Matthew Poole and continuators on Psalms 141:5

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 : for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities .

To wit, with his tongue by reproofs, as the next clause explains it, which are called wounds, Prov. 27. 6. As I pray unto thee that [illegible: 1 word] would[illegible: 1+ letters]st keep me from sinful practices, so I beg it of all just men, that if I do transgress, or if, by the arts and slanders of mine enemies, any of them are made to believe that I am guilty of [illegible: 1+ letters]il designs against Saul, or of any other wickedness, that they would freely admonish and reprove me for it And their reproofs shall please me better than the dainties of the wicked last mentioned, v. 4.

I shall be so far from being offended with it as an act of enmity or ill will, as they may suspect, that I shall esteem it an act and sign of true friendship.

Or, it shall be as the oil of the head, as it is in the Hebrew, i. e. which is poured upon the head, as the manner was in great feasts and solemnities.

Not hurt or disturb it, but on the contrary, shall heal and greatly refresh and delight it. Which is here understood by a known figure called Meiosis, whereby more is intended than is expressed, as Prov. 17. 21. and oft elsewhere.

Either, 1. in the calamities of those righteous persons who reproved and censured him. So this is an evidence of what he last said, that he should take their reproofs for a kindness, because when they came into such calamities as those wherein he was involved, as all righteous men must expect sufferings at one time or other, he would not insult over them nor censure them, but pity them and pray for them: or, 2. in the calamities of his enemies, of which he speaks in the next words. And so this may be added as a reason why he did so freely offer himself to the righteous to be reproved by them, if he or his cause were so bad as his enemies made them, because he was well assured that he was sincere and his cause good, and that God would bring him out of all his calamities, and bring his enemies into such calamities, that they should need and desire his prayers, which also he would willingly grant to them; and then all good men would be fully satisfied of the justice of his person and cause.

Marginal references: Prov. 9. 8.; Or, let the righteous smi[illegible: 1+ letters] me kindly, and reprove me; let not their precious oil break my head, &c.