The Meaning of Psalms 141:5 Explained

Psalms 141:5

KJV: 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.

YLT: The 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.

Darby: Let 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.

ASV: Let 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Psalms 141:5 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalm 141:1-10 - Humility
This is an evening psalm. Acceptable prayer is as the smoke of incense rising in the still air, Revelation 5:8; Revelation 8:3-4. Each day we should ask to be delivered from lip sins, life sins, and like sins-especially the last, the dainties of appetite and desire, Psalms 141:4.
We owe a great deal to the care of fellow-believers. It may take more love to smite than to soothe. The breaking of the box of precious ointment over our heads may cause a momentary shock; but we must not refuse it, since the contents are so salutary; and we can return their well-meant kindness by praying for the righteous when their calamities are multiplied, Psalms 141:5. It was a rough time for David, but he kept looking up and committing his soul to God's faithful care. Under similar circumstances Paul struck an even higher note, Romans 8:36-37. Go on patiently living up to your ideal. God will surely vindicate you! [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 141

1  David prays that his suit may be acceptable
3  His conscience sincere
7  And his life free from snares

What do the individual words in Psalms 141:5 mean?

Let strike me the righteous [it shall be] a kindness and let him rebuke me oil [it shall be] as excellent not let refuse it my head for still and my prayer [is] against the deeds of the wicked
יֶֽהֶלְמֵֽנִי־ צַדִּ֨יק ׀ חֶ֡סֶד וְֽיוֹכִיחֵ֗נִי שֶׁ֣מֶן רֹ֭אשׁ אַל־ יָנִ֣י רֹאשִׁ֑י כִּי־ ע֥וֹד וּ֝תְפִלָּתִ֗י בְּרָעוֹתֵיהֶֽם

יֶֽהֶלְמֵֽנִי־  Let  strike  me 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: הָלַם  
Sense: (Qal) to smite, strike, hammer, strike down.
צַדִּ֨יק ׀  the  righteous 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: צַדִּיק  
Sense: just, lawful, righteous.
חֶ֡סֶד  [it  shall  be]  a  kindness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֶסֶד 
Sense: goodness, kindness, faithfulness.
וְֽיוֹכִיחֵ֗נִי  and  let  him  rebuke  me 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: יָכַח  
Sense: to prove, decide, judge, rebuke, reprove, correct, be right.
שֶׁ֣מֶן  oil 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֶׁמֶן  
Sense: fat, oil.
רֹ֭אשׁ  [it  shall  be]  as  excellent 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
יָנִ֣י  let  refuse  it 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נוּא  
Sense: to hinder, hold back, forbid, disallow, restrain, frustrate.
רֹאשִׁ֑י  my  head 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
ע֥וֹד  still 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: a going round, continuance adv.
וּ֝תְפִלָּתִ֗י  and  my  prayer  [is] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: תְּפִלָּה  
Sense: prayer.
בְּרָעוֹתֵיהֶֽם  against  the  deeds  of  the  wicked 
Parse: Preposition-b, Adjective, feminine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.