Psalms 141:4

Psalms 141:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.
• New International Version (NIV)Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil so that I take part in wicked deeds along with those who are evildoers; do not let me eat their delicacies.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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!
• New King James Version (NKJV)Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, To practice wicked works With men who work iniquity; And do not let me eat of their delicacies.

Context of Psalms 141:4

2Let my prayer be counted as incense before You; The lifting up of my hands as the evening offering. 3Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips [to keep me from speaking thoughtlessly]. Do 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. 6Their [wicked, godless] judges are thrown down the sides of the rocky cliff, And they [who followed them] will hear my words, for they are pleasant (just).

Psalms 141:4 word by word

אַל־תַּט־לִבִּ֨י לְדָבָ֪ר׀ רָ֡ע לְהִתְע֘וֹלֵ֤ל עֲלִל֨וֹת׀ בְּרֶ֗שַׁע אֶת־אִישִׁ֥ים פֹּֽעֲלֵי־אָ֑וֶן וּבַל־אֶ֝לְחַ֗ם בְּמַנְעַמֵּיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Inclineנָטָהnâţâh · to stretchH5186
• not my heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
• thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: becauseH1697
• to practiseעָלַל‛âlal · to abuseH5953
• wickedרֶ֫שַׁעresha‛ · wickednessH7562
• worksעֲלִילָה‛ălîylâh ‛ălilâh · wantonnessH5949
• with menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• that workפָּעַלpâ‛al · to workH6466
• iniquityאָ֫וֶן'âven · evil: wickednessH205
• and let me not eatלָחַםlâcham · to feed onH3898
• of their daintiesמַנְעַמִּיםman‛am · delicacyH4516

Cross-references for Psalms 141:4

• Psalms 119:36Incline my heart to Your testimonies And not to dishonest gain and envy.
• Deuteronomy 2:30But Sihon king of Heshbon was not willing for us to travel through his land; for the Lord your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, in order to hand him over to you, as he is today.
• Deuteronomy 29:4Yet to this day the Lord has not given you a heart and mind to understand, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear.
• 1 Kings 8:58that He may guide our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways [following Him] and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His precepts which He commanded our fathers.
• 1 Kings 22:22The Lord said to him, ‘How?’ And he said, ‘I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ Then the Lord said, ‘You are to entice him and also succeed. Go and do so.’
• Isaiah 63:17O Lord, why do You cause us to stray from Your ways And harden our heart from fearing You [with reverence and awe]? Return for Your servants’ sake, the tribes of Your heritage.
• Matthew 6:13And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]’
• James 1:13Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God” [for temptation does not originate from God, but from our own flaws]; for God cannot be tempted by [what is] evil, and He Himself tempts no one.
• 1 Corinthians 15:33Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”
• 2 Corinthians 6:17So come out from among unbelievers and be separate,” says the Lord, “And do not touch what is unclean; And I will graciously receive you and welcome you [with favor],
• Revelation 18:4And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not be a partner in her sins and receive her plagues;
• Numbers 25:2For they invited the Israelites to the sacrifices of their gods, and the Israelites ate [food offered to idols] and bowed down to Moab’s gods.
• Proverbs 23:1When you sit down to dine with a ruler, Consider carefully what is [set] before you;
• Daniel 1:5The king assigned a daily ration for them from his finest food and from the wine which he drank. They were to be educated and nourished this way for three years so that at the end of that time they were [prepared] to enter the king’s service.
• Acts 10:13A voice came to him, “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!”
• 1 Corinthians 10:27If one of the unbelievers invites you [to a meal at his home] and you want to go, eat whatever is served to you without asking questions [about its source] for the sake of your conscience.

Commentaries on Psalms 141:4

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Incline not my heart to any evil thing - Hebrew, to a word that is evil; that is, wrong. The connection seems to demand that the term should be thus explained. The expression “Incline not” is not designed to mean that God exerts any “positive” influence in leading the heart to that which is wrong; but it may mean “Do not place me in circumstances where I may be tempted; do not leave me to myself; do not allow any improper influence to come over me by…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. 4Do not incline my heart May my heart not be inclined toward evil.Read the comment

Topics related to Psalms 141:4

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Company

In the dictionaries

• Evil Thing
• Manasseh
• Dainties; Dainty (meats)
• Psalms, Book of

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