Corpus Psalterium · Vol. VI
Psalm CXLI (141)
Cantillated — Evening Prayer
Paul Whitehorn
Study the Word
Psalm 141 in Hebrew and English, and the words as they are sung.
A Psalm by David.
Yahweh, I have called on you. Come to me quickly! Listen to my voice when I call to you.
מִזְמ֗וֹר לְדָ֫וִ֥ד יְהוָ֣ה קְ֭רָאתִיךָ ח֣וּשָׁה לִּ֑י הַאֲזִ֥ינָה ק֝וֹלִ֗י בְּקָרְאִי־לָֽךְ׃
Let my prayer be set before you like incense; the lifting up of my hands like the evening sacrifice.
תִּכּ֤וֹן תְּפִלָּתִ֣י קְטֹ֣רֶת לְפָנֶ֑יךָ מַֽשְׂאַ֥ת כַּ֝פַּ֗י מִנְחַת־עָֽרֶב׃
Set a watch, Yahweh, before my mouth. Keep the door of my lips.
שִׁיתָ֣ה יְ֭הוָה שָׁמְרָ֣ה לְפִ֑י נִ֝צְּרָ֗ה עַל־דַּ֥ל שְׂפָתָֽי׃
Don’t incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice deeds of wickedness with men who work iniquity. Don’t let me eat of their delicacies.
אַל־תַּט־לִבִּ֨י לְדָבָ֪ר ׀ רָ֡ע לְהִתְע֘וֹלֵ֤ל עֲלִל֨וֹת ׀ בְּרֶ֗שַׁע אֶת־אִישִׁ֥ים פֹּֽעֲלֵי־אָ֑וֶן וּבַל־אֶ֝לְחַ֗ם בְּמַנְעַמֵּיהֶֽם׃
Let the righteous strike me, it is kindness; let him reprove me, it is like oil on the head; don’t let my head refuse it; Yet my prayer is always against evil deeds.
יֶֽהֶלְמֵֽנִי־צַדִּ֨יק ׀ חֶ֡סֶד וְֽיוֹכִיחֵ֗נִי שֶׁ֣מֶן רֹ֭אשׁ אַל־יָנִ֣י רֹאשִׁ֑י כִּי־ע֥וֹד וּ֝תְפִלָּתִ֗י בְּרָעוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃
Their judges are thrown down by the sides of the rock. They will hear my words, for they are well spoken.
נִשְׁמְט֣וּ בִֽידֵי־סֶ֭לַע שֹׁפְטֵיהֶ֑ם וְשָׁמְע֥וּ אֲ֝מָרַ֗י כִּ֣י נָעֵֽמוּ׃
“As when one plows and breaks up the earth, our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.”
כְּמ֤וֹ פֹלֵ֣חַ וּבֹקֵ֣עַ בָּאָ֑רֶץ נִפְזְר֥וּ עֲ֝צָמֵ֗ינוּ לְפִ֣י שְׁאֽוֹל׃
For my eyes are on you, Yahweh, the Lord. I take refuge in you. Don’t leave my soul destitute.
כִּ֤י אֵלֶ֨יךָ ׀ יְהֹוִ֣ה אֲדֹנָ֣י עֵינָ֑י בְּכָ֥ה חָ֝סִ֗יתִי אַל־תְּעַ֥ר נַפְשִֽׁי׃
Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me, from the traps of the workers of iniquity.
שָׁמְרֵ֗נִי מִ֣ידֵי פַ֭ח יָ֣קְשׁוּ לִ֑י וּ֝מֹקְשׁ֗וֹת פֹּ֣עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן׃
Let the wicked fall together into their own nets while I pass by.
יִפְּל֣וּ בְמַכְמֹרָ֣יו רְשָׁעִ֑ים יַ֥חַד אָ֝נֹכִ֗י עַֽד־אֶעֱבֽוֹר׃
Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain), from the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible. English: World English Bible (public domain). Verse numbers follow the English Bible; the Hebrew numbering is shown beneath where it differs.
LORD, I'm calling You
come quick to me
hear my voice
when I cry out to You
Let what I pray
go up like smoke before You
like smoke before You
my open hands
an evening gift
Post a watchman at my mouth
LORD, keep the door of my lips
don't let my heart lean to the wrong
running with the ones who do harm
I won't taste
their sweet things
Let a good man hit me
I'll take it as kindness
let him set me straight
it's oil on my head
I won't turn it away
Let what I pray
go up like smoke before You
like smoke before You
my open hands
an evening gift
Their judges get thrown
down off the cliff
then they'll hear my words
and know they were kind
like a plow that splits the ground open
our bones lie scattered
at the mouth of the grave
But my eyes are on You
LORD, my Lord
my eyes are on You
I run to You for cover
don't pour my life out
keep me from the trap they set
from the snares of the ones who do harm
let the crooked fall
into their own nets
while I walk on through
while I walk on through
Lyrics by Paul Whitehorn: a singable English rendering of the Hebrew, as sung on this recording.
Corpus Psalterium sets each psalm to music by its Hebrew grammar. Didactic psalms teach; Cantillated psalms are spoken, sung or performed before God. Hear all 150 psalms free.