Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 141:4
Incline not my heart to [any] evil thing, to practice wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.
4. Incline not my heart &c.] Leave me not by the withdrawal of Thy grace, to turn aside from the path of right. Cp. Psa 119:10; Psa 119:133.
to practise &c.] To occupy myself in wicked practices with men who are workers of iniquity. The word for men implies that they are men of rank and position who set this bad example. Cp. Psa 4:2, note.
let me not eat of their dainties ] Let me not share their life of sensual luxury, the means for which are procured by violence and injustice. Cp. Pro 4:17, “For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence”: Psa 24:1-2. There does not seem to be any allusion to participation in idolatrous sacrifices.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Incline not my heart to any evil thing – Hebrew, to a word that is evil; that is, wrong. The connection seems to demand that the term should be thus explained. The expression Incline not is not designed to mean that God exerts any positive influence in leading the heart to that which is wrong; but it may mean Do not place me in circumstances where I may be tempted; do not leave me to myself; do not allow any improper influence to come over me by which I shall be led astray. The expression is similar to that in the Lords Prayer: Lead us not into temptation. The psalmists allusion here has been explained in the introduction to the psalm.
To practice wicked works with people that work iniquity – To be united or associated with people who do wrong; to do the things which wicked and unprincipled people do. Let me not be permitted to do anything that will be regarded as identifying me with them. Let me not, in the circumstances in which I am placed, be left to act so that the fair interpretation of my conduct shall be that I am one of their number, or act on the same principles on which they act. Literally, To practice practices in wickedness with people.
And let me not eat of their dainties – Let me not be tempted by any prospect of participating in their mode of living – in the luxuries and comforts which they enjoy – to do a wicked or wrong thing. Let not a prospect or desire of this overcome my better judgment, or the dictates of my conscience, or my settled principles of what is right. People often do this. Good people are often tempted to do it. The prospect or the hope of being enabled to enjoy what the rich enjoy, to live in luxury and ease, to be clothed in short linen and fare sumptuously every day, to move in circles of splendor and fashion, often leads them to a course of action which their consciences condemn; to practices inconsistent with a life of godliness; to sinful indulgences which utterly ruin their character. Satan has few temptations for man more attractive and powerful than the dainties which wealth can give; and there are few of his devices more effectual in ruining people than those which are derived from these allurements. The word here rendered dainties properly refers to things which are pleasant, lovely, attractive; which give delight or pleasure. It may embrace all that the world has to offer as suited to give pleasure or enjoyment. It refers here to what those in more elevated life have to offer; what they themselves live for.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 4. Let me eat not of their dainties.] This may refer either to eating things forbidden by the law; or to the partaking in banquets or feasts in honour of idols.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Incline not; suffer it not to be inclined or led aside, either by my own errors or lusts, or by the temptations of the world or of the devil. Thus God is frequently said to harden mens hearts, not positively, for he can do no evil, nor tempt any man to it, Jam 1:3; but privatively, by denying softening grace.
My heart; keep me not only from wicked speeches, Psa 141:3, but from all evil motions of my heart, which otherwise will draw me to many evil speeches and actions.
To practice wicked works with men that work iniquity; either,
1. To join with them in their sinful courses; or,
2. To do wickedly, as they do.
Let me not eat of their dainties; let me never enjoy or desire worldly comforts upon such terms as they do, to wit, with Gods wrath and curse, as instruments of wickedness, and of my own eternal destruction. My afflictions are more desirable than such prosperity. Let none of their sweet morsels, the pleasures or advantages which they gain by their wickedness, tempt me to approve of or imitate their ways.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Incline not my heart to [any] evil thing,…. Or “evil word” z, as the Targum; since out of the abundance of that the mouth speaketh, Mt 12:34; or to any sinful thing, to the commission of any evil action: not that God ever inclines men’s hearts to sin by any physical influence, it being what is repugnant to his nature and will, and what he hates and abhors; for though he hardens the hearts of wicked men, and gives them up to the lusts of them; yet he does not move, incline, or tempt any man to sin, Jas 1:13; but he may be said to do this when he suffers them to follow their own sinful inclinations, and leaves them to be inclined by the power and prevalency of their own corruptions, and by the temptations of Satan, which is here deprecated; see Ps 119:36. So as
to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity; to join with those that make a trade of sinning; the course of whose life is evil, in their unfruitful works of darkness; and do as they do, even commit crimes the most flagitious and enormous: he seems to have respect to great persons, whose examples are very forcible and ensnaring; and therefore it requires an exertion of the powerful and efficacious grace of God, to preserve such from the influence of them, whose business is much with them;
and let me not eat of their dainties; since their table was a snare to themselves, it might be so to him; and be a means of betraying him unawares into the commission of some sins, which would be dishonourable and grieving to him: the psalmist desires not to partake with them at their table; but chose rather a meatier table and coarser fare, where he might be more free from temptation; see Pr 23:1. Or this may be understood of the dainties and sweet morsels of sin; which are like stolen waters, and bread eaten in secret, to a carnal heart: though the pleasures of it are but imaginary, and last but for a season, and therefore are avoided by a gracious man; by whom even afflictions with the people of God are preferred unto them, Heb 11:25. The Targum interprets it of the song of the house of their feasts; which is ensnaring.
z “ad verbum malum”, Montanus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(4) To practise wicked works . . .The Vulg., ad excusandas excusationes, following the LXX., not only preserves the expressive assonance of the original, but probably conveys its meaning better than the somewhat tame English version. Evidently the danger to be guarded against was not so much a sinful act as a sinful utterance, and the expression to make pretexts or excuses may possibly refer to the casuistries by which some of the laxer Jews excused their participation in heathen rites or licentious banquets. Symmachus has, to devise wicked devices.
Dainties.The word is peculiar to this passage, but derived from a root meaning pleasant. The LXX. and Vulg. refer it to persons instead of things. But the use of the same root in Psa. 141:6, for they are sweet, where the reference is to words, suggests a meaning here different both from the English and the ancient versions. I will not taste of their sweets may mean I will not listen to their allurements: what finds favour with them shall not tempt me. On the other hand, if we retain the English allusion to the dainties of a feast (so Symmachus), the word in Psa. 141:6 will be used metaphorically in contrast. The words of condemnation he utters, though bitter to these feasters, are in reality sweet with the sweetness of truth.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. Incline not my heart As in Psa 141:3 he would have the “door” of his “lips” guarded, so now he would have his “heart” rightly inclined. The prayer is against being abandoned to the pressure and tendency of external circumstances. If left to himself he would fall into sin.
Practise wicked works Literally, To practise practices in wickedness. The habit of evil doing, into which he was in danger of insensibly gliding by the contagion of surrounding example, he here deprecates.
Not eat of their dainties Neither at their idol feasts nor as a guest at their social entertainments; thus tacitly condemning their practices.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 141:4 Incline not my heart to [any] evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.
Ver. 4. Incline not my heart ] Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. For the better ordering of his words, therefore, he prayeth, not to be delivered up to Satan, and to his own heart’s lust (as he was, 1Ch 21:1 , with 2Sa 24:1 ), for God tempteth no man, but the devil and his own concupiscence, Jas 1:13-14 , but to be bent the better way by God’s overpowering, efficacious grace, and to be stablished with his free spirit.
To practise wicked works
And let me not eat of their dainties
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
evil. Hebrew. ra’a’. App-44.
wicked. Hebrew. rasha’. App-44.
men. Hebrew. ‘ish. App-14.
iniquity. Hebrew. ‘avert. App-44.
eat: i.e. partake of, or have fellowship with.
dainties = pleasant things. Compare Psa 141:6.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Incline not: Psa 119:36, Deu 2:30, Deu 29:4, 1Ki 8:58, 1Ki 22:22, Isa 63:17, Mat 6:13, Jam 1:13
to practice: 1Co 15:33, 2Co 6:17, Rev 18:4
and let me: Num 25:2, Pro 23:1-3, Pro 23:6-8, Dan 1:5-8, Act 10:13, Act 10:14, 1Co 10:27, 1Co 10:28, 1Co 10:31
Reciprocal: Gen 27:14 – mother 1Ki 13:9 – Eat no bread Psa 84:10 – to dwell Psa 119:29 – Remove Psa 119:112 – inclined Pro 2:12 – deliver Pro 23:3 – General Dan 1:8 – defile Phi 2:13 – to will
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
141:4 Incline not my heart to [any] evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their {d} dainties.
(d) Let not their prosperity lure me to be wicked as they are.