Psalms 141:1-10

Please, Lord, come close and come quickly to help me! Listen to my prayer as I call out to you. Let my prayer be as the evening sacrifice that burns like fragrant incense, rising as my offering to you as I lift up my hands in surrendered worship! God, give me grace to guard my lips from speaking what is wrong. Guide me away from temptation and doing evil. Save me from sinful habits and from keeping company with those who are experts in evil. Help me not to share in their sin in any way! When one of your godly ones corrects me or one of your faithful ones rebukes me, I will accept it like an honor I cannot refuse. It will be as healing medicine that I swallow without an offended heart. Even if they are mistaken, I will continue to pray. When the leaders and judges are condemned, falling upon the rocks of justice, then they’ll know my words to them were true! Like an earthquake splits open the earth, so the world of hell will open its mouth to swallow their scattered bones. But you are my Lord and my God; I only have eyes for you! I hide myself in you, so don’t leave me defenseless. Protect me! Keep me from the traps of wickedness they set for me. Let them all stumble into their own traps while I escape without a scratch!