“I said, “I will guard my ways That I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth as with a muzzle...”
This is our pet sin; we make no attempt to guard our mouths. We are quick to speak, slow to listen, and quick to become angry, which is exactly backwards of biblical instruction. When triggered, we are just a keyboard away from exposing the vitriol we carry in our hearts.
When I read this verse, I thought of how I should instruct you all to respond to God, instead of reacting in anger… I wanted to warn you to be careful before hitting the send button… But not a single thought about myself. No remorse for hurtful words that slip out because I don’t guard my mouth…. No repentance for a heart that hides arrogance behind religious phrases. Why do I so clearly see your problems but am blind to my own? It seems we’re better at critiquing other people’s statements than muzzling our own mouths. When my heart gets polluted, my tongue is the thermometer that quickly reveals how controlled I am by sin.
David is clearly depressed at the writing of the psalm, but he doesn’t lash out and blame someone else. He owns it . Which is something we seem to have lost the ability to do. Some call David inconsistent and moody…but the truth is he is transparent. He, like us, has days that he is ready to take on the world with a slingshot, and other days when he doesn’t want to get out of bed because he feels defeated and exhausted.
The instructional part is that though he argues, he complains, he pleads, he confesses …all of that is directed toward His Father… Psalms is a book of prayers to God, not posts to followers. God is always the answer to his questions. He never hides from the Lord or gathers a group of friends together to complain to… he consistently turns to the Father for comfort and leans on advice found in scripture.
Surround yourself with friends who love you and will help carry your burdens… but guard your mouth. Save your most intimate heartfelt words for your Father in praise and supplication, and intentionally eliminate statements that produce depression, despair, and anxiety.
“God is always ready to listen anytime you are ready to talk.”
- Anonymous
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