Psalms 141
Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips. Psalms 141:3 NKJV
“The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences” (Proverbs 18:21, NLT). This is a powerful truth, and yet most of us have trouble controlling our words, especially without God’s help. Many of us are quick to point out what we consider to be faults or weaknesses in family, friends, or work colleagues, and it is all too common to focus on the mistakes of others rather than their successes. Our words can actually be weapons that can destroy relationships and cause pain to others: “Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell” (James 3:5-6).
On the other hand, choosing our words carefully can bring life, peace and healing to a person or a situation: “Gentle words are a tree of life…” (Proverbs 15:4, NLT). “Kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy for the body” (Proverbs 16:24, NLT). Without the guidance of the Holy Spirit, our words will have a tendency to be emotional, selfish, angry and hurtful. This is why King David invites God to help him control what he says. We should want the Holy Spirit to convict us when we are talking too much, being negative, complaining, gossiping, using inappropriate language, or being unloving or unkind with our words. We should refrain from saying anything that we would be embarrassed to say in front of our Heavenly Father. In fact, we would be wise to start controlling our tongue right away, as Matthew 12:36-37 tells us that we will be held accountable for our words: “But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” Being able to control our words in a godly manner does not happen without discipline and a plan. Psalm 17:3 can help to set us up with the right attitude to get started: “…I am determined not to sin in what I say.” We must plan ahead and choose to keep ourselves from focusing on negative things, responding emotionally, and striving to “win” the conversation with the much coveted last word. This can be very difficult for some of us, but God is always available and willing to help us grow and mature in our Christian walk.
If you are struggling in this area, pray God’s Word. It is so amazing and it truly has the power to transform you. Here are two great scriptures to start with: “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to You, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:14) and “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of [my mouth], but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29).
So let’s follow King David’s example and welcome God’s help in controlling our words and guiding us to only say things that will be encouraging and a blessing to others.