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 accepted as sweet-smelling incense in your presence. Let the lifting up of my hands in prayer be accepted as an evening sacrifice. 3O Lord, set a guard at my mouth. Keep watch over the door of my lips. Do not let me be persuaded to do anything evil or to become involved with wickedness, with people who are troublemakers. Do not let me taste their delicacies. 5A righteous person may strike me or correct me out of kindness. It is like lotion for my head. My head will not refuse it, because my prayer is directed against evil deeds. 6When their judges are thrown off a cliff, they will listen to what I have to say. It will sound pleasant ⌞to them⌟.

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 119:36Direct my heart toward your written instructions rather than getting rich in underhanded ways.
• Deuteronomy 2:30But King Sihon of Heshbon wouldn’t allow us to pass through. The Lord your God made him stubborn and overconfident in order to hand him over to you, as he has now done.
• Deuteronomy 29:4But to this day the Lord hasn’t given you a mind that understands, eyes that see, or ears that hear.
• 1 Kings 8:58May he bend our hearts toward him. Then we will follow him and keep his commands, laws, and rules, which he commanded our ancestors ⌞to keep⌟.
• 1 Kings 22:22“The Spirit answered, ‘I will go out and be a spirit that tells lies through the mouths of all of Ahab’s prophets.’ “The Lord said, ‘You will succeed in deceiving him. Go and do it.’
• Isaiah 63:17O Lord, why do you let us wander from your ways and become so stubborn that we are unable to fear you? Return for the sake of your servants. They are the tribes that belong to you.
• Matthew 6:13Don’t allow us to be tempted. Instead, rescue us from the evil one.
• James 1:13When someone is tempted, he shouldn’t say that God is tempting him. God can’t be tempted by evil, and God doesn’t tempt anyone.
• 1 Corinthians 15:33Don’t let anyone deceive you. Associating with bad people will ruin decent people.
• 2 Corinthians 6:17The Lord says, “Get away from unbelievers. Separate yourselves from them. Have nothing to do with anything unclean. Then I will welcome you.”
• Revelation 18:4I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of Babylon, my people, so that you do not participate in her sins and suffer from any of her plagues.
• Numbers 25:2who invited the people to the sacrifices offered to their gods. The people ate the meat from the sacrifices and worshiped these gods.
• Proverbs 23:1When you sit down to eat with a ruler, pay close attention to what is in front of you,
• Daniel 1:5The king arranged for them to get a daily allowance of the king’s rich food and wine. They were to be trained for three years. After that, they were to serve the king.
• Acts 10:13A voice told him, “Get up, Peter! Kill these animals, and eat them.”
• 1 Corinthians 10:27If an unbeliever invites you ⌞to his house for dinner⌟, and you wish to go, eat anything he serves you without letting your conscience trouble you.

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