Psalms 141:3

Psalms 141:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
• New International Version (NIV)Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!
• New King James Version (NKJV)Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.

Context of Psalms 141:3

1Lord, I call upon You; hurry to me. Listen to my voice when I call to You. 2Let my prayer be counted as incense before You; The lifting up of my hands as the evening offering. Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips [to keep me from speaking thoughtlessly]. 4Do not incline my heart to [consent to or tolerate] any evil thing, Or to practice deeds of wickedness With men who plan and do evil; And let me not eat of their delicacies (be tempted by their gain). 5Let the righteous [thoughtfully] strike (correct) me—it is a kindness [done to encourage my spiritual maturity]. It is [the choicest anointing] oil on the head; Let my head not refuse [to accept and acknowledge and learn from] it; For still my prayer is against their wicked deeds.

Psalms 141:3 word by word

שִׁיתָ֣ה יְ֭הוָה שָׁמְרָ֣ה לְפִ֑י נִ֝צְּרָ֗ה עַל־דַּ֥ל שְׂפָתָֽי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Setשִׁיתshîyth · to set: makeH7896
• a watchשׇׁמְרָהshomrâh · guardH8108
• O Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• before my mouthפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
• keepנָצַרnâtsar · to watchH5341
• the doorדָּלdeleth · doorH1817
• of my lipsשָׂפָהώâphâh ώepheth · lipsH8193

Cross-references for Psalms 141:3

• Psalms 17:3You have tried my heart; You have visited me in the night; You have tested me and You find nothing [evil in me]; I intend that my mouth will not transgress.
• Psalms 39:1I said, “I will guard my ways That I may not sin with my tongue; I will muzzle my mouth While the wicked are in my presence.”
• Psalms 71:8My mouth is filled with Your praise And with Your glory all day long.
• Micah 7:5Do not trust in a neighbor [because of the moral corruption in the land]; Do not have confidence in a friend. Guard the doors of your mouth From her who lies in your bosom.
• James 1:26If anyone thinks himself to be religious [scrupulously observant of the rituals of his faith], and does not control his tongue but deludes his own heart, this person’s religion is worthless (futile, barren).
• James 3:2For we all stumble and sin in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says [never saying the wrong thing], he is a perfect man [fully developed in character, without serious flaws], able to bridle his whole body and rein in his entire nature [taming his human faults and weaknesses].

Commentaries on Psalms 141:3

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth - That I may not say anything rashly, unadvisedly, improperly. Compare Psalm 39:1. The prayer here is, that God would guard him from the temptation to say something wrong. To this he seems to have been prompted by the circumstances of the case, and by the advice of those who were with him. See introduction to the psalm. Compare the notes at Psalm 11:1. Keep the door of my lips - That my lips or mouth may not open…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-5Wisdom sometimes requires protection from oneself. People might say or think things that lead to a harmful path (Proverbs 13:3; 21:23). Wisdom accepts correction from godly people (see Proverbs 3:11; 9:8; 15:31; 19:25).Read the comment
• Rashi on Tanakh · v. 3O Lord, place a guard for my mouth when I pray before You, that I should speak poetically, that it should be acceptable.Read the comment

Topics related to Psalms 141:3

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Speaking
• Watchfulness

In the dictionaries

• Manasseh
• Psalms, Book of
• Set
• Watch

Commentaries on Psalms 141

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• The Treasury of David
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings