Psalm 141 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study
Psalm 141 Short Summary:
In Psalm 141, David asks the Lord to protect his heart from temptation. He was open to correction and advice, but he didn’t want to be influenced by godless people. He prayed that God would help him evade the traps of those who hated him and cause them to stumble into their own snares.
Psalm 141 Summary
AUTHOR:
David wrote Psalm 141.
NEW TESTAMENT REFERENCES:
No Known New Testament References.
THEMES:
Protecting the heart from the influence of sinful people.
Requesting God’s help to walk in His ways.
DEFINITIONS:
Sheol (141:7) - The place of the dead, the grave. It can sometimes be used to refer to dark and unknown places, like places underground.
OUTLINE:
PROTECTION FROM THE INFLUENCE OF SINNERS (141:1-10):
As we saw in the last psalm, David was concerned about wicked people and their actions, but in Psalm 141 shows us his first priority was making sure his own heart was pure.
He lifted up his hands to God and plead with God to keep him from becoming like the evil men he hated.
He wrote, “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips” (141:3).
David didn’t want his heart to be attracted to the ways of sinners. He prayed that God would keep him from tasting the delicacies of sin.
He was open to being influenced by righteous people, even when their wisdom came to him in the form of a rebuke, but he was absolutely opposed to getting advice from the wicked.
He prayed that the efforts of the wicked would come to nothing.
Verses 6-7 have been a challenge to interpret for Bible students for centuries. It’s difficult to understand what David intended to communicate.
141:6 - “When their judges are thrown over the cliff, then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant.”
141:7 – “As when one plows and breaks up the earth, so shall our bones be scattered at the mouth of Sheol.”
Regarding verse 6, it may be that David was saying that only when the chiefs amongst the wicked (their judges) receive the deserving punishment of their actions and are thrown over a cliff, only then will those who followed them recognize the wisdom in David’s godly words and conduct.
Regarding verse 7, I have yet to discover an explanation of these words that seems valid enough to present as a possible interpretation.
The final 3 verses of the psalm are much easier to understand. David resolved to fix his eyes on the Lord, he asked God to help him evade the traps of the wicked, and he requested that the wicked be tripped up by their own snares.
APPLICATION:
It’s better to taste the unpleasant reproof of a righteous man than the delicacies of a godless flatterer.
David knew he wasn’t perfect, but he was wise. He wasn’t going to take advice from sinful people, even when they presented it as something desirable. He was however willing to heed the advice of godly men, even when it came in the form of a corrective rebuke (141:5).
For application, the advice and guidance you really need may be sent to you in the form of a reprimand or some other unpleasant encounter.
If that correction comes from a godly person, you would be a fool to discard it.
Proverbs 12:1 – Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.
Pro 15:31-33 - The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise. Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence. The fear of the LORD is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.
