Psalms 141:2

Let my prayer be set forth before thee [as] incense; [and] the lifting up of my hands [as] the evening sacrifice.

Let my prayer {H8605} be set forth {H3559} before {H6440} thee as incense {H7004}; and the lifting up {H4864} of my hands {H3709} as the evening {H6153} sacrifice {H4503}.

Let my prayer be like incense set before you, my uplifted hands like an evening sacrifice.

May my prayer be set before You like incense, my uplifted hands like the evening offering.

Let my prayer be set forth as incense before thee; The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

Commentary on Psalms 141:2 (KJV)

Psalm 141:2 is a profound prayer from David, expressing his deep desire for his communication with God to be acceptable and pleasing, much like the prescribed forms of worship in the Old Testament Tabernacle and Temple. This verse beautifully bridges the gap between ritualistic acts and the spiritual essence of prayer.

Context

This psalm is a personal prayer of David, likely composed during a time of distress and danger, possibly while fleeing from enemies or facing temptation to sin. The entire psalm is a plea for divine help and protection from the wicked, as well as a request for God to keep David from falling into sin himself. In this specific verse, David is setting the tone for his earnest supplication, invoking imagery central to Israelite worship. The references to "incense" and "evening sacrifice" would have been immediately understood by his contemporaries as regular, vital components of daily temple service, symbolizing devotion, purification, and atonement.

Key Themes

  • Acceptable Prayer and Worship: David desires his prayers to ascend to God in a way that is received and honored, just as the sweet aroma of incense and the dedicated burnt offerings were. This highlights the importance of sincerity and reverence in our approach to God.
  • Spiritual Offering: The verse elevates prayer from a mere utterance to a spiritual offering, equating it with the most sacred forms of worship. It foreshadows the New Testament understanding that true worship is not confined to physical rituals but is a spiritual act of the heart (John 4:24).
  • Dependence and Devotion: By comparing his prayer and the lifting of his hands to established sacrifices, David underscores his complete dependence on God and his earnest devotion. The act of lifting up hands was a common posture of supplication, surrender, and blessing in ancient Israel.

Linguistic Insights

The term "incense" (Hebrew: qetoret) refers to the fragrant mixture burned on the altar of incense in the Tabernacle and Temple. Its smoke ascending was a vivid symbol of prayers rising to God's presence, a concept echoed in Revelation 5:8 and Revelation 8:3-4. The "evening sacrifice" (Hebrew: minchat 'arev) refers to the daily burnt offering made at twilight, a regular and foundational act of communal worship and atonement (Exodus 29:39). By linking his personal prayer to these solemn, divinely ordained rituals, David expresses a desire for his prayer to carry the same weight of holiness and acceptance.

Practical Application

For believers today, Psalms 141:2 reminds us that prayer is more than just asking for things; it is an act of worship, a spiritual offering to God. Our prayers should be offered with reverence, sincerity, and expectation, knowing that they can ascend to God's throne as a pleasing aroma. Just as the ancient Israelites faithfully presented their daily sacrifices, we are called to present our lives as "a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service" (Romans 12:1), with prayer being a vital part of that ongoing spiritual offering. It encourages us to approach God not casually, but with the same intentionality and devotion shown in the Old Covenant rituals, transformed by the spirit of the New Covenant.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Revelation 8:3

    And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer [it] with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

  • Revelation 8:4

    And the smoke of the incense, [which came] with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.

  • 1 Timothy 2:8

    I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

  • Revelation 5:8

    And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four [and] twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.

  • Proverbs 15:8

    ¶ The sacrifice of the wicked [is] an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright [is] his delight.

  • Malachi 1:11

    For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name [shall be] great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense [shall be] offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name [shall be] great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.

  • Psalms 63:4

    Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.

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