What is the meaning of Psalm 141:2? May my prayer be set before You like incense • David asks that his spoken prayers rise to God with the same sweet acceptance as the incense burned in the tabernacle (Exodus 30:7-8). • Incense was offered continually; likewise, believers are urged to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). • Revelation 5:8 pictures the saints’ prayers as golden bowls of incense before the throne, confirming that God treasures and responds to them. • Psalm 141:1 stresses David’s urgency—“Come quickly to me, O LORD”—showing his confidence that the aroma of faith-filled prayer reaches God immediately. • Like the smoke that ascends, prayer moves upward, away from earthly distractions, focusing the heart on the Lord (Colossians 3:1-2). my uplifted hands, like the evening offering • The “evening offering” refers to the daily sacrifice presented at twilight (Exodus 29:39-41). David’s raised hands symbolize presenting himself wholly to God, just as the priest offered the lamb. • Lifting hands is a biblical posture of surrender and praise (Psalm 63:4; 28:2). Paul urges, “I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands” (1 Timothy 2:8). • The evening sacrifice closed the day; David teaches us to end our day by acknowledging God’s mercy and seeking His protection through the night (Psalm 4:8). • By comparing raised hands to an offering, he reminds us that worship is not merely verbal; our bodies and actions are part of the sacrifice of praise (Romans 12:1; Hebrews 13:15). summary Psalm 141:2 reveals David’s longing for every aspect of his worship to be as pleasing to God as the divinely prescribed incense and evening sacrifice. He equates persistent, heartfelt prayer with fragrant incense and views his uplifted hands as a personal offering, inviting us to bring our words, our bodies, and our entire selves before the Lord in continual, reverent devotion. |
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