Psalm 140 v6: On fraternal correction

St Alphonsus Liguori summarises  Verse 6 of Psalm 140 as saying 'I prefer the charitable corrections and reproaches of the just to the flatteries of the wicked.'

 Looking at the Latin

6	V	Corrípiet me justus in misericórdia, et increpábit me: * óleum autem peccatóris non impínguet caput meum.
	NV	Percutiat me iustus in misericordia et increpet me; oleum autem peccatoris non impinguet caput meum,
	JH	Corripiat me iustus in misericordia, et arguat me; oleum amaritudinis non inpinguet caput meum
	Sept	παιδεύσει με δίκαιος ἐν ἐλέει καὶ ἐλέγξει με ἔλαιον δὲ ἁμαρτωλοῦ μὴ λιπανάτω τὴν κεφαλήν μου

 [Key: V=Vulgate; OR=Old Roman; NV=Neo-Vulgate; JH=St Jerome's translation from the Hebrew; Sept=Septuagint]

 The Greek/Vulgate text tradition here makes the second phrase a rejection of the tokens of respect, such as pouring of ointment on the head for honoured guests, when offered by sinners, continuing the theme of the rejection of association with sinners and its concomitant peer pressure, as a path to sin.  

The Masoretic Text however makes it 'oil of the head I will not reject'.  

On the face of it, the Septuagint version is more consistent with the context, perhaps explaining why St Jerome's version sits closer to the Septuagint, talking about not letting the 'oil of bitterness' touch the psalmist.

Phrase by phrase 

Corrípiet me justus in misericórdia, et increpábit me: óleum autem peccatóris non impínguet caput meum.

The just man shall correct me in mercy, and shall reprove me: but let not the oil of the sinner fatten my head.

 Word by word 

Corrípiet (he may/let him correct) me justus (the just man) in misericordia (in mercy), et (and) increpábit (he will rebuke) me: * óleum (the oil) autem (but) peccatóris (of sinners) non (not) impínguet (it may/let it anoint) caput (head) meum (my). 

Key vocabulary 

corripio, ripui, reptum, ere 3 to chastize, chasten; reprove, rebuke.
increpo, avi or iii, atum, are,  to chide, rebuke, reprove; to correct, instruct
oleum, ii, n.  oil, esp., olive-oil
impinguo, avi, atum, are  to anoint; fatten, grow thick
caput, itis, n. the head 

Selected English translations:

DR	The just man shall correct me in mercy, and shall reprove me: but let not the oil of the sinner fatten my head.
Brenton	The righteous shall chasten me with mercy, and reprove me: but let not the oil of the sinner anoint my head:
MD	The just man shall correct me in mercy and reproach me, but the oil of the sinner shall not anoint my head.
RSV	Let a good man strike or rebuke me in kindness, but let the oil of the wicked never anoint my head;
Cover	Let the righteous rather smite me friendly, and reprove me. But let not their precious balms break my head;
Knox	Rather let some just man deal me heavy blows; this shall be his kindness to me; reprove me, and it shall be balm poured over me; such unction never will this head refuse.
Grail	If a just man strikes or reproves me it is kindness but let the oil of the wicked not anoint my head.

 [Key: DR=Douay-Rheims Challoner; MD=Monastic Diurnal; RSV=Revised Standard Version; Cover=Coverdale]

On the need for external scrutiny

One of the great dangers of the spiritual life is allowing ourselves to be deceived.

It is difficult to assess our own thoughts and actions objectively, and even harder if we are surrounded by those who flatter and fête us.

The story of King David arranging for the death of Bathsheba's husband in battle so he could marry her, for example, chronicled in the book of Kings, is a salutary warning that even the greatest of saints can at time act like the most deluded of sinners, persuading themselves that serious sins are not sins at all.

Accordingly, St Robert Bellarmine suggests, having good friends who will tell us the truth about ourselves, is one of greatest graces of all:

...one of the greatest blessings from God is to meet faithful friends, to tell us the truth in regard of ourselves, and also to give us the grace to heal them willingly, and to be thankful to them.

To keep such friends, we need to actively seek out and welcome correction from those we can trust, so we can confess our sins and amend our ways:

 “The just man shall correct me in mercy;” he will reprove me with a view to my correction, in order to heal me...he will do it “in mercy,” that is to say, in charity, from a feeling for my wretched state; and not in anger or bitterness, from a desire of revenge. 

The dangers of 'fraternal' correction

That said, there are obvious problems with people taking it on themselves to offer 'fraternal correction'. 

First, the person being corrected has to be genuinely open to correction, lest the situation be made worse, as Proverbs 9:7-9 warns:

Rash souls there are, godless souls, that will not be taught or trained; who makes the attempt, gets only injury and abuse for his thanks. With a rash fool never remonstrate; it will make him thy enemy; only the wise are grateful for a remonstrance. Ever the wise profit by the opportunity to become wiser yet; ever the godly are the best learners. (Knox translation).

Secondly, the person offering correction needs to truly be a 'just man', intending to genuinely help, not someone simply out to destroy out of anger, pride, the desire to blame others for their faults, or to protect their own sinful state.

Thirdly, fraternal correction needs to be done carefully, as St John Chrysostom points out, not just tearing down, but also helping to heal:

Consider how the apostolic advice reflects this, "Convince, rebuke, encourage." That is what the censure by holy people, too, is like; that is also what surgeons do: they not only cut but stitch as well...You see, the person delivering the censure needs to give careful thought so that the censure prove acceptable, and the one applying the remedy has need of great sensitivity; rather, the one delivering the censure requires greater sensitivity than the one cutting the body. How come? Because in the latter case the one cutting and the one feeling the pain are different, whereas in the former case the one cutting and the one bearing the pain are the same. 

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Psalmus David.	A psalm of David.
1 Dómine, clamávi ad te, exáudi me: * inténde voci meæ, cum clamávero ad te.	I have cried to you, O Lord, hear me: hearken to my voice, when I cry to you.
2  Dirigátur orátio mea sicut incénsum in conspéctu tuo: * elevátio mánuum meárum sacrifícium vespertínum.	2 Let my prayer be directed as incense in your sight; the lifting up of my hands, as evening sacrifice.
3  Pone, Dómine, custódiam ori meo: * et óstium circumstántiæ lábiis meis.	Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth: and a door round about my lips.
4  Non declínes cor meum in verba malítiæ: * ad excusándas excusatiónes in peccátis.	4 Incline not my heart to evil words; to make excuses in sins.
5  Cum homínibus operántibus iniquitátem: * et non communicábo cum eléctis eórum	With men that work iniquity: and I will not communicate with the choicest of them
6  Corrípiet me justus in misericórdia, et increpábit me: * óleum autem peccatóris non impínguet caput meum.	5 The just man shall correct me in mercy, and shall reprove me: but let not the oil of the sinner fatten my head.
7  Quóniam adhuc et orátio mea in beneplácitis eórum: * absórpti sunt juncti petræ júdices eórum.	For my prayer shall still be against the things with which they are well pleased: 6 Their judges falling upon the rock have been swallowed up.
8  Audient verba mea quóniam potuérunt: * sicut crassitúdo terræ erúpta est super terram.	They shall hear my words, for they have prevailed: 7 As when the thickness of the earth is broken up upon the ground:
9  Dissipáta sunt ossa nostra secus inférnum: * quia ad te, Dómine, Dómine, óculi mei: in te sperávi, non áuferas ánimam meam.	Our bones are scattered by the side of hell. 8 But to you, O Lord, Lord, are my eyes: in you have I put my trust, take not away my soul.
10  Custódi me a láqueo, quem statuérunt mihi: * et a scándalis operántium iniquitátem.	9 Keep me from the snare, which they have laid for me, and from the stumbling blocks of them that work iniquity.
11  Cadent in retiáculo ejus peccatóres: * singuláriter sum ego donec tránseam.	10 The wicked shall fall in his net: I am alone until I pass.

You can find the next set of notes on Psalm 140 here.