Psalms 141:5

Let 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.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The psalmist prays to God, asking that correction from a righteous person be received as a gift rather than rejected. It sits between a plea to be kept from wicked company (v. 4) and a note that the wicked's downfall will make his words pleasant to the people (v. 6).

The words — חֶסֶד (chesed, H2617) is the word the psalmist uses to describe the righteous man's rebuke; its literal sense is covenant loyalty or steadfast devotion, not mere kindness. The verse equates being struck and rebuked with an act of that same binding loyalty.

The thread — Ecclesiastes 7:5 ranks a wise man's rebuke above the song of fools; Revelation 3:19 ties divine rebuke directly to love ("Those I love I rebuke and discipline"); Galatians 6:1 instructs the community to restore a trespasser with gentleness, pairing correction with care.

Why it lands — The verse turns correction into a test of character: the psalmist's prayer is essentially "let me be the kind of person who doesn't refuse it." A reader who bristles at rebuke has already answered the question the psalmist is praying about.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

יֶֽהֶלְמֵֽנִי־ye.hel.me./ni-let him strike/ me צַדִּ֨יק׀tza.Dika righteous [person]חֶ֡סֶדChe.sedloyalty וְֽיוֹכִיחֵ֗נִיve./yo.khi.Che./niand/ let him rebuke/ me שֶׁ֣מֶןShe.menoil of רֹ֭אשׁroshhead אַל־'al-may not יָנִ֣יya.Niit refuse רֹאשִׁ֑יro.Sh/ihead/ my כִּי־ki-for ע֥וֹדodstill וּ֝תְפִלָּתִ֗יu./te.fi.la.T/iand/ prayer/ my בְּרָעוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃be./ra.'o.tei./Hem[is] on/ evil deeds/ their

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Ecclesiastes 7:5 It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke than to listen to the song of fools.
Revelation 3:19 Those I love I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent.
Galatians 6:1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.
Proverbs 27:5 Better an open rebuke than love that is concealed.
Proverbs 25:12 Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is a wise man’s rebuke to a listening ear.
Proverbs 19:25 Strike a mocker, and the simple will beware; rebuke the discerning man, and he will gain knowledge.
Proverbs 9:8 Do not rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man, and he will love you.
Proverbs 15:5 A fool rejects his father’s discipline, but whoever heeds correction is prudent.
Galatians 2:11 When Cephas came to Antioch, however, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.
1 Samuel 25:31 then my lord will have no remorse or guilt of conscience over needless bloodshed and revenge. And when the LORD has dealt well with my lord, may you remember your servant.”