Psalms 141:6 (KJV)

What does Psalms 141:6 mean?

Psalms 141:6 pictures a change in which the people’s judges lose their power and the speaker’s words receive a hearing. The speaker describes those words as “sweet,” suggesting that the listeners will find them pleasant or agreeable.

The “stony places” give the judges’ overthrow a picture of a rocky fall. After asking in verse 5 to be corrected by a good person, the speaker turns to the downfall of judges and the reception of his own words.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 141:6

• “overthrown” — שָׁמַט (shamat): The word can carry the sense of being dropped or thrown down. Here, the rocky setting gives the judges’ downfall a physical image.
• “sweet” — נָעֵם (naʿem): The word can mean pleasant or agreeable. The speaker is describing how his words are received, rather than comparing them with the taste of food.

Why Psalms 141:6 matters

• The verse places the speaker’s words alongside the judges’ downfall. The shift from “their judges” to “my words” draws a contrast between their leaders and the speaker.
• The people who hear are not clearly identified. The verse says “they shall hear,” leaving the reader to work out the group from the surrounding lines.
• The rocky image continues in verse 7, where scattered bones appear near the grave. Together, the images give the scene a grave and violent setting.