The Meaning of Psalms 141:6 Explained

Psalms 141:6

KJV: When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.

YLT: Their judges have been released by the sides of a rock, And they have heard my sayings, For they have been pleasant.

Darby: When their judges are thrown down from the rocks, they shall hear my words, for they are sweet.

ASV: Their judges are thrown down by the sides of the rock; And they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

When their judges  are overthrown  in stony  places,  they shall hear  my words;  for they are sweet. 

What does Psalms 141:6 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 141:6 mean?

Are overthrown by the sides of the cliff their judges and they hear my words for they are sweet
נִשְׁמְט֣וּ בִֽידֵי־ סֶ֭לַע שֹׁפְטֵיהֶ֑ם וְשָׁמְע֥וּ אֲ֝מָרַ֗י כִּ֣י נָעֵֽמוּ

נִשְׁמְט֣וּ  Are  overthrown 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: שָׁמַט  
Sense: to release, let drop or loose or rest or fall.
בִֽידֵי־  by  the  sides 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, fdc
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
סֶ֭לַע  of  the  cliff 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: סֶלַע  
Sense: crag, cliff, rock.
שֹׁפְטֵיהֶ֑ם  their  judges 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁפַט  
Sense: to judge, govern, vindicate, punish.
וְשָׁמְע֥וּ  and  they  hear 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
אֲ֝מָרַ֗י  my  words 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: אֵמֶר 
Sense: utterance, speech, word, saying, promise, command.
נָעֵֽמוּ  they  are  sweet 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: נָעֵם  
Sense: (Qal) to be pleasant, be beautiful, be sweet, be delightful, be lovely.