Psalms 141:5

THE MYSTERIOUS PASSAGE

Psalms 141:5-7 are the difficult verses mentioned at the head of this chapter; and we submit the following renditions of these in various versions as the most practical way of discerning what might be meant.

"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.

Their judges are thrown down by the sides of the rock;

And they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.

As when one ploweth and cleaveth the earth,

Our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol."

(MOFFATT) "When good men wound us and reprove us,

'tis a kindness. I would pray ever to have their good will ...

They are given over to their tyrants -

to teach them that the Eternal's threats are true.

Their bones lie scattered for the grave to swallow,

like stones splintered and crushed upon the road."

(GOOD NEWS BIBLE) "A good man may punish me and rebuke me in kindness,

but I will never accept honor from evil men.

because I am always praying against their evil deeds.

When their rulers are thrown down from rocky cliffs,

The people will admit that my words are true.

Like wood that is split and chopped into bits,

So their bones are scattered at the edge of the grave."

(RSV) "Let a good man strike or rebuke me in kindness,

but let the oil of the wicked never anoint my head;

for my prayer is continually against their wicked deeds.

When they are given over to those who shall condemn them,

Then shall they learn that the word of the Lord is true.

As a rock which one cleaves and shatters on the land,

so shall their bones be strewn at the mouth of Sheol."

These examples are enough to demonstrate that the translators simply do not know what these verses mean. Some of the proposed renditions have merit in themselves, but the proposition that any of these renditions is what is stated in the word of the Lord is impossible of any confident acceptance.