Daily D – Psalm 141:3-4

by | Dec 11, 2020 | Daily D | 0 comments

Take control of what I say, O LORD, and guard my lips. Don’t let me drift toward evil or take part in acts of wickedness. Don’t let me share in the delicacies of those who do wrong. PSALM 141:3-4 (NLT)

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Where did Solomon learn his base-level wisdom? I’m guessing much of it came from his dear old dad, King David. KD proves himself one of the wisest men ever in this prayer. He says, “Take control of what I say, O LORD, and guard my lips.” In other words, “It’s never too early to shut up.”

The ESV translates this verse, “Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips.” Wouldn’t it be nice to have a guard, a person dedicated and able to keep us from saying the wrong thing? Or to say too much of anything? Or to say the right thing at the wrong time or in the wrong way?

Notice how many of the individual proverbs in the Book of Proverbs have to do with what we say and how we say it. Solomon learned some valuable life lessons from Dear Old Dad. Jesus had some things to say about what we say and how we say it. Paul did as well. And James, Jesus’ brother, said “the tongue is a flame of fire,” (3:6).

Verse 4 is interesting. KD prays, “Don’t let me drift toward evil or take part in acts of wickedness.” Notice the word “drift.” The ESV translates this word “incline.” The CSB translates it “turn.” The NIV translates it “be drawn.” The Message paraphrases it, “Don’t let me so much as dream of evil.”

Evil actions are not accidental. They are most often rationalized before they are engaged. We drift toward sinful behavior by allowing alluring thoughts to linger. We incline toward evil when we refuse to turn away from it and keep going “just a little farther.” We are drawn toward evil when we allow our emotions to control us rather than us controlling our emotions. We end up on the wrong side of sinful behavior when we dream on about thoughts we should have dismissed immediately.

Let’s review.

1. It’s never too early to shut up.
2. It’s always time to turn away from evil.

A life full of healthy, wholesome delicacies awaits the person who can control the tongue and the appetite.

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I will ask God for tongue control and a healthy appetite.

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Our Father, please take control of what I say. Put your thoughts in my mind and your words in my mouth. When neither is present, keep my mouth appropriately closed. Give me a hunger and thirst for more of you and the good things you provide. Deliver me from delicacies that drag me into places I do not want to go and keep me longer than I want to say. Amen.

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Daily D – Psalm 141:3-4

Psalm 141:3, 4
“Take control of what I say, O LORD,
and guard my lips.
Don’t let me drift toward evil
or take part in acts of wickedness.
Don’t let me share in the delicacies
of those who do wrong.”

Daily D – Jeremiah 32:38-41

Jeremiah 32:38-41 “They will be my people, and I will be their God. And I will give them one heart and one purpose: to worship me forever, for their own good and for the good of all their descendants. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good for them. I will put a desire in their hearts to worship me, and they will never leave me. I will find joy doing good for them and will faithfully and wholeheartedly replant them in this land.”

Daily D – Jeremiah 29:11-14

Jeremiah 29:11-14 “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”

Daily D – Psalm 138:1-3

Psalm 138:1-3
“I give you thanks, O LORD, with all my heart;
I will sing your praises before the gods.
I bow before your holy Temple as I worship.
I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness;
for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name.
As soon as I pray, you answer me;
you encourage me by giving me strength.”

Daily D – Jeremiah 23:18

Jeremiah 23:18 “Have any of these prophets been in the Lord’s presence to hear what he is really saying? Has even one of them cared enough to listen?”