Day 342 - Psalms Wednesday (chapters 140 -142)
“Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth;
keep watch over the door of my lips!” (Psalm 141:3 ESV)
The picture displays the universal tool (duct tape) being used to correct a universal problem.
Jesus identifies this problem in Matthew 15, “Hear and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”
We have all heard someone taking the name of the Lord in vain. That is a blasphemous use of the mouth. But there are many other misuses. Lying, gossiping, cursing, misleading, griping, and the like are all misuses of God’s gift of speaking. David knew that he was prone to sin, just like the rest of us, so he cried out to God.
“Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!”
The Eighth Commandment
You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
What does this mean?
We should fear and love God so that we do not tell lies about our neighbor, betray him, slander him, or hurt his reputation, but
defend him,
speak well of him, and
explain everything in the kindest possible way.
And if you can't say something nice about another person, cover your mouth with duct tape! (Figuratively speaking, of course! Or is it figuratively non-speaking?)
Heavenly Father, like David, I ask You to guard over my mouth. May all that I say bring glory to Your name and benefit those around me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor David Paape
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