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'Winging It
by Stan Smith
I've been reading through the Psalms of late. Not a short read (150 chapters, including the longest chapter in the Bible: Psalm 119). I came across this interesting prayer from David.
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. (Psalm 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 Corinthians 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" (Galatians 6:2). Part of that is restoring fellow believers who sin (Galatians 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.
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I'm married with four grown children and (currently) four grandchildren. My wife and I live in sunny Phoenix by choice. I hope to encourage people with my words and to share with others what God has shared with me.
For more writings you can see my blog at birdsoftheair.blogspot.com.
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