Psalms 141:3

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Set a watch, O Jehovah, before my mouth; Keep the door of my lips.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

שִׁיתָ֣ה יְ֭הוָה שָׁמְרָ֣ה לְפִ֑י נִ֝צְּרָ֗ה עַל־דַּ֥ל שְׂפָתָֽי׃

Transliteration

Šîtâ YHWH šāmrâ to-pî [my mouth]; niṣṣərâ over-dal śəpātāy [door of my lips].

Grammar Details

*Šîtâ*: verb, qal imperative masculine singular - set/place/appoint
*YHWH*: proper noun, divine name - LORD
*šāmrâ*: noun, feminine singular - guard/watch
*pî*: noun, masculine singular construct with 1st person singular suffix - my mouth
*niṣṣərâ*: verb, qal imperative masculine singular with paragogic he - keep watch/guard
*dal*: noun, masculine singular construct - door/gate
*śəpātāy*: noun, feminine dual construct with 1st person singular suffix - my lips

Word Meanings

*Šîtâ*: set/place/appoint/establish
*šāmrâ*: guard/watch/keeper
*niṣṣərâ*: keep watch/guard/preserve
*dal*: door/gate/entrance

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

🔄 Compare with

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Mic 7:5 : 5 Trust ye not in a neighbor; put ye not confidence in a friend; keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.
Jas 1:26 : 26 If any man {G1722} {G5213} thinketh himself to be religious, while he bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his heart, this man's religion is vain.
Ps 39:1 : 1 For the Chief Musician, for Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, I will take heed to my ways, That I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, While the wicked is before me.
Ps 71:8 : 8 My mouth shall be filled with thy praise, And with thy honor all the day.
Ps 17:3-5 : 3 Thou hast proved my heart; Thou hast visited me in the night; Thou hast tried me, and findest nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress. 4 As for the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the ways of the violent. 5 My steps have held fast to thy paths, My feet have not slipped.
Ps 34:13 : 13 Keep thy tongue from evil, And thy lips from speaking guile.
Jas 3:2 : 2 For in many things we all stumble. If any stumbleth not in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

Ps 39:1
79%
1For the Chief Musician, for Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. I said, I will take heed to my ways, That I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, While the wicked is before me.
Ps 51:15
78%
15O Lord, open thou my lips; And my mouth shall show forth thy praise.
Prov 4:24
76%
24Put away from thee a wayward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee.
Ps 17:3-5
3 verses
76%
3Thou hast proved my heart; Thou hast visited me in the night; Thou hast tried me, and findest nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.
4As for the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the ways of the violent.
5My steps have held fast to thy paths, My feet have not slipped.
Ps 34:13
75%
13Keep thy tongue from evil, And thy lips from speaking guile.
Prov 8:6-7
2 verses
75%
6Hear, for I will speak excellent things; And the opening of my lips shall be right things.
7For my mouth shall utter truth; And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
Job 27:4
75%
4Surely my lips shall not speak unrighteousness, Neither shall my tongue utter deceit.
Ps 141:4
75%
4Incline not my heart to any evil thing, To practise deeds of wickedness With men that work iniquity: And let me not eat of their dainties.
Prov 13:3
75%
3He that guardeth his mouth keepeth his life; [But] he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.
Ps 119:13
74%
13With my lips have I declared All the ordinances of thy mouth.
Ps 140:4
74%
4Keep me, O Jehovah, from the hands of the wicked; Preserve me from the violent man: Who have purposed to thrust aside my steps.
Ps 109:1-2
2 verses
74%
1For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise;
2For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of deceit have they opened against me: They have spoken unto me with a lying tongue.
Ps 54:2
74%
2Hear my prayer, O God; Give ear to the words of my mouth.
Ps 140:9
74%
9As for the head of those that compass me about, Let the mischief of their own lips cover them.
Ps 19:14
74%
14Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in thy sight, O Jehovah, my rock, and my redeemer.
Prov 5:2
74%
2That thou mayest preserve discretion, And that thy lips may keep knowledge.
Ps 31:18
74%
18Let the lying lips be dumb, Which speak against the righteous insolently, With pride and contempt.
Ps 17:1
73%
1A Prayer of David. Hear the right, O Jehovah, attend unto my cry; Give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.
Prov 21:23
73%
23Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue Keepeth his soul from troubles.
Job 33:2-3
2 verses
73%
2Behold now, I have opened my mouth; My tongue hath spoken in my mouth.
3My words [shall utter] the uprightness of my heart; And that which my lips know they shall speak sincerely.
Ps 120:2
73%
2Deliver my soul, O Jehovah, from lying lips, [And] from a deceitful tongue.
Ps 119:171
73%
171Let my lips utter praise; For thou teachest me thy statutes.
Ps 141:2
72%
2Let my prayer be set forth as incense before thee; The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Prov 22:18
72%
18For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee, If they be established together upon thy lips.
Jer 17:16
72%
16As for me, I have not hastened from being a shepherd after thee; neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was before thy face.
Ps 49:3
72%
3My mouth shall speak wisdom; And the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.
Ps 12:3
72%
3Jehovah will cut off all flattering lips, The tongue that speaketh great things;
Prov 10:31
72%
31The mouth of the righteous bringeth forth wisdom; But the perverse tongue shall be cut off.
Ps 119:43
72%
43And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; For I have hoped in thine ordinances.
Ps 119:11
72%
11Thy word have I laid up in my heart, That I might not sin against thee.
Prov 16:10
72%
10A divine sentence is in the lips of the king; His mouth shall not transgress in judgment.
Prov 14:3
71%
3In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for [his] pride; But the lips of the wise shall preserve them.
Ps 119:131
71%
131I opened wide my mouth, and panted; For I longed for thy commandments.
Ps 5:3
71%
3O Jehovah, in the morning shalt thou hear my voice; In the morning will I order [my prayer] unto thee, and will keep watch.
Ps 141:9
71%
9Keep me from the snare which they have laid for me, And from the gins of the workers of iniquity.
Prov 23:16
71%
16Yea, my heart will rejoice, When thy lips speak right things.
Ps 71:8
71%
8My mouth shall be filled with thy praise, And with thy honor all the day.
Job 13:6
71%
6Hear now my reasoning, And hearken to the pleadings of my lips.
Ps 119:148
71%
148Mine eyes anticipated the night-watches, That I might meditate on thy word.
Job 31:27
71%
27And my heart hath been secretly enticed, And my mouth hath kissed my hand:
Ps 5:1
71%
1For the Chief Musician; with the Nehiloth. A Psalm of David. Give ear to my words, O Jehovah, Consider my meditation.
Ps 59:12
71%
12[ For] the sin of their mouth, [and] the words of their lips, Let them even be taken in their pride, And for cursing and lying which they speak.
Lam 3:62
71%
62The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day.
Ps 119:133
71%
133Establish my footsteps in thy word; And let not any iniquity have dominion over me.