a slaughtered animal; but מנחה minchah , which is generally taken for a gratitude-offering or unbloody... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 141:3

Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth - While there are so many spies on my actions and words, I have need to be doubly guarded, that my enemies may have no advantage against me. Some think the prayer is against impatience; but if he were now going to Gath, it is more natural to suppose that he was praying to be preserved from dishonoring the truth, and from making sinful concessions in a heathen land; and at a court where, from his circumstances, it was natural to suppose he might be tempted... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 141:1-4

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 141:5-10

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 141:1

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 141:2

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 141:3

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 141:4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 141:5

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 141:1

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 141:2

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 141:3

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