1 I call to you, Lord, come quickly to me;
hear me when I call to you.
2 May my prayer be set before you like incense;
may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.
3 Set a guard over my mouth, Lord;
keep watch over the door of my lips.
4 Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil
so that I take part in wicked deeds
along with those who are evildoers;
do not let me eat their delicacies.
5 Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness;
let him rebuke me—that is oil on my head.
My head will not refuse it,
for my prayer will still be against the deeds of evildoers.
Being rebuked by a godly person is a kindness. No one really likes criticism, but you can benefit from it when it is given wisely and taken humbly. How do you take criticism? Do not refuse it. Consider it a kindness. Keep quiet. Do not fight back. Putting this into practice will help you control how you react to criticism. It will make it productive rather than destructive. Do not worry about the intention. That is not your concern, as when you look at it from a godly perspective, you can take it or leave it as you grow and mature.
