Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips! Do not let my heart incline to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with men who work iniquity, and let me not eat of their delicacies! Let a righteous man strike me — it is a kindness; let him rebuke me — it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it. Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds. (Psa 141:3-5)David considered it important to guard his mouth. In today's world "free speech" means, "I can say whatever I want." David asks God to prevent him from doing that.
He goes on to ask for protection of the heart. Now, we know we're supposed to resist temptation (James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8-9), but David understands the problem of self-effort. We don't sin because we're tempted; we're tempted because we're sinners. Sin isn't external, something that falls on us. It's a heart problem, and David asks for God's assistance there. He also recognizes that we are more inclined to sin when we busy ourselves with the wicked. Like Paul said, "Bad company ruins good morals" (1 Cor 15:33).
The one that really caught my attention, though, was that last request. "Let a righteous man strike me." What? "It is a kindness." What?! In our current "Don't judge" and "Be tolerant" (whatever they mean by those terms) world, this is the polar opposite of what we'd expect anyone to say. Where "Only God can judge me" is a popular bold claim, David prays for correction, even painful correction. He calls it a kindness. He says it's oil for his head.
It is true; we need that. Oh, no, we don't need a line of "helpful" people with fists and bats ready to "beat" on us about our sin. David asked for one — "a righteous man." And David recognized it wouldn't be pleasant — "Let my head not refuse it." But we are commanded to "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ" (Gal 6:2). Part of that is restoring fellow believers who sin (Gal 6:1). And we would be less than honest if we held that the "believer who sinned" was always somebody else and not us at times. Each of us needs loving, righteous believers to correct us when we're wrong as an act of kindness. Each of us also likely needs to pray that we take it well, because correction is rarely pleasant.
2 comments:
That's why I am always correcting you Stan.. because it will make me righteous.. No wait that's not right.. ok so instead you correct me, so that by your righteousness I may become more like you.. wait No that's not right,, I don't want to become like you, I have enough problems of my own. ok lets start over.. Between Guarding the heart and curbing the tounge and holding every thought captive. is it any wonder some may feel overwhelmed by the effort.
but thank God that we are not alone in this challenge. thank God for the Holy Spirit who works in us to will; and to do, his good pleasure. some day I am going to write a book about this, and in the back there will a special page, when you lick it , it will taste like candy....
The truth hurts, right? So David is submitting to that pain. While I wrestle with temptations, and too often bad behaviors, it's nasty to endure corrections until reflection makes one grateful for having gone through it. At least one should be. After a time it comes to pass.
Thank you sir, may I have another?!!
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