I
Will Keep A Muzzle On My Mouth
I said, "I will guard my ways that I
may not sin with my tongue; I will keep a muzzle on my mouth as long as the
wicked are in my presence." I was silent and still; I held my peace to no
avail; my distress grew worse, my heart became hot within me. While I mused,
the fire burned; then a spoke with my tongue:
"LORD, let me know my end, and what
is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. You have made
my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing in your sight. Surely
everyone stands as a mere breath. Selah
Surely everyone goes about like a shadow. Surely for
nothing they are in turmoil; they heap up, and do not know who will
gather."
"And now, O Lord, what do I wait
for? My hope is in you. Deliver me from all my transgressions. Do not make me
the scorn of the fool. I am silent; I do not open my mouth, for it is you who
have done it. Remove your stroke from me; I am worn down by the blows of your
hand."
"You chastise mortals in punishment
for sin, consuming like a moth what is dear to them; surely everyone is a mere
breath." Selah
"Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give
ear to my cry; do not hold your peace at my tears. For I am
your passing guest, an alien, like all my forebears. Turn your gaze away
from me, that I may smile again, before I depart and am no more."
Psalm 39:1-13
The Bible offers comfort to people who
regret the thoughtless things they have said in times of despair. David was
gravely ill and desperate when he wrote Psalm 39. But you will notice that his
tone changes. David expressed a hopeless attitude about death and basically
told God to leave him alone. However, God included this prayer in the Bible to
reassure us that when we say things out of desperation He understands. And when
we tell Him how sorry we are, He graciously forgives. Our tongue can be our own
worst enemy.
Our
Daily Bread -