Chapter 141

David

2 Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice! [Psa 141:2 ESV]

I have always heard people say let their prayers be a sweet savor.  But I think I like letting my prayer be incense much better.  There was always incense burning before the ark of the covenant.

2021 - These verses:

3 Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips! 4 Do not let my heart incline to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with men who work iniquity, and let me not eat of their delicacies! [Psa 141:3-4 ESV]

David saw two sources of danger from which he asks God to protect him.  From his own words, from what he might say.  And from joining himself to evil men and adopting their ways.  We don't  have any trouble at all understanding that second one, but it is mentioned second!  David recognizes that what he says might get him into even more trouble than evil men.

Possible FB post.

2021 - This one:  5 Let a righteous man strike me--it is a kindness; let him rebuke me--it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it. Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds. [Psa 141:5 ESV]

The first part of this verse tells us how to accept criticism, how to look at critique.  Welcome it as kindness, as anointing, and never refuse it...when it is from a righteous man.  Here again, we all need someone in our lives that will be honest with us.  Not only will this person tell you when you have bad breath, but when you flirt with the waitress at lunch, they will tell you it is desensitizing.  We don't need to just hope such a person comes along.  We need to actively search for and recruit this/these person(s).

Possible FB post.

2022 - Verse 5 from Darby:

5 Let the righteous smite me, it is kindness; and let him reprove me, it is an excellent oil which my head shall not refuse: for yet my prayer also is [for them] in their calamities. [Psa 141:5 DBY].

The last part of this verse doesn't really "fit" with the first part in the other translations.  I couldn't figure out why "yet my prayer" wasn't a brand new verse, about other people.  But in Darby, I can see how it is connected.  Even though these men in the first part of the verse smite and reprove him, not only does the psalmist accept those things as annointing oil for his own good, but he prays for those who "dished it out".  Perhaps they do come across mean and harsh toward him, but he sees that they are righteous men, and rather than question their methods, he prays that God will help them when they are in need.  To make this verse work for us, we have to 1) be able to tell the difference in the righteous and the unrighteous - all personality aside, and 2) we should SEEK their harshness, for our own improvement.  Think of the exchanges between Job and  his friends, the three plus one.  There was some harshness on all sides, but no one got angry and walked away because their goal was to help each other.  This is not a license for us - believing ourselves righteous - to bear down on someone else.  That is not ok.  And not all criticism that comes our way is from righteous men with our own good at heart.  We have to be discerning about these things.  Think about a drill sergeant.  He is not very worried about your feelings.  He is worried about teaching you to stay alive in adverse circumstances.  This is how the last phrase fits in with the first ones.

(Now I can try to fit 6 and 7 in with 5.  They don't help very much in seeing things this way.  6 also seems to be about "them".  And 7?  Way out there for me, still. Ahh!  There is a footnote in TCR that says "The meaning of the Hebrew in verses 6, 7 is uncertain."  So maybe these two are idiom from that long ago culture.  Maybe it isn't just me being dumb.)

This is starting to shape up as a checklist for male behavior.

And here is the third:

8 But my eyes are toward you, O GOD, my Lord; in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless! 9 Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me and from the snares of evildoers! 10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by safely. [Psa 141:8-10 ESV]

Hide.  Seek refuge in God and let Him do your fighting.  Avoid traps.  Instead, let the enemy fall in his own traps.

Possible third of three FB posts.  This third one could use a little more work.

Also, this third is a non-defensive prayer, at least vs 10 is.  NDP.