Psalm 141 is a personal plea of a poet who finds himself in difficult circumstances. This poet can be David. It can also be that this psalm was written by another poet and was meant to be added to the bundle of the Psalms of David. I take the view that this psalm is actually written by David.

It is difficult to say what the historical background of this psalm is. It is clear that David lives in a society in which corrupt leaders are mighty and that for David the temptations are heavy. He can easily be carried away by their evil. He can also choose a wrong attitude toward the evildoers and be tempted to speak words of revenge and hatred. He can even lose his faith in God or neglect the warnings of the good people who surround him. The temptations are many.

It is not necessarily a disadvantage that the exact historical background is unknown. The book of Psalms is a book of songs and prayers which can be used by every child of God. God teaches us by the songs and prayers of many different poets to sing and pray in many circumstances. Each psalm leads us to the question of how this specific song is applicable in our own life and circumstances.

Structure of this psalm:

• The Plea to Withstand the Temptations (Psalm 141:1–4)

• The Attitude of the Poet Toward Good and Evil People Surrounding Him (Psalm 141:5–6)

• The Poet Who Takes Shelter in the Lord, Prays for Rescue and Punishment for the Evildoers (Psalm 141:7–10)