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… The psalmist here says he will do this. We need not trouble about the right rendering of this difficult verse, but may take it as it stands. It says that the calamities of the righteous shall stir the psalmist's soul to pray for them. He loved them much, even though they severely rebuked him, indeed, because they did so. I. IT IS A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE. We pray for ourselves, and it is right we should, for unless we ourselves are right with God we shall care but little for the highest good of others, and we shall be disqualified for interceding for them. How ungodly parents who, nevertheless, love their children very dearly, should remember this! They cannot render their children the highest service of all until they themselves are reconciled to God. But we ought not to pray only for ourselves. We can be selfish even in prayer; it is to be feared we very often are. But selfishness is as wrong there as elsewhere. II. IT HAS THE HIGHEST SANCTION. Our Lord Jesus Christ now at the right hand of God "ever liveth to make intercession for us." Moreover, he has taught us to pray, "Our Father, which art," etc. It is not "my:" our Lord would have us be intercessors for others when we pray for ourselves. III. THERE ARE INNUMERABLE REASONS FOR IT. 1. It is part of our obedience to Christ. We are to love our neighbor as ourselves. Surely this includes prayer for him. 2. It unites us with Christ. We cannot "redeem our brother or give to God a ransom for him;" but we can pray for him. 3. It does such good. (1) To those we pray for. We may be sure that God never draws forth our hearts in fervent prayer for others, and then disappoints that prayer. See Abraham's intercession for Sodom. How much do not we ourselves owe to those that have prayed for us! Saintly fathers and mothers, holy men and ministers of God, asked for our salvation, and it has been given. What a motive this for like prayer on our own part! What faithful preacher does not know that his congregation's preparedness to receive the Word is largely in proportion to the fervency of his prayers! (2) And to ourselves who pray, such prayer is blessed. It clears our minds of ill will; it prompts us to kindly, helpful thought, word, and deed; it wins the smile of God on our own souls. 4. It is a work we can all engage in, though we may not be able to do much else. What do not the ministers of God owe to poor bed-ridden people who pray for them as they minister! - S.C. 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. |
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