Psalm 141:5a Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness; let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head; let my head not refuse it. ESV

This is a prayer of acceptance. It is not an invitation to abuse a brother in the Lord.

These words were uttered by David as submission to his Holy God. These words were a commitment of attitude, a setting his mind right, to secure a good conscience. Because these words are between David and his God, we have no part in it.

There are some who will use these words to become the righteous right hand of the Lord. They do so in error and do so to the harm of others and themselves. A righteous indignation is still an indignation. Indignation is defined as anger or annoyance provoked by what is perceived as unfair treatment. Would a righteous man strike out in anger?

Psalm 141:3 Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!

Why do men choose to act upon verse 5 with indignation yet ignore the words of verse 3? Why not take the whole counsel of God? Does a vessel dictate to his creator what gets poured into himself? Do we hold mercy and grace close to ourselves because it makes us feel like clean vessels? Or do we pour it out to the benefit of all?

If our attitudes do not match our character, what does that say about our character? If our actions are driven by attitudes, we would do well to have an attitude of submission like David.

Psalm 90:17 And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.

Have you heard or said, “That looks easy. I’d like to do that!” The issue of God’s work often does look easy from the outside. It looks so easy that we often mistakenly give credit to man for the effort. We are but a cooperative, a vessel, thru which the Lord does of His will and His good pleasure.

It is wrong to give man praise for what the Lord has done. We should encourage men who are doing those good works, yes, but praise no. Do you praise your hand for writing the check that you place in the offering plate? No, of course not. You might well be grateful that the hand does not shake, that the writing is legible, but this too is beyond the hands ability to control, but is cooperative just as man is cooperative with the works of God.

The ability to make it look easy comes thru many trials and tribulations. No man can come to the point of making anything look easy without having practiced the craft for a long time. A man rocks on his porch whittling, teaching his grandson an age old craft. Look at the works of their hands. The old weather worn hands move with confidence of experience and make it look so easy. No so the grandson.

Men of God are no different in doing the Lord’s work. It takes experience to let go of self-effort and turn control over to God who does and wills of His own good pleasure.

1 Timothy 1:16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.