I said, “I will guard my ways, lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, while the wicked are before me.” (Psalm 39:1)
David expressed a need and a determination to guard against his carnal inclinations lest he should sin with his tongue — n other words, saying something that should not be said, whether it was true or not. He even went so far as to say that, if necessary, he would muzzle his mouth so that he could not speak. We’ve discussed how important it is to be disciplined in matters of speaking or not speaking; it is incredibly important that we are able to harness our tongue, and especially when we are in the presence of others who aren’t inclined to guard their own mouth.
I will take this notion a step further: it is extremely important that we restrain from saying unruly things in the presence of unbelievers lest God is profaned in their sight. It is recorded for us that His people have commonly profaned His name (reputation) among the nations (Ezekiel 36:20-23). Moses was not permitted to enter Canaan because he did not hallow the Lord in the eyes of the people; he allowed his anger to get the best of him provoking him to lash out and strike the Rock as opposed to speaking to it. The point is this: it is very important that we guard our tongues and not speak in any way that is disrespectful to God. Let’s put it this way — how many times, in anger, have you railed an accusation or voiced your displeasure with the Creator because things weren’t going the way you thought they should?
No one likes to suffer but it is part and parcel of our life if we are determined to follow the Messiah. So then, in the midst of trial and suffering it is important to remember how quickly our tongues can get us in trouble with men and with God. Despite all of the afflictions he was subjected to, it is written that “Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong” (Job 1:22). Even more telling is the fact that an innocent Messiah, while being falsely accused and beaten without reason, kept silent thus fulfilling what was written by Isaiah: “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth” (Isaiah 53:7). And as we know, everything He endured was the Father’s Will. And so we need to remember that, just as it is important to guard our mouth when in the presence of others, it is equally important that we govern our tongue when addressing the King of the Universe.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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