Sorry I haven't been very involved on here the last couple of weeks. My life is consumed with homeschooling. It always takes a while for me to get things going, settle into our schedule, and adjust to our new routine at the beginning of the school year.
I am having a difficult time understanding Psalm 141:6-7.
(5) "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. Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds. (6) When their judges are thrown over the cliff, then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant. (7) As when one plows and breaks up the earth, so shall our bones be scattered at the mouth of Sheol."
Based on the idea in verse 5 that we should be grateful for a righteous person's rebuke, I am leaning on thinking the following. When they see their unrighteous judges overcome and the consequences of evil, those who commit evil deeds will then be grateful for and find hope in his rebuke.
? Then, I am not sure what is really being said in verse 7 much at all.
I just want to check and further my understanding if possible. I am just looking for other people's thoughts, and I know some of you can perhaps offer some insight from the original Hebrew.
Hey, glad to hear you haven't left us! And your timing couldn't have been better, as I've had a particularly trying day. Though nowhere near as bad as I used to be, when that happens my language tends to get a little ... err, colorful ... so this was a good message for me; particularly as we are in shemei ratzon, the Days of Favor leading up to the High Holy Days, and I am trying to work more on my, uh "self."
I think to understand this, you have to not only read the entire Psalm, but the one before as well. Melech Dovid is praying that his prayers will be effective, and like Ps 140 those who plot against him will be foisted on their own petard, so to speak. Post Temple Rabbinic Judaism sees prayer as a sacrifice, and a substitute for the sacrifices which they would offer up if there was a Temple. The Psalmist certainly wouldn't have seen it that way, however in verse 2 he does tie prayer and sacrifices at least metaphorically. He is asking that his prayers will rise like incense or the smoke of a burnt offering.
And here is me:
Psalm 141:3-4 (ESV) Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips! Do not let my heart incline to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with men who work iniquity, and let me not eat of their delicacies!
Ouch! Verse 3 kind of hits home. Both of these are pretty easily understood. The important thing to understanding the verses you referenced is that this is a break from the previous line of thought. I can see how all of this relates, but it is a stretch, and unless you read it with these breaks in mind it just doesn't flow well. Even my JPS Study TNK, which usually is pretty good at tackling the most difficult scriptural interpretations just says "meaning of vv. 5-7 uncertain" and leaves it at that! But keeping this idea of the breaks in thought in mind, I think we can make sense of it all.
And I know we all know this, but it is a good reminder to keep in mind the chapters and verses are a later idea imposed on scripture. So we can break those up as well to help our understanding.
Psalm 141:5a (ESV) 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.
This idea is all through Wisdom Literature.
Proverbs 13:1 (ESV) A wise son hears his father's instruction,
but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
We should listen when a righteous person rebukes us. Heck fire, I might hit 'em with a shovel, but I even listen when an enemy rebukes me! They'll tell you things your friends won't. Just add in a lot of discernment and you can learn from anyone. But the truly righteous you should pay particular attention to.
Psalm 141:5b (ESV) Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds.
I think it was a mistake, and the cause of a lot of confusion to put this idea in the same verse as the previous one. Also, the JPS translators notes gives I think a more clear alternate translation: "my prayer is continually against the evildoers." That tends to not be so easily confused with the previous statement. Listen to the righteous, and pray against the evildoers ... I can live with that understanding. Calling the righteous evildoers on the other hand ... not so much.
Psalm 141:6 (ESV) When their judges are thrown over the cliff, [Or When their judges fall into the hands of the Rock] then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant.
The JPS renders this "May their judges slip on the rock." Again, a lot more understandable. It also says "but let my words be heard, for they are pleasant." Put it together like that and we could paraphrase this as "Me, look at ME! Don't pay no nevermind to the prayers of them heathens ... listen to ME-E-E!!!"
Psalm 141:7 (ESV) As when one plows and breaks up the earth, so shall our bones be scattered at the mouth of Sheol. [The meaning of the Hebrew in verses 6, 7 is uncertain]
I have to disagree with the footnotes here and in my TNK. This sounds fairly clear to me, as long as we don't try to link these thoughts together too closely. We're all headed for the grave anyhow. He's depressed (I recognize the signs) as someone is afflicting him. It's part of the job description when you get anointed by Elohim- especially if it's to be king! But still, it probably got tired after a while. And everyone is trying to give him advice. Having to sort out that of the righteous from those who are laying a trap for him probably got kinda old too.
Psalm 141:8-10 (ESV) But my eyes are toward you, O God, my Lord; in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless! Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me and from the snares of evildoers! Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by safely.
And this ties it all back into the same general theme as the previous Psalm. Which is important to our understanding, I think.
If you now understand, give Hashem the glory. If not you can blame me ... it's been that kind'a day anyhow ... 
Dan (I know; quit complainin') C
? Then, I am not sure what is really being said in verse 7 much at all.
- there are 70 faces to 
