Matthew Henry Commentary Psalms 141
Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalms 141
Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalms 141
"Jehovah, I have called upon thee; make haste unto me: Give ear unto my voice, when I call unto thee. Let my prayer be set forth as incense before thee; The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Set a watch, O Jehovah, before my mouth; Keep the door of my lips. Incline not my heart to any evil thing, To practise deeds of wickedness With men that work iniquity: And let me not eat of their dainties." — Psalms 141:1-4 (ASV)
Make haste unto me. Those who know how to value God's gracious presence will be more fervent in their prayers. When presented through the sacrifice and intercession of the Saviour, they will be as acceptable to God as the daily sacrifices and burnings of incense were in ancient times. Prayer is a spiritual sacrifice; it is the offering of the soul and its best affections.
Good men know the evil of sins of the tongue. When enemies are provoking, we are in danger of speaking rashly. While we live in an evil world and have such evil hearts, we need to pray that we may neither be drawn nor driven to do anything sinful.
Sinners pretend to find allurements in sin; but those who consider how soon sin will turn into bitterness will dread such allurements, and pray to God to remove them from their sight and by his grace to turn their hearts against them. Good men pray against the allurements of sin.
"Let the righteous smite me, [it shall be] a kindness; And let him reprove me, [it shall be as] oil upon the head; Let not my head refuse it: For even in their wickedness shall my prayer continue. Their judges are thrown down by the sides of the rock; And they shall hear my words; for they are sweet. As when one ploweth and cleaveth the earth, Our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol. For mine eyes are unto thee, O Jehovah the Lord: In thee do I take refuge; leave not my soul destitute. Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me, And from the gins of the workers of iniquity. Let the wicked fall into their own nets, Whilst that I withal escape. " — Psalms 141:5-10 (ASV)
We should be ready to welcome the rebuke of our heavenly Father, and also the reproof of our fellow believers. It will not break my head, if it only helps to break my heart: we must show that we take it kindly.
Those who slighted the word of God before will be glad of it when in affliction, for affliction opens the ear to instruction. When the world is bitter, the word is sweet.
Let us lift our prayer to God. Let us entreat him to rescue us from the snares of Satan and from all the workers of iniquity. In language like this psalm, O Lord, we would entreat that our humble prayers express our only hope, our only dependence on you. Grant us your grace, so that we may be prepared for this service, being clothed with your righteousness, and having all the gifts of your Spirit planted in our hearts.
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