| | | | | where he says, " But my eyes are turned towards |
| Psalm 141 reads as follows from the New Oxford | | | | you, O God, my Lord: in you I seek refuge, do not |
| Annotated Bible; | | | | leave me defenseless." |
| | | | | Something to meditate on from this verse, is what |
| I call upon you, O Lord, come quickly to me; Give ear | | | | would and what would not be turning your eyes |
| to my voice when I call you. | | | | toward the Lord. A turning away can gather into a |
| Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, | | | | single moment something or could become ongoing |
| And the lifting up of my hands as an evening | | | | and while this might be momentary and at first |
| sacrifice. | | | | harmless, turning your eyes away from the Lord can |
| Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord, | | | | be the beginning of the end and even David who is |
| Keep watch over the doors of my lips, | | | | highly favored by the Lord feels the need keep his |
| Do not turn my heart to any evil, | | | | eyes upon the Lord, and to not let his eyes go |
| To busy myself with wicked deeds, | | | | astray. Relatively harmless pursuits of looking |
| In the company of those who work iniquity, | | | | elsewhere may begin to lead to the road of perdition. |
| Do not let them eat of their delicacies, | | | | Sometimes people, who go to help the wrongdoers, |
| Let the righteous strike me, Let the faithful correct | | | | end up falling into the same things themselves, |
| me, | | | | because they have come too close. The main thing |
| Never let the oil of the wicked anoint my head, | | | | to preserve is the relationship with the Lord. |
| For my prayer is continually against their wicked | | | | But it is very interesting that David is saying in verse |
| deeds, | | | | 8, “do not leave me defenseless." In the context |
| When they are given over to those who shall | | | | of this psalm, he is not talking about needing an army |
| condemn them, | | | | or something of a military nature to defend him |
| Then they shall learn that my words were pleasant, | | | | against the works of evil. He is talking about his own |
| Like a rock that one breaks apart, Shatters on the | | | | ability to succumb to any of the trappings and |
| land, | | | | devices of the wicked and how if he disarms with |
| So there bones shall be strewn at the mouth of | | | | regard to this, it would leave him rather defenseless. |
| Sheol. | | | | When you think about it, the thread of defense or |
| But my eyes are turned toward you, O God, my | | | | protection against evil in many cases is just an |
| Lord; | | | | individual's own good sense or knowledge and that is |
| In you I seek refuge, do not leave me defenseless, | | | | about it. The defense mechanism is an internal ability |
| Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me, | | | | to discern, to know, what is intrinsically harmful or |
| And from the snares of evildoers, Let the wicked | | | | what should be avoided. But an actual lack of |
| fall into their own nets, | | | | knowledge or an inability to properly discern evil could |
| While I alone escape. | | | | lead to being defenseless. A breakdown in moral |
| | | | | codes could lead to being defenseless. You don’t |
| The first verse of this psalm is one of the more oft | | | | have to look too far or reach too much to find out |
| cited verses in all of the psalms with regards to | | | | about deep sin. Sometimes all it takes is one or two |
| prayer, where it says," Let my prayer be counted as | | | | steps in the wrong direction. |
| incense before you" | | | | But we rely on the Lord’s protection in so many |
| There can be several interpretations imputed to | | | | ways, as we can be walking about unawares of the |
| these powerful words. | | | | many different things that can go wrong. Here David |
| The overall context of this psalm is uncertainty. The | | | | obviously is lacking some information and he is relying |
| evil and evildoers are in close proximity to the | | | | on the Lord to help defend him through various aids |
| psalmist, with their presence representing a type of | | | | included the help of the Lord’s faithful who are |
| swirl, to where the psalmist believes that he himself | | | | present in the land and offer correction and warning |
| can become entrapped within the currents of this | | | | as to who is who. Evil has aspects of corruption, |
| swirl. For the psalmist, this is happening right here and | | | | where internal defenses against it can break down. |
| right now and there is immediacy to his need for | | | | Someone might steal small amounts from say an |
| redress. Danger lurks in an approaching manner that is | | | | employer, and then gradually it becomes more and |
| becoming a reality in these very present moments of | | | | more. What is to prevent even say a bird from |
| the psalmist's life. | | | | turning from its flight and attacking us, if it isn’t |
| A key focal point of the psalm is found within verse | | | | for the mercy of the Lord and his control over |
| 2 as he implores the power of prayer as an aid to | | | | nature? |
| himself and for those whom he is interceding for. His | | | | Jesus told his disciples not to separate themselves |
| prayer efforts are not only for himself directly but | | | | from wrongdoers who were not brothers in the faith. |
| also for the environment and people around him, both | | | | He admonished his disciples only to separate |
| near and far. | | | | themselves from brothers who were wrongdoers |
| Verse 2 raises several questions as well. To what | | | | and operating on the side of evil. |
| degree does prayer count? The psalmist signatory in | | | | The bounds of what can go wrong are very wide |
| this case is his able position to go to the Lord in | | | | and can be broken. |
| prayer and find that his prayers can be counted as | | | | But more so, this psalm is speaking to the inner |
| incense. | | | | mechanisms of protection as there are vagaries that |
| David, the psalmist, speaks of the nearby company | | | | everyone is subject to that can have evil |
| of those who work iniquities as containing delicacies, | | | | connotations. The insipid presence of evil must be |
| meaning that there is an actual lure towards what | | | | defended against. There is a common sense, a sense |
| abides in their presence for him and for others as | | | | of right, that can be broken like a broken dam and |
| well. This is one of the dangers that he perceives | | | | that would ultimately or finally leave someone |
| from his point of view. His inner defenses are there in | | | | defenseless. If the first line of defense is broken, |
| recognizing their ways as wrong, but he feels he can | | | | then there might not always be a second line of |
| also be had by the evil contained within their ways. | | | | defense against participation in evil actions. It might |
| Part of what he has to lose if he goes that way is | | | | be as simple as losing track of the possible |
| his vaunted or elevated position as one who can go | | | | consequences of evil. In a broader sense, it is a |
| to the Lord and have his prayers counted as incense. | | | | matter from this psalm of keeping the eyes on the |
| For now, he says he continually prays against the | | | | Lord, as even David felt this necessary and the turn |
| wicked deeds of these wicked men, so it would be a | | | | towards not doing this can lead to unsaid and unseen |
| contradiction if he joined their ranks in any way and | | | | troubles. |
| he will be compromising his position in his own prayer | | | | There are several key points to this psalm. One is |
| life. | | | | the idea that prayers can count, which of course is |
| Looking back at the first 2 verses, he is seemingly | | | | what we are hoping for in the first place. It is |
| asking that the Lord be with him in real time, as the | | | | interesting that within society that counting and |
| first verse reads, “I call upon you, O Lord, come | | | | measures can predominate, even in one’s |
| quickly to me, give ear to my voice when I call." | | | | thinking and also in what someone might be grasping |
| In this nearby swirl of people that contains a mix of | | | | for, if the count is good, then I have something. If |
| evildoers, there seems to be a degree of actual | | | | the count is bad, then I have lost something. I feel |
| confusion for David as to who is who, as the | | | | better for example if the count in my bank account |
| evildoers are so close and intermingled with the | | | | is higher. Here in prayer, David is counting with God, |
| people around the psalmist to whom he is looking for | | | | his prayer counts for him and for the Lord if all goes |
| their insights and correction of his course as it is | | | | well. He may have seen some great results to his |
| necessary that he has the help of others who are on | | | | mighty intercessions previously as a great prayer |
| the side of righteousness in helping him carefully | | | | warrior and he has already seen that his prayers |
| discern. Are there some wicked people in the mix | | | | were counted in the past. He feels better in having |
| that have sifted in, to his advisers? | | | | the knowledge that his prayers have counted. His |
| Incense rises quickly and this is symbolic of David | | | | bank account of prayers has been sturdy and his |
| requesting that the Lord receive his prayers rather | | | | goal it to maintain that and not to lose that. |
| quickly in the distresses of the moment. While his | | | | Another idea is prayer rising quickly to the Lord’s |
| prayers can have faraway implications not only in | | | | presence, as a sacrifice of incense. This means that |
| space but in time, for what is happening in his life, | | | | the prayer is in palpable form for the Lord, but also |
| quickness is important. | | | | necessarily rises quickly to the Lord, real time prayer |
| As far as the prayers counting, as the most | | | | needed for real time problems. When the prayers rise |
| important sacrifice or paramount sacrifice he can | | | | as incense, they are not contaminated by evil. And |
| make, this psalm is saying this quite plainly. | | | | looking at prayers that have already counted, the |
| It is highly likely though, that David has already seen | | | | timeliness of the answers which came is a factor. |
| that his prior prayers at times were already counted | | | | An additional idea is that given David’s lauded |
| as incense and this is known to him by the effect | | | | status, what he counted as most important in the |
| they had which could be seen by him. It is rather | | | | overall context of this psalm were his prayers. In |
| amazing to know for an individual who has prayed | | | | verse 3 he says, “Keep watches guard over my |
| that their prior unique and individual prayers had been | | | | mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my |
| counted as incense but this is possible. In the epistle | | | | lips". He sees that what he says in prayer, is a door |
| of James, it mentions how Elijah prayed for rain as | | | | that can open many possibilities and he needs to |
| one of us and it rained for 3 years as a response to | | | | guard his status as one who has these great |
| this single prayer. Elijah himself saw that his particular | | | | intercessory powers by not contradicting this and |
| prayer was counted as incense to the Lord by what | | | | falling into the traps of evil. He does not want to |
| actually happened as the rains did come. He knew his | | | | contradict or compromise his speech, which is his |
| prayer counted, by the visible changes to weather | | | | doorway to the Lord’s presence in prayer. He |
| patterns that came about from his prayer. | | | | can err on the side of evil even in what he says. This |
| Something like this could or should propel an individual | | | | is why for example, someone championing an evil |
| to want to maintain this recognized ability and prayer | | | | cause, say for example in modern times a politician, |
| status. Why for example would Elijah want his ability | | | | may not actually participate in the evil he or she is |
| to pray towards great effects such as the rains | | | | espousing, but the doorway of what is said has |
| compromised or lost? But this is what David fears in | | | | opened their own hearts to the ways of evil and its |
| this psalm. If he becomes intermingled with the | | | | influences and their words can have an effect |
| wicked, he might lose his status in the Lord's eyes as | | | | towards evil in the wider world of those listening to |
| one whose prayers have counted. He wants to | | | | their speeches or pronouncements. |
| maintain this, and this is why he is saying, let my | | | | The ending of this psalm talks of retribution. Some of |
| prayer count as incense. More than likely he is saying | | | | the words are rather harsh, where it says, “Like |
| this because his prior prayers have already been | | | | a rock that one breaks apart and shatters on the |
| counted as incense but he is not taking for granted | | | | land, so shall their bones be strewn at the mouth of |
| that his prayers will continue to be counted as | | | | Sheol." |
| incense. He is reverent toward the Lord with a holy | | | | As I was reading this, I was thinking of the Rolling |
| fear and humility and he is not taking anything for | | | | Stones song, Shattered. Although these words are |
| granted. It refers to his having prayed continually | | | | harsh, it comes down to these wicked men setting |
| later in this psalm so he is approaching the Lord as | | | | traps that were extremely harsh, and just falling into |
| someone who has already prayed continually, but also | | | | these very same traps themselves. |
| as someone who is still humbled by the Lord’s | | | | The final words are of this psalm are, “while I |
| ongoing choice as to whether to count his prayers as | | | | alone escape." Another aspect of this psalm is self |
| incense and while his prayers have counted in this | | | | reliance. David sees that he must keep his eyes |
| past, he also wishes that they continue to be | | | | turned to the Lord even if he is going to be the only |
| counted in the present and into the future. | | | | one doing this. If no one else is going to be with him |
| In verse 5 David does speak of having prayed | | | | on this, he is still going that route. He may in fact be |
| continually against the wicked, and this verse also | | | | the sole survivor. He may be the only one who |
| speaks to the idea of praying continually or non stop | | | | escapes, and remains to have his prayers counted. |
| about an issue of concern and therefore issues as | | | | These words also speak to the Lord’s singling |
| invitation to do so. It does speak in a number of | | | | out of individuals as David is speaking of his prayers |
| places in the Bible about continuing to pray, such as in | | | | rising as an individual who is seeking the Lord and in |
| Paul's epistles. The wicked though are so close that | | | | this psalm it is the individual’s prayer that counts |
| David speaks to them personally, as he says in verse | | | | as incense. In the time and place of the psalm, it |
| 6, they shall learn that my words are pleasant. In this | | | | might be David alone who retains these great prayer |
| case though, it will be too late for them to turn back | | | | powers although there were others still with him at |
| and this is also speaks to the ruin of the wicked, | | | | the writing of the psalm. Whatever you’re |
| how they could look back to what they might have | | | | praying for, especially in intercessions, you can’t |
| had, had they not strayed and had stayed firm of | | | | always assume that someone else is also standing in |
| the side of righteousness. | | | | the gap with you for a particular intercession. You |
| He asks that the Lord guide him through the | | | | would hope that there are others, but there is no |
| interceding presence of the righteous and faithful, | | | | guarantee of this according to this psalm. This is why |
| who could correct him and serve as guides. He seeks | | | | the onus to pray does indeed fall upon individuals. |
| a warning if needed and believes that the Lord hand | | | | You might be the only one who is there, standing in |
| is present in the actions of the righteous and his | | | | this particular gap. It might be only you. |
| faithful ones on his behalf. | | | | The excuse is not there then, that my prayers |
| Almost anyone can begin to fall prey to the | | | | don’t count. Seeking of the Lord must be done |
| temptations of the moment. Even the smartest | | | | and done to the point to where your prayers do |
| people can fall. David, we know from his writings was | | | | count as incense and continue to be counted as |
| extremely intelligent. Here in this and other psalms, he | | | | incense. |
| admits to being somewhat overwhelmed by the | | | | Where then did the prayer come in this that made all |
| presence of the wicked and also feeling some of the | | | | the difference in the world and was counted as |
| tug of their enticements. | | | | incense? Could it be you? |
| His response to this is contained within verse 8 | | | | The answer is, “It might be you. |