Psa 141:7 | KingComments | STEP | David does not want to participate with evil people even though they present an evil work as attractive ( ). At the same time he is open to being corrected ( ). Should he go a wrong way, and “the righteous” would smite or reprove him, he would greatly appreciate it (cf. ). “The righteous” is Christ. The Hebrew word for “kindness” here is Adonai or covenant faithfulness. That is, the LORD’s discipling is done on the basis of His faithfulness to the covenant. The LORD disciplines His people in order to bless them. Therefore, the wound inflicted by the LORD is always treated with “oil” to ease the pain (cf. ) Through His disciplining, we come to know His Person and His ways (cf. ). Often when we are punished, we feel attacked and hurt rather than grateful. “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid” ( ). Often we fail to see our own mistakes. If we recognize and acknowledge that, we will be grateful for people – our wife, children, friends – who point out things we are blind to. This should be appreciated as a benefit, as a kindness, and as oil on the head. Oil on the head is also a symbol of honor for a welcome guest (cf. ). When a reprimand is seen as a benefit, as a symbol of honor, it will not be refused. Then we also accept the discipline God brings upon us as evidence of His love ( ). The last line of seems to be about those who pursue him, David, that is, Saul and his henchmen. Opposite the Righteous Who strikes him out of love, there is Saul who wants to kill him. David spared this ruthless enemy twice when he could have killed him ( ). Saul and his followers, in all their misery – for they are the ones who are truly in misery because they want to kill God’s chosen king – have been an object of his prayer. The judges who had been hunting him at Saul’s behest “are thrown down by the sides of the rock” ( ), that is, he did not kill them, but spared their lives. They heard his words, “for they are pleasant”. These are the words David speaks to Saul after he has spared Saul’s life ( ). In contrast to David’s sparing attitude and pleasant words is the murderous action of Saul and his men toward him and his men ( ). It feels to him that his bones and those of his men lie just before the realm of death, “at the mouth of Sheol”. The ground on which they live he experiences as cleft and split. Nowhere is firmness, while death lurks. Prophetically, this is about the destructive attack of the king of the North with his – probably islamic – allies ( ; cf. ; ). At the same time, the picture of the farmer plowing and breaking open the earth as he plows it is a picture of hope. After plowing and breaking open the soil, he sows new seed in the ground. It is a work of preparation to make the ground ripe for new seed (cf. ). In this way the Lord also brings us into difficult circumstances to bring us to repentance, so that the seed of the Word may take root in our hearts. His work is a work of hope. We therefore see in this verse a reference to the resurrection. While he is in danger “every hour”, so to speak, and dies “daily” ( ), as he says in , his eyes are toward “GOD, the Lord” ( ). He expects his help from Him Who is the faithful God of the covenant, “GOD” or “LORD”, Yahweh, and Who is the sovereign Ruler, “Lord”, Adonai. To Him he has taken “refuge”. With boldness he asks: “Do not leave me defenseless.” In doing so, he is asking God to fulfill His promises to him, for at the moment he is a defenseless man, although he is God’s anointed. Literally it says “do not pour out my soul”, that is, ‘do not leave me helpless and dying’. Here it literally is about life or death. The psalmist is asking here if he may remain alive. The eyes of the robber on the cross next to the Savior are toward the Savior ( ). He thinks not of his suffering, but of his soul, and asks the Lord to think of him when He comes in His kingdom. He takes refuge in Him and asks that his soul not be left defenseless. He receives more than he asks for: he may be with the Lord Jesus in paradise immediately after his death ( ).

‏ Psalms 141:7

Struck Down, but Not Destroyed

David does not want to participate with evil people even though they present an evil work as attractive (Psa 141:4). At the same time he is open to being corrected (Psa 141:5). Should he go a wrong way, and “the righteous” would smite or reprove him, he would greatly appreciate it (cf. Pro 9:8b ; Pro 15:31 ; Pro 17:10 ; Pro 19:26 ; Pro 25:12). “The righteous” is Christ. The Hebrew word for “kindness” here is Adonai or covenant faithfulness. That is, the LORD’s discipling is done on the basis of His faithfulness to the covenant.

The LORD disciplines His people in order to bless them. Therefore, the wound inflicted by the LORD is always treated with “oil” to ease the pain (cf. Hos 6:1) Through His disciplining, we come to know His Person and His ways (cf. Hos 6:3). Often when we are punished, we feel attacked and hurt rather than grateful. “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid” (Pro 12:1).

Often we fail to see our own mistakes. If we recognize and acknowledge that, we will be grateful for people – our wife, children, friends – who point out things we are blind to. This should be appreciated as a benefit, as a kindness, and as oil on the head.

Oil on the head is also a symbol of honor for a welcome guest (cf. Lk 7:46). When a reprimand is seen as a benefit, as a symbol of honor, it will not be refused. Then we also accept the discipline God brings upon us as evidence of His love (Heb 12:6-7 ; 11).

The last line of Psa 141:5 seems to be about those who pursue him, David, that is, Saul and his henchmen. Opposite the Righteous Who strikes him out of love, there is Saul who wants to kill him. David spared this ruthless enemy twice when he could have killed him (1Sam 24:1-8 ; 1Sam 26:1-12). Saul and his followers, in all their misery – for they are the ones who are truly in misery because they want to kill God’s chosen king – have been an object of his prayer.

The judges who had been hunting him at Saul’s behest “are thrown down by the sides of the rock” (Psa 141:6), that is, he did not kill them, but spared their lives. They heard his words, “for they are pleasant”. These are the words David speaks to Saul after he has spared Saul’s life (1Sam 24:9-17).

In contrast to David’s sparing attitude and pleasant words is the murderous action of Saul and his men toward him and his men (Psa 141:7). It feels to him that his bones and those of his men lie just before the realm of death, “at the mouth of Sheol”. The ground on which they live he experiences as cleft and split. Nowhere is firmness, while death lurks. Prophetically, this is about the destructive attack of the king of the North with his – probably islamic – allies (Psa 79:1-3; cf. Jer 14:16; Zec 13:8 ; Zec 14:2).

At the same time, the picture of the farmer plowing and breaking open the earth as he plows it is a picture of hope. After plowing and breaking open the soil, he sows new seed in the ground. It is a work of preparation to make the ground ripe for new seed (cf. Isa 28:23-25). In this way the Lord also brings us into difficult circumstances to bring us to repentance, so that the seed of the Word may take root in our hearts. His work is a work of hope. We therefore see in this verse a reference to the resurrection.

While he is in danger “every hour”, so to speak, and dies “daily” (1Cor 15:30-31), as he says in Psa 141:7, his eyes are toward “GOD, the Lord” (Psa 141:8). He expects his help from Him Who is the faithful God of the covenant, “GOD” or “LORD”, Yahweh, and Who is the sovereign Ruler, “Lord”, Adonai. To Him he has taken “refuge”.

With boldness he asks: “Do not leave me defenseless.” In doing so, he is asking God to fulfill His promises to him, for at the moment he is a defenseless man, although he is God’s anointed. Literally it says “do not pour out my soul”, that is, ‘do not leave me helpless and dying’. Here it literally is about life or death. The psalmist is asking here if he may remain alive.

The eyes of the robber on the cross next to the Savior are toward the Savior (Lk 23:42). He thinks not of his suffering, but of his soul, and asks the Lord to think of him when He comes in His kingdom. He takes refuge in Him and asks that his soul not be left defenseless. He receives more than he asks for: he may be with the Lord Jesus in paradise immediately after his death (Lk 23:43).