Seventh-day Adventist Bible CommentaryPsalms 141

Make haste. God is pleased to have His children earnest in their petitions to the point of holy boldness.

As incense. The incense of the sanctuary was carefully prepared (see on Ex. 30:34), kindled with holy fire, and presented to God. It was offered morning and evening by the priests upon the altar of incense (see Ex. 30:7, 8). The incense represented “the merits and intercession of Christ, his perfect righteousness, … which can alone make the worship of sinful beings acceptable to God” (see PP 353). Sacrifice. Heb. minchah, properly denoting the oblation, or meal offering, that accompanied the daily burnt offering (see Ex. 29:38–42; see on Lev. 2:1).

Set a watch. A figure drawn from the sentinels stationed at city gates at night. The importance of guarding the tongue is forcefully set forth by James (see James 3). Those who set a continual watch upon their lips are doing that which is pleasing to God (2T 54).

Incline not. The way that the heart inclines is the way that the life soon takes. The psalmist prayed earnestly that the Lord would keep him from the practices of evil men. We must not infer from the language of this verse that God ever inclines a man’s heart to evil. Expressions such as these seem to have arisen from the concept that whatever happens to the life, God accomplishes, or at least allows (see on Ps. 44:9). The psalmist was simply using the nontechnical language of Bible writers, by which God is presented as doing that which He does not prevent. The familiar expression in the Lord’s prayer, “lead us not into temptation” (Matt. 6:13), should be understood in the same light.

Let him reprove. The reproof of a friend will prove a blessing if accepted in the right spirit. He only who is willing to lay down his life for his brother, if need be, is properly equipped to offer reproof to an erring brother (see MB 184). Abigail proved herself to be a faithful friend by her tactful reproof of David’s conduct (see PP 667). Excellent oil. The Hebrew of the second part of v. 5 is obscure and no fully satisfactory meaning can be derived from it. Whether or not the LXX reflects the true original Hebrew cannot be known. It translates the second line of this stanza, “Let not the oil of the sinner anoint my head.” The LXX, however, does remove the obscurity from the last line of the stanza by its reading, “For yet shall my prayer also be in their

pleasures.” This reading may perhaps be understood as referring to a prayer not to be injured by these pleasures.

Stony places. Literally, “hands of a rock.” The Hebrew of v. 6 is obscure (see on v. 5).

Our bones are scattered. The exact historical incident referred to is a matter of conjecture. The closing part of Saul’s reign was filled with confusion (see PP 663, 664). David may have had in mind some of the incidents connected with this unsettled period. Cleaveth wood. The word “wood” is supplied. The Hebrew seems rather to imply a cleaving of the earth itself. But the meaning of the text is obscure.

In thee is my trust. Literally, “in thee do I take refuge.”

Their own nets. The guilty will reap the reward of their unjust deeds, whereas God will deliver the righteous from destruction.