Psalms 141 · Verse 3

Psalms 141:3

Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
Psalms 141:3, King James Version

Psalms 141:3 in other translations

BSBSet a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips.
WEBSet a watch, LORD, before my mouth. Keep the door of my lips.
ASVSet a watch, O Jehovah, before my mouth; Keep the door of my lips.
YLTSet, O Jehovah, a watch for my mouth, Watch Thou over the door of my lips.
DARBYSet a watch, O Jehovah, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
BBEO Lord, keep a watch over my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
WebsterSet a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.

What does Psalms 141:3 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth - While there are so many spies on my actions and words, I have need to be doubly guarded, that my enemies may have no advantage against me. Some think the prayer is against impatience; but if he were now going to Gath, it is more natural to suppose that he was praying to be preserved from dishonoring the truth, and from making sinful concessions in a heathen land; and at a court where, from his circumstances, it was natural to suppose he might be tempted to apostasy by the heathen party. The following verse seems to support this opinion.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 141:1-4

Make haste unto me. Those that know how to value God's gracious presence, will be the more fervent in their prayers. When presented through the sacrifice and intercession of the Saviour, they will be as acceptable to God as the daily sacrifices and burnings of incense were of old. Prayer is a spiritual sacrifice, it is the offering up the soul and its best affections. Good men know the evil of tongue sins. When…

Read the full comment on Psalms 141:1-4 →

Psalms 141:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

שִׁיתָ֣הshi.Tahset !H7896
יְ֭הוָהYah.wehO YahwehH3068
שָׁמְרָ֣הsha.me.Raha guardH8108
לְפִ֑יle.Fifor mouth myH6310
נִ֝צְּרָ֗הni.tze.Rahkeep watch !H5341
עַל\־'al-overH5921
דַּ֥לdal[the] door ofH1817
שְׂפָתָֽי\׃se.fa.Tailips myH8193

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 141:3

  • James 1:26

    If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.

  • Psalms 39:1

    To the chief Musician, even to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David. I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.

  • Micah 7:5

    Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.

  • Psalms 34:13

    Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

  • James 3:2

    For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

  • Psalms 71:8

    Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.

  • Psalms 17:3-5

    Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress. Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer. Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Set a watch.
17:3-5; 39:1; 71:8; Mic 7:5; Jas 1:26; 3:2

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 141:2

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

  • Psalms 141:3

    Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.

  • Psalms 141:4

    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.

Read all of Psalms 141

Psalms 141:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Pon, oh Jehová, guarda á mi boca: guarda la puerta de mis labios.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mets, ô Éternel! une garde à ma bouche, veille sur l’entrée de mes lèvres.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Setze, Jehova, eine Wache meinem Munde; behüte die Tür meiner Lippen!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Effundo in conspectu ejus orationem meam, et tribulationem meam ante ipsum pronuntio: