Psalm 141 2

Psalm 141:2 kjv

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

Psalm 141:2 nkjv

Let my prayer be set before You as incense, The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

Psalm 141:2 niv

May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.

Psalm 141:2 esv

Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!

Psalm 141:2 nlt

Accept my prayer as incense offered to you,
and my upraised hands as an evening offering.

Psalm 141 verses

Psalm 141 2 Meaning

Let my prayer ascend before You as an acceptable offering, like the fragrant smoke of incense, and the lifting of my hands in supplication be as the consecrated evening sacrifice. This verse expresses a deep desire for prayer and worship to be truly acceptable and pleasing to God, mirroring the ordained and pure rituals of the Old Covenant. It reflects a longing for divine favor and presence, ensuring that the personal acts of devotion are acknowledged by the Almighty.

Psalm 141 2 Context

Psalm 141 is a prayer of David, likely composed during a time of personal distress or great danger, as indicated by his fervent pleas for divine protection and guidance (vv. 3-4, 9-10). The broader context of the psalm reveals his earnest desire for spiritual integrity and preservation from the snares of wicked men. He asks God to set a guard over his mouth, to keep his heart from inclining to evil, and not to let him be drawn into their sinful ways or partake in their luxuries. The verse in question is part of his opening cry for God's attention and acceptance of his humble supplication. Historically, it ties into the well-established worship patterns of ancient Israel, where specific offerings of incense and daily sacrifices at the tabernacle (and later the Temple) were central to their covenant relationship with God, symbolizing an acceptable approach to the Holy One.

Psalm 141 2 Word analysis

• "Let my prayer" (תְּפִלָּתִֽי, tĕphillāthî): This is a personal and direct petition. Tephillah signifies deep supplication, an intimate conversation with God. It emphasizes that this is not a general ritual, but David's own heart poured out.
• "be set forth" (תִכּוֹן, tikkōn): From the root kun, meaning to be established, firm, ready, or properly directed. It implies an appeal for his prayer to be made stable, prepared, and arranged in an acceptable manner, akin to how offerings were carefully prepared before being presented to God. It desires acceptance, not just expression.
• "before thee" (לְפָנֶיךָ, lĕphānêkā): Literally "to your face" or "in your presence." This underscores the desire for direct, immediate, and attentive divine reception of his prayer. It signifies coming into the sacred space of God's direct gaze and attention.
• "as incense" (קְטֹרֶת, qeṭōreṯ): Refers to the sacred, sweet-smelling incense offered daily on the golden altar in the tabernacle/temple (Ex 30:7-8). This specific incense was carefully compounded, holy, and its rising smoke symbolized the ascending prayers of the saints to God. It conveyed purity, reverence, and was seen as a pleasing aroma to God, making it an apt metaphor for accepted prayer. The smoke rising upward visually represents prayer ascending to heaven.
• "and the lifting up of my hands" (מַשְׂאַת כַּפָּי, masʼaṯ kappāy): Mas'at means an uprising, lifting, or burden. Kappay refers to "my palms" or "my hands." This physical posture of outstretched or uplifted hands was a common expression of prayer, supplication, blessing, or surrender in ancient cultures, and prominently in the Bible. It signifies reaching out to God, seeking help, expressing humility, or dedicating oneself. It embodies the active, physical dimension of earnest devotion.
• "as the evening sacrifice" (מִנְחַת עָרֶב, minḥaṯ ‘āreb): Minḥah is primarily a grain or meal offering, often presented alongside burnt offerings. It was a voluntary or required offering that expressed devotion, gratitude, and a desire for reconciliation. The "evening" ('āreb) sacrifice was one of the prescribed daily burnt offerings (Ex 29:39-42; Num 28:4), establishing a regular, appointed time for worship and remembrance of the covenant. Comparing his prayer to this sacrifice implies regularity, sincerity, and an expectation of divine favor, akin to how the formal temple service was designed to secure God's blessing.

Psalm 141 2 Bonus section

The longing expressed in Psalm 141:2 foreshadows a spiritual worship beyond ritual. While rooted in the physical sacrifices of the Old Covenant, it points towards a future where the efficacy of worship relies not on a priest or physical substance, but on the purity of the heart and the truth of the spirit (Jn 4:24). The comparison to the "evening sacrifice" carries significant typological weight. Christ Himself was offered as the ultimate and complete sacrifice, putting an end to the need for daily animal offerings. Our prayers and acts of worship now ascend to God, acceptable not because of our own merit or ritual precision, but because they are offered through Jesus Christ, our great High Priest. He is the Lamb slain, the true Evening Sacrifice, and by Him, our spiritual "incense" is made sweet and our "lifting of hands" is made holy. This verse subtly highlights the continuity from a shadow (the physical sacrifices) to the reality (prayer offered in sincerity and in Christ).

Psalm 141 2 Commentary

Psalm 141:2 is a profound plea by David for his personal devotion to be accepted by God in the same manner as the meticulously ordained and sacred rituals of the Tabernacle worship. By likening his "prayer" to "incense" and the "lifting up of my hands" to the "evening sacrifice," David is elevating his spontaneous, personal acts of worship to the level of divine appointment and efficacy.

The "incense" represents the purity, reverence, and pleasing aroma of acceptable prayer rising directly into God's presence, signifying communion and intercession. It evokes a continuous, pleasing spiritual fragrance. The "lifting of hands" denotes the humble, earnest, and dedicated posture of one reaching out to God, a tangible expression of dependence and desire. When compared to the "evening sacrifice," it connects his personal prayer life to the regularity, consecration, and communal expectation associated with the prescribed daily offerings. These daily sacrifices symbolized a continuous seeking of God's favor and forgiveness.

This verse therefore teaches that our personal prayers, even simple ones expressed with uplifted hands, can and should be presented with the same reverence, intentionality, and expectation of divine acceptance as the most sacred of Old Covenant rituals. It emphasizes that sincere, heart-felt prayer is itself an acceptable spiritual offering to God, a "sweet savour" in His nostrils. It implies that just as the Levitical priest faithfully prepared the offerings, we too should approach God with preparation, sincerity, and reverence. The verse's resonance continues into the New Covenant, where believers are called to offer "spiritual sacrifices" (1 Pet 2:5) and present their bodies as "living sacrifices" (Rom 12:1), with Christ being the ultimate, perfect sacrifice that makes all our prayers acceptable before God.

Practical usage:

• Cultivate intentionality and reverence in prayer, treating it as a sacred offering to God.
• Practice consistent prayer, viewing it as a daily "sacrifice" or dedication of time to the Lord.
• Remember that outward postures of worship (like lifting hands) can enhance and express inward devotion.
• Pray with confidence, knowing that in Christ, our prayers ascend as a pleasing aroma to God.