Bible Strands
Psalms 141:2
May my prayer be set before You like incense; my uplifted hands, like the evening offering.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — David addresses the LORD in a psalm of urgent petition, immediately following his cry for God to come quickly and hear his voice (Psalms 141:1). The verse functions as a liturgical plea within a broader request for divine vigilance over his speech (Psalms 141:3).
The words — The Hebrew תִּכּוֹן (ti.kon) means "may it be established," anchoring the plea for תְּפִלָּתִי (tefilati, "my prayer") to be fixed before God like קְטֹרֶת (qeteret, "incense"). The phrase מַשְׂאַת כַּפַּי (mas'at kapay, "the raising of my hands") parallels מִנְחַת עֶרֶב (minchat erev, "the evening offering").
The thread — The imagery of prayer as incense before God appears in Revelation 5:8 and Revelation 8:3, where golden censers and bowls hold incense representing the prayers of the saints. The posture of lifted hands is later specified in 1 Timothy 2:8 as a directive for men to pray without anger or dissension.
Why it lands — The text demands that personal supplication be treated with the same ritual gravity as temple sacrifices, requiring consistent, reverent posture. It asks the reader to align daily prayer with the disciplined, uncomplaining devotion modeled in the cited passages.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Cross-references
- Revelation 8:3 Then another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, along with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne.
- Revelation 5:8 When He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
- 1 Timothy 2:8 Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or dissension.
- Daniel 9:21 while I was still praying, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice.
- Malachi 1:11 For My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place, incense and pure offerings will be presented in My name, because My name will be great among the nations,” says the LORD of Hosts.
- Proverbs 15:8 The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is His delight.
- Psalms 63:4 So I will bless You as long as I live; in Your name I will lift my hands.
- Luke 1:9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
- Exodus 30:7 And Aaron is to burn fragrant incense on it every morning when he tends the lamps.
- Psalms 134:2 Lift up your hands to the sanctuary and bless the LORD!