INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 141 A PSALM OF DAVID. This psalm was written about the same time, and upon the same occasion, as that going before and what follows after; even when David was persecuted by Saul, and when he was in great danger of his enemies, and snares were laid for his life.... [ Continue Reading ]
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 w; MAKE HASTE UNTO ME; which shows he was in a desperate condition; t... [ Continue Reading ]
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,... [ Continue Reading ]
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 unadvi... [ Continue Reading ]
INCLINE NOT MY HEART TO [ANY] EVIL THING,.... Or "evil word" z, 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 i... [ Continue Reading ]
LET THE RIGHTEOUS SMITE ME, [IT SHALL BE] A KINDNESS,.... Or, "smite me in kindness" a. 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, r... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THEIR JUDGES ARE OVERTHROWN IN STONY PLACES,.... The judges of David's adversaries, the workers of iniquity; meaning Saul, Abner, c. Arama refers this to Saul and his sons being slain on the mountains of Gilboa, 1 Samuel 31:1 which might be here prophetically spoken of. Or, as it is by some ren... [ Continue Reading ]
OUR BONES ARE SCATTERED AT THE GRAVE'S MOUTH,.... Into which they were not suffered to be put, but lay unburied; or from whence they were dug up, and lay scattered about; which is to be understood of such of David's friends as fell into the hands of Saul and his men, and were slain: perhaps it may r... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT MINE EYES ARE UNTO THEE, O GOD THE LORD,.... Not only the eyes of his body, lifted up to God in prayer, this being a prayer gesture, John 11:41; but the eyes of his mind, or understanding, especially the eyes of faith and love; for it is expressive of his affection to God, his holy confidence in... [ Continue Reading ]
KEEP ME FROM THE SNARE [WHICH] THEY HAVE LAID FOR ME,.... Either Saul, who gave him a wife to be a snare to him, and set men to watch his house and take him; or the Ziphites, who proposed to Saul to deliver him into his hands; see 1 Samuel 18:21. AND THE GINS OF THE WORKERS OF INIQUITY; the transgr... [ Continue Reading ]
LET THE WICKED FALL INTO THEIR OWN NETS,.... Which they have laid for others, as they very often do; see Psalms 7:15; or "into his net" k, either Saul into his own net, and others with him, so Kimchi and Ben Melech; or the wicked into the net which God has laid for them; see Ezekiel 12:13; WHILST T... [ Continue Reading ]