The Meaning of Psalms 141:2 Explained

Psalms 141:2

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

YLT: My prayer is prepared -- incense before Thee, The lifting up of my hands -- the evening present.

Darby: Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening oblation.

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Psalms 141:2 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 141:1-10 - Humility
This is an evening psalm. Acceptable prayer is as the smoke of incense rising in the still air, Revelation 5:8; Revelation 8:3-4. Each day we should ask to be delivered from lip sins, life sins, and like sins-especially the last, the dainties of appetite and desire, Psalms 141:4.
We owe a great deal to the care of fellow-believers. It may take more love to smite than to soothe. The breaking of the box of precious ointment over our heads may cause a momentary shock; but we must not refuse it, since the contents are so salutary; and we can return their well-meant kindness by praying for the righteous when their calamities are multiplied, Psalms 141:5. It was a rough time for David, but he kept looking up and committing his soul to God's faithful care. Under similar circumstances Paul struck an even higher note, Romans 8:36-37. Go on patiently living up to your ideal. God will surely vindicate you! [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 141

1  David prays that his suit may be acceptable
3  His conscience sincere
7  And his life free from snares

What do the individual words in Psalms 141:2 mean?

Let be set my prayer [as] incense before You the lifting up of my hands [as] the sacrifice evening
תִּכּ֤וֹן תְּפִלָּתִ֣י קְטֹ֣רֶת לְפָנֶ֑יךָ מַֽשְׂאַ֥ת כַּ֝פַּ֗י מִנְחַת־ עָֽרֶב

תִּכּ֤וֹן  Let  be  set 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: כּוּן 
Sense: to be firm, be stable, be established.
תְּפִלָּתִ֣י  my  prayer 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: תְּפִלָּה  
Sense: prayer.
קְטֹ֣רֶת  [as]  incense 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: קְטֹרֶת  
Sense: incense, smoke, odour of (burning) sacrifice.
לְפָנֶ֑יךָ  before  You 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
מַֽשְׂאַ֥ת  the  lifting  up 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: מַשְׂאֹות 
Sense: uprising, utterance, burden, portion, uplifting.
כַּ֝פַּ֗י  of  my  hands 
Parse: Noun, fdc, first person common singular
Root: כַּף  
Sense: palm, hand, sole, palm of the hand, hollow or flat of the hand.
מִנְחַת־  [as]  the  sacrifice 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: מִנְחָה  
Sense: gift, tribute, offering, present, oblation, sacrifice, meat offering.
עָֽרֶב  evening 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֶרֶב  
Sense: evening, night, sunset.