In the final part of his fervent prayer, David asks God to keep him from the destruction of the wicked. He prayed for deliverance from the traps the wicked had set for him, and he prayed that he might escape when the wicked perish.
Psalm 141:9 says, “Keep me from the snares which they have laid for me, and the gins of the workers of iniquity.” The wicked lay all kinds of snares for the righteous – snares that would cause harm, snares that would tempt them to sin, snares that would lure them into complacency, snares that would draw them into the enticements of the world and its pleasures.
God has given us tools to keep us from the snares of the wicked.
- God’s word is one useful tool to help us keep from being caught in the snare of the wicked. Psalm 119:110 says, “The wicked have laid a snare for me: yet I erred not from thy precepts.”
- Another tool we can utilize to keep us from the snares of the wicked is wise counsel. Proverbs 13:14 says, “The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.” We can seek counsel from someone who has walked the path before us. If they came through and were not harmed by the snares of the wicked, how did they do it? What can they share with us? If we do not have a person we can trust to ask counsel, God’s word is full of counsel and wisdom, and we have Jesus who has walked the way of temptation before us and the way of hardship. We have wisdom and right counsel freely available to us.
- The fear of the Lord keeps us from being caught in a deadly trap, “The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.” (Proverbs 14:27)
- Good understanding keeps us from the snare. It helps us be prudent and make right decisions and be wise with our words. “21) The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning. 22) Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly. 23) The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.” (Proverbs 16:21-23)
- Prayer to an Almighty God helps protect us from the snares of the wicked. In II Samuel 22:6,7 we read, “6) The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me; 7) In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears.”
The wicked will surely come to destruction. David pleaded that he might not be partaker of that destruction, “Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal escape.” (Psalm 141:10) Psalm 37:14 and 15 tell more about it, “14) The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation. 15) Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.” Perhaps this is why, in the first part of his prayer in Psalm 141, David took time to make sure his heart was right with God and to ask God to keep his heart right, even if it meant other righteous people had to give him correction. He did not want to fall into the snares of the wicked or to be partakers of their destruction. He needed God’s help to keep him faithful and true.
Like David, we need God’s help to be faithful and true. God has given us the tools we need to escape out of the snares of the wicked. God’s ear is open to our cry when we ask His help to have a right heart. God’s arm is still strong to save. There is not a thing too hard for God. Let us depend on His help today to keep us from being trapped in the snares of the wicked and to keep us from the destruction of the wicked.