Do Not Let My Heart Be Drawn

To What Is Evil

I call to you, Lord, come quickly to me; hear me when I call to you.

May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.

Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.

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.

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.

Their rulers will be thrown down from the cliffs, and the wicked will learn that my words were well spoken.

They will say, “As one plows and breaks up the earth, so our bones have been scattered at the mouth of the grave.”

But my eyes are fixed on you, Sovereign Lord; in you I take refuge—do not give me over to death.

Keep me safe from the traps set by evildoers, from the snares they have laid for me.

Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by in safety.

Psalm 141:1-10

We are tempted to blow up when angry, and let words fly without control. The Bible tells us, “Set a guard over my mouth, LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.”

Setting a guard over our mouth requires that we keep our mouth shut when we’re irritated and that we seek the Lord’s help to say the right words with the right tone, perhaps, not speak at all. When it comes to controlling our speech, it’s a lifelong work. Thankfully, God is working in us, giving us “the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.”

Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Our Daily Bread – November 8, 2017