Psalms 141–10
Psalm 141:1-10
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Psa.141.1 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- מזמור: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לדוד: PREP+NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- קראתיך: VERB,qal,perf,1,c,sg
- חושה: VERB,qal,impv,2,m,sg
- לי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
- האזינה: VERB,qal,perf,3,f,sg
- קולי: NOUN,m,sg,abs+1
- בקראי: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,1,sg
- לך: PRON,2,m,sg
Parallels
- Psalm 5:1-3 (verbal): Like Ps 141:1, the psalmist petitions God to give ear to his words and to listen to the voice of his cry (’hear my words / give ear to my voice’), sharing close wording and plea for divine attention.
- Psalm 86:6-7 (verbal): Both verses use nearly identical requests—'Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; listen to the voice of my supplication' and 'I call to you; give ear to my voice'—emphasizing urgent appeal for God’s hearing and help.
- Psalm 18:6 (thematic): Expresses the same motif of calling to the LORD in distress and God hearing from his dwelling—'In my distress I called on the LORD; to my God I cried, and he heard my voice'—paralleling the appeal and expectation of a responsive God.
- Psalm 102:1-2 (verbal): The opening plea 'Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry come to you' echoes Ps 141:1’s petition for God to listen to the psalmist’s call, reflecting the common prayer formula for urgent divine attention.
Alternative generated candidates
- To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. O LORD, I call to you; hasten to me; give ear to my voice when I cry to you.
- A Psalm of David. O LORD, I call to you; hasten to me; give ear to my voice when I call to you.
Psa.141.2 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- תכון: VERB,qal,imperfect,2,m,sg
- תפלתי: NOUN,f,sg,abs,poss1s
- קטרת: NOUN,f,sg,cons
- לפניך: PREP+PRON,2,m,sg
- משאת: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- כפי: PREP
- מנחת: NOUN,f,sg,cons
- ערב: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Revelation 8:3-4 (allusion): Explicitly links 'incense' with the prayers of the saints rising before God, echoing Psalm 141:2's image of prayer as incense.
- Revelation 5:8 (allusion): Golden bowls of incense (symbolizing the prayers of the saints) presented before the Lamb—another New Testament use of incense as a metaphor for prayer.
- Exodus 30:7-8 (verbal): Priestly command to burn incense morning and evening at the tabernacle; provides the cultic background for 'incense' and 'evening offering' language in the Psalm.
- Leviticus 16:12-13 (structural): The high priest's use of a censer of burning incense in the sanctuary on the Day of Atonement parallels the sacrificial/ritual setting that informs Psalm 141:2's imagery.
- Hebrews 13:15 (thematic): Calls praise a 'sacrifice of praise' offered to God, thematically paralleling Psalm 141:2's equation of prayer with a sacrificial/incense offering.
Alternative generated candidates
- Let my prayer be set before you as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
- Let my prayer be set before you as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening offering.
Psa.141.3 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- שיתה: VERB,qal,impv,2,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- שמרה: VERB,qal,impv,2,m,sg
- לפי: PREP
- נצרה: VERB,qal,ptc,3,m,sg
- על: PREP
- דל: ADJ,m,sg
- שפתי: NOUN,f,sg,cons
Parallels
- Proverbs 13:3 (verbal): Directly parallels the idea that guarding one's mouth preserves life—both stress the protective value of controlling speech.
- Proverbs 21:23 (verbal): Close verbal affinity: keeping one's mouth and tongue keeps one out of trouble, echoing the petition for the Lord to guard the lips.
- James 3:2-6 (thematic): New Testament reflection on the destructive power of the tongue and the need to restrain speech, thematically echoing the Psalmist's plea for divine help to control the mouth.
- Psalm 19:14 (thematic): A prayer asking that the words of the mouth be acceptable to God; parallels Psalm 141:3's request that God guard and oversee the speaker's words.
- Proverbs 17:27 (thematic): Affirms that restraining words is a mark of understanding and wisdom, resonating with the Psalmist's appeal for protection over his speech.
Alternative generated candidates
- Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips.
- Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips.
Psa.141.4 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- אל: NEG
- תט: VERB,qal,impf,2,ms
- לבי: NOUN,m,sg,abs,1cs
- לדבר: INF,qal
- רע: ADJ,m,sg,abs
- להתעולל: VERB,hitpael,inf
- עללות: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- ברשע: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- את: PRT,acc
- אישים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- פעלי: NOUN,m,pl,cstr
- און: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ובל: CONJ+PART
- אלחם: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- במנעמיהם: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,poss3mp
Parallels
- Psalm 26:4-5 (verbal): David refuses fellowship with evildoers—'I will not sit with the wicked'—parallels the plea not to let the heart join in the deeds or partake of the delicacies of the wicked.
- Psalm 1:1 (thematic): The blessed one 'walks not in the counsel of the wicked'—a close thematic injunction to avoid companionship and influence of sinners, like the petition in Ps 141:4.
- Proverbs 1:10-14 (allusion): A warning not to consent when sinners entice you with promises of gain and shared wrongdoing—parallels the plea not to be led into doing evil for their benefit or to partake of their spoils.
- Proverbs 4:14-15 (structural): An explicit command to avoid the path of the wicked and not enter their way—structurally similar to the petition that the heart not incline to evil or join in wicked deeds.
- Psalm 119:37 (verbal): 'Turn away my eyes from beholding vanity' expresses the same desire for divine help to avoid sinful seeing and participation, akin to asking not to savor the pleasures of the wicked.
Alternative generated candidates
- Do not let my heart incline to speak evil, to take part in wicked deeds with men who work iniquity; and let me not eat of their delicacies.
- Do not incline my heart to any evil word, to practise wicked deeds with men who work iniquity; and do not let me eat of their delicacies.
Psa.141.5 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- יהלמני: VERB,qal,imperf,3,m,sg
- צדיק: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- חסד: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ויוכיחני: VERB,hifil,imperf,3,m,sg
- שמן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ראש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אל: NEG
- יני: NOUN,m,sg,poss-1
- ראשי: NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,1,sg
- כי: CONJ
- עוד: ADV
- ותפלתי: CONJ+NOUN,f,sg,abs+1s
- ברעותיהם: NOUN,f,pl,poss-3mp
Parallels
- Proverbs 27:6 (thematic): Reproof from a friend is portrayed as faithful/kind—echoes Psalm 141:5’s idea that being struck or reproved by a righteous person is an act of kindness.
- Proverbs 9:8 (verbal): ‘Reprove a wise man and he will love you’ parallels the Psalm’s acceptance of reproving from the righteous rather than rejecting it.
- Proverbs 15:31 (thematic): Speaks of the life-giving value of listening to reproof—resonates with the Psalmist’s welcoming of correction as beneficial rather than offensive.
- Psalm 23:5 (verbal): Uses the imagery of anointing the head with oil as blessing; parallels Psalm 141:5’s phrase ‘oil for my head’ linking reproof/blessing and anointing.
- Proverbs 27:17 (thematic): ‘Iron sharpens iron’ captures the mutual improvement conveyed when the righteous admonish one another, a theme underlying the Psalm’s acceptance of correction.
Alternative generated candidates
- Let a righteous man strike me—it is kindness; let him reprove me—it is oil upon the head; let my head not refuse it. For still my prayer is against their wicked deeds.
- Let the righteous reproach me—that will be kindness; let him reprove me—that will be oil on my head; let my head not refuse it; for my prayer is still against their wicked deeds.
Psa.141.6 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- נשמטו: VERB,niphal,perf,3,m,pl
- בידי: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,suff1s
- סלע: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- שפטיהם: NOUN,f,pl,suff3mp
- ושמעו: VERB,qal,imp,2,m,pl
- אמרי: VERB,qal,impv,2,f,sg
- כי: CONJ
- נעמו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
Parallels
- Isaiah 8:14 (allusion): Uses the image of a 'stone' that causes people to stumble — parallels the 'סלע' (rock) motif and the idea of falling or being judged by a stone.
- Isaiah 28:16 (verbal): Speaks of a tested/precious stone laid as a foundation — connects to the 'rock' (סלע) imagery and its theological function as judgment or refuge.
- Psalm 82:2-4 (thematic): Addresses corrupt judges and God’s judgment of them; parallels the reference to 'שפטיהם' (their judges) and divine dealing with unjust authorities.
- Proverbs 16:24 (verbal): Speaks of 'pleasant' words (נָעִים/נֶעֱמָה) being sweet and healing — parallels the phrasing 'אמרי כי נעמו' ('my words, for they are pleasant').
- Romans 9:33 (quotation): Echoes Isaiah's 'stumbling stone' motif in an NT context ('a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense') — links to the rock/stone causing fall implied by 'סלע' in the psalm verse.
Alternative generated candidates
- Let their judges fall by the side of the rock; let them hear my words, for they are pleasant.
- Their judges have been cast down from the rock by my hand; they heed my words, for they are pleasant.
Psa.141.7 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- כמו: PREP
- פלח: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ובקע: CONJ+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- בארץ: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,def
- נפזרו: VERB,niphal,perf,3,m,pl
- עצמינו: NOUN,m,pl,abs,1p
- לפי: PREP
- שאול: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Ezekiel 37:11-12 (verbal): Speaks of dry bones and being cut off—close verbal and thematic overlap with imagery of bones/selves scattered and sent to the grave/Sheol.
- Isaiah 14:19-20 (thematic): Describes being cast out of the grave and down into the pit—parallel motif of being thrown into Sheol or the earth.
- Psalm 22:15 (thematic): Uses grave/death imagery ('dust of death', loss of strength) akin to the psalm's picture of scattering toward Sheol.
- Psalm 49:14-15 (thematic): Depicts the fate of the dead being given to Sheol and their bones/selves lying in the grave—similar treatment of death and the pit.
Alternative generated candidates
- As when one plows and breaks up the earth, so their bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.
- As when one plows and breaks up the earth, so are our bones scattered at the mouth of Sheol.
Psa.141.8 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- כי: CONJ
- אליך: PREP+PRON,2,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- אדני: NOUN,m,sg,abs,1,sg
- עיני: NOUN,f,pl,cons+1s
- בכה: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- חסיתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,c,sg
- אל: NEG
- תער: VERB,qal,impf,juss,2,_,sg
- נפשי: NOUN,f,sg,abs+1cs
Parallels
- Psalm 25:1 (verbal): Both open with an address of lift/commitment to the LORD ("To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul"), expressing personal turning toward God and dependence.
- Psalm 123:1 (verbal): Uses the same phrase "To you I lift up my eyes" (Hebrew: 'אליך אֶשָּׂא עֵינִי'), a close verbal parallel emphasizing looking to God for help.
- Psalm 31:1 (verbal): Shares the language of trusting God and pleading not to be put to shame ("In you, O LORD, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame"), paralleling the petition in Ps 141:8.
- Psalm 121:1 (thematic): Both poems feature the motif of lifting one's eyes toward a locus of help (Ps 121:1 lifts eyes to the hills; Ps 141:8 lifts eyes to the LORD), expressing reliance on divine aid.
Alternative generated candidates
- But my eyes are toward you, O LORD; in you I take refuge—do not abandon my soul.
- But to you, O LORD, my Lord, I lift up my eyes; in you I take refuge—do not let my soul be put to shame.
Psa.141.9 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- שמרני: VERB,piel,imp,2,ms
- מידי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
- פח: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- יקשו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- לי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
- ומקשות: CONJ+NOUN,f,pl,abs
- פעלי: NOUN,m,pl,cstr
- און: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Psalm 119:110 (verbal): Uses the same imagery of the wicked laying a snare for the psalmist — closely parallels the language of being ensnared by evildoers.
- Psalm 91:3 (thematic): Speaks of God delivering the faithful from the snare of the fowler; thematically parallels the plea for protection from traps and snares.
- Psalm 25:15 (thematic): Expresses trust that the Lord will lift the psalmist’s feet out of the net, echoing the request to be kept from snares set by enemies.
- Psalm 35:7 (thematic): Describes enemies hiding a net or pit for the psalmist’s life — a parallel depiction of hostile snares and plots against the righteous.
Alternative generated candidates
- Keep me from the snares they have set for me, and from the traps of evildoers.
- Keep me from the snares they have laid for me, and from the traps of evildoers.
Psa.141.10 - Details
Translation
Original Text
Morphology
- יפלו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- במכמריו: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs,3,m,sg
- רשעים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- יחד: ADV
- אנכי: PRON,1,sg
- עד: PREP
- אעבור: VERB,qal,impf,1,_,sg
Parallels
- Psalm 35:8 (verbal): ’Let his net that he hid catch him’ — almost the same wording and image of a hidden net ensnaring the evildoer as in Psalm 141:10.
- Psalm 9:15-16 (verbal): ’The nations have sunk down in the pit which they made; in the net which they hid their own foot is caught’ — uses the same pit/net motif of sinners falling into their own traps.
- Proverbs 26:27 (verbal): ’Whoever digs a pit will fall into it’ — proverbial expression of the same principle that evildoers suffer from their own devices.
- Psalm 7:15-16 (thematic): Describes a wicked man falling into the pit he made and his mischief returning on his head — the retributive theme parallels Psalm 141:10’s petition that the wicked fall into their own snares.
Alternative generated candidates
- Let the wicked fall into their own nets; as for me, I will pass by safely.
- Let the wicked fall into their own nets; as for me, I will pass by.
A Psalm of David. O LORD, I call; hasten to me. Hear my voice when I call to you.
Let my prayer be fixed before you as incense; the lifting up of my hands as the evening offering.
Set, O LORD, a guard over my mouth; keep watch at the opening of my lips.
Do not let my heart be inclined to evil, to practice deeds of wrong with men who work iniquity; let me not eat of their delicacies.
Let the righteous strike me—kindness! Let him reprove me—oil upon the head; let my head not refuse; yet my prayer is against their wicked deeds.
Their judges are thrown down to the rock; they heed my words, for they are pleasing.
They are like one who ploughs and breaks the earth; their bones are scattered to Sheol. But to you, O LORD, my Lord, I lift up my eyes; in you I take refuge—do not leave my soul destitute.
Keep me from the snare they have laid for me, and from the traps of evildoers.
Let the wicked fall into their own nets; while I pass by, I will escape.