Psa 141:1 | KD | STEP | The four Psalms, , , , and , are interwoven with one another in many ways ( Symbolae , pp. 67f.). The following passages are very similar, viz., ; ; , and Psa 143:1. Just as the poet complains in , “when my spirit veils itself within me,” so too in ; as he prays in Ps 142:8, “Oh bring my soul out of prison,” so in , “bring my soul out of distress,” where צרה takes the place of the metaphorical מסגר. Besides these, compare with ; with ; with , רעות; Ps 140:14 with Ps 142:8; with Psa 143:8. The right understanding of the Psalm depends upon the right understanding of the situation. Since it is inscribed לדוד, it is presumably a situation corresponding to the history of David, out of the midst of which the Psalm is composed, either by David himself or by some one else who desired to give expression in Davidic strains to David’s mood when in this situation. For the gleaning of Davidic Psalms which we find in the last two Books of the Psalter is for the most part derived from historical works in which these Psalms, in some instances only free reproductions of the feelings of David with respect to old Davidic models, adorned the historic narrative. The Psalm before us adorned the history of the time of the persecution by Absalom. At that time David was driven out of Jerusalem, and consequently cut off from the sacrificial worship of God upon Zion; and our Psalm is an evening hymn of one of those troublous days. The ancient church, even prior to the time of Gregory ( Constitutiones Apostolicae , ii. 59), had chosen it for its evening hymn, just as it had chosen for its morning hymn. Just as was called ὁ ὀρθρινός ( ibid . 8:37), so this Psalm, as being the Vesper Psalm, was called ὁ ἐπιλύχνιος (vid., 8:35).

‏ Psalms 141:1

Evening Psalm in the Times of Absalom

The four Psalms, Psa 140:1-13, Psa 141:1-10, Psa 142:1-7, and Psa 143:1-12, are interwoven with one another in many ways (Symbolae, pp. 67f.). The following passages are very similar, viz., Psa 140:7; Psa 141:1; Psa 142:2, and Psa 143:1. Just as the poet complains in Psa 142:4, “when my spirit veils itself within me,” so too in Psa 143:4; as he prays in Ps 142:8, “Oh bring my soul out of prison,” so in Psa 143:11, “bring my soul out of distress,” where צרה takes the place of the metaphorical מסגר. Besides these, compare Psa 140:5-6 with Psa 141:9; Psa 142:7 with Psa 143:9; Psa 140:3 with Psa 141:5, רעות; Ps 140:14 with Ps 142:8; Psa 142:4 with Psa 143:8.

The right understanding of the Psalm depends upon the right understanding of the situation. Since it is inscribed לדוד, it is presumably a situation corresponding to the history of David, out of the midst of which the Psalm is composed, either by David himself or by some one else who desired to give expression in Davidic strains to David’s mood when in this situation. For the gleaning of Davidic Psalms which we find in the last two Books of the Psalter is for the most part derived from historical works in which these Psalms, in some instances only free reproductions of the feelings of David with respect to old Davidic models, adorned the historic narrative. The Psalm before us adorned the history of the time of the persecution by Absalom. At that time David was driven out of Jerusalem, and consequently cut off from the sacrificial worship of God upon Zion; and our Psalm is an evening hymn of one of those troublous days. The ancient church, even prior to the time of Gregory (Constitutiones Apostolicae, ii. 59), had chosen it for its evening hymn, just as it had chosen Psa 63:1-11 for its morning hymn. Just as Psa 63:1-11 was called ὁ ὀρθρινός (ibid. 8:37), so this Psalm, as being the Vesper Psalm, was called ὁ ἐπιλύχνιος (vid., 8:35).