Psalm 141:5 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… : — I. THE OBLIGATION TO THIS DUTY (Leviticus 19:17; Proverbs 9:8; Proverbs 24:15; Luke 17:3; 1 Timothy 5:20; 2 Timothy 4:2). III. THE CHARACTER OF THOSE WHO ARE TO ADMINISTER REPROOF TO OTHERS. "Let the righteous smite me." Let the sincere, humble, constant Christian, who is blameless and harmless, the child of God, without rebuke, let him administer reproof. Let the conscientious man, who endeavours to keep himself always in the love of God, who is a pattern of righteousness and peace, reprove and rebuke others. This is Christian reproof, and has the weight which God designed it to have. III. THE SPIRIT IS WHICH IT IS TO BE ADMINISTERED. 1. It must be in the spirit of true Christian meekness. (1) Mingled with a sincere and tender compassion for the offender there must be a humbling conviction of our own frailty and liability to sin, and while we reprove him we must cherish a holy fear of falling ourselves. (2) All harshness, abruptness, overbearing and censoriousness are utterly opposed to the spirit in which Christian rebuke is to be administered. 2. It must be administered in a spirit of real kindness and brotherly love for the individual reproved, and with a sincere desire to do him good. 3. It is to be administered in a spirit of firmness and fidelity. This is not inconsistent with Christian meekness and gentleness, nor with fraternal kindness and tender benevolent desire to do our offending brother goad. IV. THE HAPPY EFFECTS TO BE REALIZED. 1. It will free the Christian who performs this duty from being partaker of other men's sins, and will give him a peace of conscience which he cannot otherwise enjoy. 2. It is often the means of breaking the spell and delusions of sin on a brother's mind which have withstood all other influences. 3. It will prevent the evil of talebearing and backbiting. 4. It will promote amongst Christians a spirit of brotherly love and prayerfulness for each other. (D. L. Carroll, D. D.) Parallel Verses 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. |
    |