Psalms 141 - Introduction

The Psalmist prays that his prayer may be accepted as an evening sacrifice (Psalms 141:1-2); that he may be preserved from sin in word and thought and deed (Psalms 141:3-4), and welcome the reproof of the righteous rather than yield to the temptation to join the godless in their life of selfish ease and sensual enjoyment (Psalms 141:5). When the leaders of the godless party have met with the fate which they deserve, their followers will listen to his teaching, but for the present the Psalmist and his friends are like a routed army, the bones of whose slain lie bleaching on the field of battle (Psalms 141:6-7). Yet even in this extremity he can look with patience to Jehovah for deliverance from the snares of his enemies, whose malice will bring about their own ruin (Psalms 141:8-10).

Such is an attempt to trace the course of thought in the Psalm; but it must be admitted that while the meaning of Psalms 141:1; Psalms 141:8is clear, Psalms 141:6 are in themselves obscure and stand in no clear connexion with the rest of the Psalm. Either these verses do not belong to the Psalm and have come into their present position by accident; or they are intentionally couched in enigmatic and figurative language, which is unintelligible without some knowledge of the events and circumstances to which they allude.

The use of this Psalm in the early Church at the beginning of the Evening Service, as Psalms 63 was used at the beginning of the Morning Service, was naturally suggested by Psalms 141:2. It was called ὁ ἐπιλύχνιος ψαλμός, because the service was held at the time when the lamps were lighted. See Bingham's Antiquities, Book xiii. ch. 11, and the passages from the Apostolic Constitutions(ii. 59, viii. 35) there quoted.