Inspiring Psalms (10) – Rise like the candle flame

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I call to you, God, come quickly to me

And hear me when I call to you

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May my prayer rise to you like the incense

And like the candle flame

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Guard my mouth

And keep watch over the door of my lips

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Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil

So that I indulge in the delicacies of the wicked

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Let me be corrected by a righteous soul

For that is a kindness and is oil anointing my head

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Those who lead others into evil will fall to the grave

And their bones will lie scattered in the earth

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But my eyes are fixed on God

In God I take refuge

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Keep me safe from their traps

From the snares they have laid for me

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Let the evil be undone by their own devices

And let me pass by into sanctuary.

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Adapted from Psalm 141

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Image by Ritesh Tamrakar from Pixabay

5 thoughts on “Inspiring Psalms (10) – Rise like the candle flame

  1. I like your adaptation. We use verses from this Psalm every year during Lent in the Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts in subdued lighting with lots of incense. It is my favourite segment of that liturgy which is only done during Lent.

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      1. Here is the segment of the service I referred to. The numbering of the Psalms in the Orthodox Church is according to the Septuagint. Hence Psalm 141 is 140 in our liturgical books.

        (At the completion of the second reading everyone stands for the following hymn which is sung slowly, alternately in Greek and English, with verses from Psalm 140(141) while the priest censes the four sides of the Holy Table and the congregation.)

        Let my prayer arise in your sight as incense, and let the lifting of my hands be an evening sacrifice.
        v. Lord, I have cried to you, hear me. Hear the voice of my prayer when I cry to you.
        Κατευθυνθήτω η προσευχή μου ως θυμίαμα ενώπιόν σου· έπαρσις των χειρών μου, θυσία εσπερινή.
        v. Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord, and keep watch over the door of my lips.
        Let my prayer arise in your sight as incense, and let the lifting of my hands be an evening sacrifice.
        v. Incline not my heart to any evil thing, nor to practice wicked deeds.
        Κατευθυνθήτω η προσευχή μου ως θυμίαμα ενώπιόν σου· έπαρσις των χειρών μου, θυσία εσπερινή.
        v. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
        Let my prayer arise in your sight as incense, and let the lifting of my hands be an evening sacrifice.

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