Psalms 141.
David prayeth that his suit may be acceptable, his conscience sincere, and his life safe from snares.
A Psalm of David.
Title. לדוד מזמור mizmor ledavid.— It is probable that David composed this psalm just before his flight to Achish, king of Gath, when he had a second time spared Saul's life (1 Samuel 26.), but could trust him no longer: upon which he takes the resolution mentioned 1 Samuel 26:1-2. As his determination was to fly speedily, there is no question but he did so, either the same night after his parting with Saul, or by the first morning's light: and it was in the evening of that day, when he was now upon the wing, as it were; his late dutiful behaviour towards Saul, and the other's implacable cruelty towards him and his followers, still fresh in his thoughts; and moreover reflecting upon the dangers and temptations to which his religion would expose him in a heathen country, that he pours out to God the following prayer, or soliloquy; for, that it was composed in the evening, appears from his desiring, Psa 141:2 that it might be accepted as an evening oblation. Peters on Job, p. 336 from whom the following notes are principally taken.
Psalms 141:1. Lord, I cry unto thee, &c.— This verse is an invocation of the true God, by his incommunicable name Jehovah; as the one eternal, self-existent, and unchangeable being; creator and governor of all things: and the earnest and repeated call here used by the Psalmist, make haste unto me, sufficiently declares him to have been in a situation of the utmost distress.

Psalms 141:2. Let my prayer, &c.— This shews the writer at a distance from the tabernacle; where all their solemn prayers, together with their daily sacrifices, were offered up; and therefore, with his face probably directed thither, he begs that God would accept of all that was in his power to perform: namely, the devotion of his heart, and the elevation of his hands in prayer: as if he had said, "Though this address of mine must necessarily want all those solemnities of preparation required in the service of thy holy tabernacle; yet let the purity and fervour of my heart, and the innocency of my hands now lifted up to thee, in this sad hour of my distress, be accepted instead of these, and prevail for deliverance and a safe retreat to me and my companions."

Psalms 141:5. Let the righteous, &c.— I. Mr. Peters is of opinion, that David in this verse manifestly alludes to his anointment and designation to the throne. He translates and explains it thus: Let the just man be still upbraiding me with my goodness, and let the ointment of my head be urged against me, it shall not break my head: for hitherto my prayer has been against their wickedness. "As for my part behaviour towards Saul, I can never repent of it, whilst I am conscious I have done my duty. Though my friends and followers, those advocates for strict justice, are still upbraiding me with my excessive piety and goodness; and though the ointment of my head, thy designation of me to the throne, be urged against me, either as a reason why I might justly take the life of Saul, or as the cause that he will never cease to persecute me; yet I trust in thy mercy; it shall not break my head, or bring me to destruction. For hitherto it has not done it; I am safe under thy protection; and yet my prayers are all that I have opposed against the wicked attempts of my enemies." This writer supposes the last clause of the verse to be elliptical, and that it should be supplied, according to his paraphrase: and he thinks that the verse thus understood very naturally introduces the two next verses, where the mild and dutiful behaviour of David towards Saul, and Saul's cruelty towards him and his friends, are set together by way of contrast, in the strongest light. See the following notes. II. Mr. Mann and Houbigant nearly agree in the following translation: Let the righteous instruct me in mercy, and reprove me; but let not the oil of the wicked anoint my head: yea, my prayers shall be a witness against their depravity.—Ver. 6. Let their judges be overthrown, &c. III. Another writer observes, that breaking the head, in scripture language, means destroying, or utterly subduing. See Genesis 3:15. And we may easily suppose David to mean by the expression of excellent oil, the plausible and enticing, but withal treacherous and ensnaring speeches of his idolatrous enemies. He has the same thought, Psalms 55:21. His words were softer than oil, yet be they very swords:—so the LXX, The oil of the sinner:—Ethiopic, The oil of sinners:—Syriac, The oil of the ungodly—shall not anoint my head:—And the Arabic, I will not anoint my head with the oil of sinners: i.e. "I will not be enticed with their flattering and ensnaring speeches." The following translation by Mr. Green seems as reasonable as any: Let the righteous man, out of kindness, correct me and reprove me: but let not the fragrant oil of the wicked anoint my head; for my prayer shall ever be against their wicked practices.

Psalms 141:8. But mine eyes, &c.— When we reflect upon the surprising generosity of David towards Saul, it naturally excites one's curiosity to know the principle upon which he acted. A conduct so extraordinary must needs have some extraordinary basis for its support; I mean some fixed religious principle, which could enable him to surmount all difficulties. This is discovered to us in the present verse; and it is the noblest and simplest that can be imagined, namely, a firm trust in God, as the great Lord and Ruler of the world, and a steady resolution to obey him in all his commands: For mine eyes are unto thee, Jehovah, my Lord; in thee have I trusted. Among the sayings of Pythagoras this was one, απλωσον σεαυτον, simplify thyself, i.e. "Reduce thy conduct, if possible, to one single aim, and pursue it without weariness or distraction." If this single aim be, to approve ourselves to God by such a course of life as he prescribes; to adhere strictly to our duty, with an eye to him who has commanded it, and patiently submit the issue of things to his all-wise and gracious providence; we have then hit upon that principle which here appears to have animated David, and may with confidence address our prayers, through the blood of the Covenant, to the great Lord and Sovereign of all the world, in all our straits and difficulties, as he does in the following part of the psalm. In thee have I trusted; make not my soul naked: i.e. "Suffer it not to become naked and exposed to the assaults and machinations of my enemies:" for, in the language of the holy scripture, God is often said to do, what he permits or suffers to be done. But whether David here prays to have his life preserved from danger, or his soul from sin, may admit of a question. The words will suit either explanation, and probably he might intend both; but chiefly the latter. We have seen from Psa 141:4 how earnestly he begs that God would protect him by his grace from complying with the idolatrous practices of the heathen, to whom he was about to fly for refuge; and it is remarkable, that in his last speech to Saul, he particularly dwells upon the danger to which his religion was exposed, 1 Samuel 26:19. They have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, Go, serve other gods. As if he had said, "They have done what lies in their power to drive me to idolatry, by forcing me into a country where I shall have the strongest temptations to it." This was a thing he seems to have dreaded more than death; and therefore he prays against it in the next verse. Peters.