既然是義的提醒，我的頭不要躲閃（詩141篇）

任憑義人擊打我、這算為仁慈．任憑他責備我、這算為頭上的膏油．我的頭不要躲閃。正在他們行惡的時候、我仍要祈禱。（詩 141：5）

大衛在深陷苦難、向神祈求的詩中，雖然向神發出施恩幫助的聲音，卻也不忘記反思：或許我有什麼錯，或許這是神的管教。若真是如此，現在就不該是祈求走出困境的時候，應該是要反省、改正才是。大衛在此，甚至不排除有義人來當面指正他問題，甚至「擊打」也可以。因為或許因此被提醒了，也改正了，苦難就結束了。

人在迷惘中，因為犯錯被神管教時，若關鍵問題沒有解決，有時候這樣的擊打不會結束。正如約伯是個義人，但是神知道他潛在的問題，所以在他這樣即使只是一點點小瑕疵不解決，他的苦難就不會結束。只是神愛他，所以神直接向他顯現、使他看見自己的問題。然而，我們也要像約伯一樣，期待神親自顯現嗎？

現代，是個不受教的年代，人人自以為是。很多現代人，不能接受責備，而且有國家法律保護著，包含應該是在人格塑造上接受教育的學生，國家卻不容學生接受管教。但這是不合聖經真理的。可是，即使在今天的真教會中，許多人不能接受來自講台的責備，認為應該多說「愛」，少責備。

以賽亞先知在年輕接受呼召時，他說：

主耶和華賜我受教者的舌頭，使我知道怎樣用言語扶助疲乏的人。主每天早晨喚醒，喚醒我的耳朵，使我能聽，像受教者一樣。主耶和華開啟我的耳朵，我並未違背，也未退後。人打我的背，我任他打；人拔我兩頰的鬍鬚，我由他拔；人侮辱我，向我吐唾沫，我並不掩面。（賽 50：4-6）【2010和合本】

主耶穌也說：

心靈貧窮的人有福了！因為天國是他們的。（太 5：3）【2010和合本】

接受責備，是成為虛心的人（心靈貧窮的人）的基本態度；成為虛心的人，天國才是他們的，也就是才可以有進天國的基本條件。神阻擋驕傲的人，賜恩給謙卑的人，因此，驕傲不受教的人，絕對無法進天國；且天國裡面，也不會遇到自以為是，驕傲的人。

所以這裡大衛說：即使被擊打、被責備，使我心裡不美麗，但若是出於義人，那算是來自於神的「仁慈」、「膏油」。既然如此，我必虛心接受，即使是當頭棒喝、很痛，但我的頭不躲閃。

By Isaiah Kao

Since It Is A Righteous Reminder, May My Head Not Turn Away(Psalm 141)

“Let the righteous strike me—it is kindness;

And let him rebuke me—it is oil on the head;

Let my head not refuse it,

For still my prayer is against their wicked deeds.”

(Psalm 141:5, NASB 2020)

In this psalm of prayer, David is deeply trapped in suffering. While he cries out to God for mercy and help, he does not forget to examine himself. He reflects: perhaps I have done something wrong; perhaps this suffering is God’s discipline. If that is so, then this is not the time to ask to escape the hardship, but the time to repent and make corrections.

Therefore, David does not rule out the possibility that a righteous person may come to point out his faults face to face—even that such correction might involve being “struck.”

When a person is confused and is being disciplined by God because of wrongdoing, if the core issue is not resolved, sometimes such “striking” will not come to an end. Job, for example, was a righteous man, yet God knew that he had a hidden problem. Until that subtle flaw was dealt with, his suffering would not cease. Because God loved him, He personally appeared to Job and enabled him to see his own problem.

But must we, like Job, always expect God Himself to appear directly to us?

Today is an age that resists being taught. People are opinionated. Many modern people cannot accept rebuke, and national laws even protect them from it. This includes students who ought to receive discipline as part of character formation, yet are no longer permitted to be corrected. This runs contrary to biblical truth.

Even within the true church today, many cannot accept rebuke from the pulpit. They believe that there should be more talk of “love” and less correction.

When the prophet Isaiah received his calling at a young age, he said:

“The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of disciples,

So that I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word.

He awakens Me morning by morning,

He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple.

The Lord GOD has opened My ear;

And I was not disobedient, nor did I turn back.

I gave My back to those who strike Me,

And My cheeks to those who pluck out the beard;

I did not cover My face from humiliation and spitting.”

(Isaiah 50:4–6, NASB 2020)

The Lord Jesus also said:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

(Matthew 5:3, NASB 2020)

To accept rebuke is a fundamental attitude of being “poor in spirit.” Only those who are poor in spirit can inherit the kingdom of heaven, that is, only they can enter it. God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore, a proud and unteachable person will absolutely not be able to enter the kingdom of heaven. And in the kingdom of heaven, there will be no self-righteous or arrogant people.

Thus David says here: even if I am struck or rebuked, even if it makes my inner self feel painful and unbeautiful, if it comes from a righteous person, it is counted as God’s “kindness” and as “oil upon my head.” Since this is so, I will accept it with humility. Even if it is a sharp rebuke and deeply painful, my head will not turn away.

By Isaiah Kao