The Meaning of Psalms 141:3 Explained

Psalms 141:3

KJV: Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.

YLT: Set, O Jehovah, a watch for my mouth, Watch Thou over the door of my lips.

Darby: Set a watch, O Jehovah, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.

ASV: Set a watch, O Jehovah, before my mouth; Keep the door of my lips.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Psalms 141:3 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 141:3 mean?

Set Yahweh a guard over my mouth Keep watch over the door of my lips
שִׁיתָ֣ה יְ֭הוָה שָׁמְרָ֣ה לְפִ֑י נִ֝צְּרָ֗ה עַל־ דַּ֥ל שְׂפָתָֽי

שִׁיתָ֣ה  Set 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: שִׁית  
Sense: to put, set.
יְ֭הוָה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
שָׁמְרָ֣ה  a  guard 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: שָׁמְרָה  
Sense: guard, watch.
לְפִ֑י  over  my  mouth 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: פֶּה  
Sense: mouth.
נִ֝צְּרָ֗ה  Keep  watch 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: נְצוּרִים 
Sense: to guard, watch, watch over, keep.
עַל־  over 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
דַּ֥ל  the  door 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: דַּל 
Sense: door, gate.
שְׂפָתָֽי  of  my  lips 
Parse: Noun, fdc, first person common singular
Root: שָׂפָה  
Sense: lip, language, speech, shore, bank, brink, brim, side, edge, border, binding.