A HUMBLE BUT URGENT PRAYER

Psalm 141:1-10 / Keywords 141:5

Let a righteous man strike me--it is a kindness; let him rebuke me--it is oil on my head. My head will not refuse it. Yet my prayer is ever against the deeds of evildoers;

A psalm of David.

141:1 I call to you, Lord, come quickly to me;

    hear me when I call to you.

2 May my prayer be set before you like incense;

    may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.

3 Set a guard over my mouth, Lord;

    keep watch over the door of my lips.

4 Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil

    so that I take part in wicked deeds

along with those who are evildoers;

    do not let me eat their delicacies.

5 Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness;

    let him rebuke me—that is oil on my head.

My head will not refuse it,

    for my prayer will still be against the deeds of evildoers.

6 Their rulers will be thrown down from the cliffs,

    and the wicked will learn that my words were well spoken.

7 They will say, “As one plows and breaks up the earth,

    so our bones have been scattered at the mouth of the grave.”

8 But my eyes are fixed on you, Sovereign Lord;

    in you I take refuge—do not give me over to death.

9 Keep me safe from the traps set by evildoers,

    from the snares they have laid for me.

10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets,

    while I pass by in safety.

1. The burning of incense in the Old Testament temple worship represented prayer

going up to God. We should have faith that our prayer life is a sweet-smelling

offering to God (2). The Psalmist once again is praying urgently for deliverance

from enemies. But first, he prays that he himself may not speak wicked words (3)

or be tempted by evil (4). Then he confesses his willingness to receive a rebuke

from the righteous (5). To grow spiritually, we need to be able to receive correction

ourselves, not just pray for others to be changed. God honors humble prayers

from those who are seeking to be made holy.

 

2. When we have humbled ourselves before God, we can also pray for God’s

justice to be displayed against evildoers (6-7). However, it is more important to

keep our own eyes fixed on God and trust him for our protection (8-9). That way,

we can avoid becoming too focused on human enemies.

 

Prayer Father, thank you for being my protector. Please send me your correction

in the right time and help me speak only good and helpful words.

One Word Willing to accept a rebuke