Psalms 141 · Verse 5

Psalms 141:5

Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.
Psalms 141:5, King James Version

Psalms 141:5 in other translations

BSBLet the righteous man strike me; let his rebuke be an act of loving devotion. It is oil for my head; let me not refuse it. For my prayer is ever against the deeds of the wicked.
WEBLet the righteous strike me, it is kindness; let him reprove me, it is like oil on the head; don’t let my head refuse it; Yet my prayer is always against evil deeds.
ASVLet the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness; And let him reprove me, it shall be as oil upon the head; Let not my head refuse it: For even in their wickedness shall my prayer continue.
YLTThe righteous doth beat me in kindness. And doth reprove me, Oil of the head my head disalloweth not, For still my prayer is about their vexations.
DARBYLet the righteous smite me, it is kindness; and let him reprove me, it is an excellent oil which my head shall not refuse: for yet my prayer also is for them in their calamities.
BBELet the upright give me punishment; and let the god-fearing man put me in the right way; but I will not let the oil of sinners come on my head: when they do evil I will give myself to prayer.
WebsterLet the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.

What does Psalms 141:5 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 5 Let the righteous smite me - This verse is extremely difficult in the original. The following translation, in which the Syriac, Vulgate, Septuagint, Ethiopic, and Arabic nearly agree, appears to me to be the best: "Let the righteous chastise me in mercy, and instruct me: but let not the oil of the wicked anoint my head. It shall not adorn (יני yani, from נוה navah) my head; for still my prayer shall be against their wicked works." The oil of the wicked may here mean his smooth flattering speeches; and the psalmist intimates that he would rather suffer the cutting reproof of the righteous than the oily talk of the flatterer. If this were the case, how few are there now-a-days of his mind! On referring to Bishop Horsley, I find his translation is something similar to my own: - Let the just one smite me, let the pious remove me. Let not the ointment of the impious anoint my head. But still I will intrude in their calamities.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Psalms 141:5-10
We should be ready to welcome the rebuke of our heavenly Father, and also the reproof of our brethren. It shall not break my head, if it may but help to break my heart: we must show that we take it kindly. Those who slighted the word of God before, will be glad of it when in affliction, for that opens the ear to instruction. When the world is bitter, the word is sweet. Let us lift our prayer unto God. Let us entreat him to rescue us from the snares of Satan, and of all the workers of iniquity. In language like this psalm, O Lord, would we entreat that our poor prayers should set forth our only hope, our only dependence on thee. Grant us thy grace, that we may be prepared for this employment, being clothed with thy righteousness, and having all the gifts of thy Spirit planted in our hearts.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Psalms 141:5 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

יֶֽהֶלְמֵֽנִי\־ye.hel.me.ni-let him strike meH1986
צַדִּ֨יק\׀tza.Dika righteous [person]H6662
חֶ֡סֶדChe.sedloyaltyH2617
וְֽיוֹכִיחֵ֗נִיve.yo.khi.Che.niand let him rebuke meH3198
שֶׁ֣מֶןShe.menoil ofH8081
רֹ֭אשׁroshheadH7218
אַל\־'al-may notH408
יָנִ֣יya.Niit refuseH5106
רֹאשִׁ֑יro.Shihead myH7218
כִּי\־ki-forH3588
ע֥וֹדodstillH5750
וּ֝תְפִלָּתִ֗יu.te.fi.la.Tiand prayer myH8605
בְּרָעוֹתֵיהֶֽם\׃be.ra.'o.tei.Hem[is] on evil deeds theirH7451

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 141:5

  • Ecclesiastes 7:5

    It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

  • Revelation 3:19

    As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

  • Galatians 6:1

    Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

  • Proverbs 27:5-6

    Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

  • Proverbs 25:12

    As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.

  • Proverbs 19:25

    Smite a scorner, and the simple will beware: and reprove one that hath understanding, and he will understand knowledge.

  • Proverbs 9:8-9

    Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.

  • Galatians 2:11-14

    But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

  • Proverbs 15:5

    A fool despiseth his father’s instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.

  • 1 Samuel 25:31-34

    That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself: but when the Lord shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid. And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which sent thee this day to meet me: And blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand. For in very deed, as the Lord God of Israel liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.

  • 2 Chronicles 25:16

    And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said unto him, Art thou made of the king’s counsel? forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbare, and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel.

  • 2 Chronicles 16:7-10

    And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the Lord thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand. Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the Lord, he delivered them into thine hand. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars. Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the righteous.
1Sa 25:31-34; 2Sa 12:7-13; 2Ch 16:7-10; 25:16; Pr 6:23; 9:8,9
Pr 15:5,22; 19:25; 25:12; 27:5,6; Ga 2:11-14; 6:1; Re 3:19
smite, etc. or, smite me kindly and reprove me; let nottheir precious oil break my head, etc. for yet my.
51:18; 125:4; Mt 5:44; 2Ti 1:16-18; Jas 5:14-16

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Psalms 141:4

    Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.

  • Psalms 141:5

    Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.

  • Psalms 141:6

    When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.

Read all of Psalms 141

Psalms 141:5 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Que el justo me castigue, será un favor, y que me reprenda será un excelente bálsamo que no me herirá la cabeza: así que aun mi oración tendrán en sus calamidades.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Que le juste me frappe, c’est une faveur; qu’il me reprenne, c’est une huile excellente; ma tête ne la refusera pas, car ma prière sera encore là dans leurs calamités.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Der Gerechte schlage mich: es ist Güte, und er strafe mich: es ist Öl des Hauptes; nicht wird mein Haupt sich weigern; denn noch ist in ihren Unglücksfällen mein Gebet für sie.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Considerabam ad dexteram, et videbam, et non erat qui cognosceret me: periit fuga a me, et non est qui requirat animam meam.