Psalm 39:1-3 I said, “I will guard my ways,
that I may not sin with my tongue;
I will guard my mouth with a muzzle,
so long as the wicked are in my presence.”
I was mute and silent;
I held my peace to no avail,
and my distress grew worse.
My heart became hot within me.
As I mused, the fire burned;
then I spoke with my tongue
John Piper
“When the heart full of God’s love can draw on the mind full of God’s word, timely blessings flow from the mouth.”
There is a long history of those who have made a name for themselves by the words they have spoken. Speaking wisely, honor is given to the ones who measure carefully their words. Any fool can spout what is on their mind, but once the words are released, they can never return. Many marriages have been wounded by the words used in a fit of anger, calloused hearts can cause so much damage when left unbridled.
When considering the words of David, I am reminded of the principles that govern the wise.
If I want to “guard my ways”, I desire to protect myself from error. When a false impression leads to a bad conclusion, the tongue is ready to release its judgement. For a believer, words spoken hastily can lead to sin, the testimony to the lost is then ruined. A ruined testimony is like a ruined reputation, it takes a while to build but can be broken in a day. Muzzling the mouth conjures up images of an ox muzzled while working, there is a time to focus on the work at hand. Words spoken rashly can do more damage than good, if left unchecked, they leave a trail of destruction.
There is an also a time to speak. David considered his circumstances when he withheld that which was stored up in his heart, he described it as a process of words heating up, waiting to be released. As he considered how short life can be, he was reminded of the legacy that is left behind.
Psalm 39:8 “Deliver me from all my transgressions.
Do not make me the scorn of the fool!
I am mute; I do not open my mouth,
for it is you who have done it.”
If believers speak too quickly, they make themselves the mockery of fools. The world is foolish, having rejected God they ignorantly speak and act to their own detriment. The world doesn’t understand the Truth of God therefore they profane God’s name and blaspheme all that is Holy. Their cackling is only exaggerated by the believer who gives them fuel for their fire.
For the born again christian, they have a new nature from which to draw. The Spirit of God resides in their hearts and His wisdom is being stored up by God’s sanctifying work. The wise believer will consider the words of God before they speak, knowing it will either lead to edification of God’s glory or more rebuke from a world storing up judgement for the day of wrath.
Psalm 39:12 “Hear my prayer, O LORD,
and give ear to my cry;
hold not your peace at my tears!
For I am a sojourner with you,
a guest, like all my fathers.”
For the believer who has acted foolishly, the conviction of the Spirit brings the weight of sin. Believers must remember that their lives are not their own. They follow the Shepherd and if they are wise, they respond to His leading in how they act and speak. The wise believer listens readily to the Master, He will teach and instruct in the way to go and correct in due time.
Psalm 39:13 “Look away from me, that I may smile again,
before I depart and am no more!”
For David, the shame of his guilt weighed heavy upon him. The Savior had not yet come and the remission of sin that was founded upon the Cross was not yet given. Today, we have the privilege of knowing our redeemer lives. For the humble and contrite of spirit, He lifts them up and restores their soul. They might make a mistake but the hope is that they will learn from those mistakes and grow wiser. The Lord forgives because Jesus made the way possible.
What can we learn from those who have gone before us, so that we don’t make the same mistakes?
The Words of the Lord
Numbers 24:13-14 ‘If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the LORD, to do either good or bad of my own will. What the LORD speaks, that will I speak’? And now, behold, I am going to my people. Come, I will let you know what this people will do to your people in the latter days.”
The prophet Balaam was asked by the local ruler Balak to curse the children of Israel, then after Balaam almost lost his life by refusing the order of the Lord, he proceeded to bless the people and prophecy of what was to come. It was vital for a prophet to only speak what the Lord instructed, otherwise they falsely misrepresented the Lord and brought judgement upon themselves.
Good and Bad Prophecy
For those who are given the gift of prophecy, today they rarely if ever are given future prophecy. The Bethel church movement has corrupted the notion of true prophecy and made it a mockery among many nations. The modern day believer who is given this gift uses it according to God’s Word.
1 Corinthians 14:3-4 “On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.”
The gift of prophecy used correctly builds up others in the faith, encouraging the path God has called them to follow, and comforting the weak. The faithful prophet rightly divides the Word of Truth and applies it correctly, all that is needed for edification has already been given. The false prophets today think they are going to reveal future events, as if God needs people to reveal some new truth. These imposters have been exposed on numerous occasions and remain under judgement.
Judgement or Encouragement
A faithful word can be given justly, encouraging the sinner or condemning the unrepentant. Whether it is encouragement or condemnation, the Word of God serves as Truth revealed. When the word given is neither of these two attributes but rather given unjustly by being critical, the accuser brings judgement upon themself.
Numbers 12:1-2 “Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. And they said, “Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the LORD heard it.”
During Israel’s time in the wilderness, Moses was God’s appointed leader, and anyone who has been in leadership knows how critical people can be toward them. Unfortunately for Miriam and Aaron, they spoke against God’s anointed and they suffered His wrath.
Numbers 12:6-9 “And He said, “Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the LORD make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream. Not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house. With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles, and he beholds the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them, and he departed.”
Soon thereafter, Miriam was inflicted with leprosy and Aaron his shame. The words spoken against God’s anointed are words spoken against God Himself. Be very careful about judging those in positions of authority and speaking out against them, your words may come back against you. When people who are suppose to represent the Lord promote themselves or introduce heresy before the people, the Lord will judge them.
Believers can hold God’s Word up against false teachers and it is God’s truth that reveals error.
Speaking Truth
Proverbs 12:14 “By fruitful speech a man is filled with good things, and the work of his hands returns to him.”
If we learn the lessons of David, Balaam, Aaron, and Miriam, we learn that words can lead to edification or judgement, blessing or cursing. There are no idle words when it comes to the Lord, what comes from the lips arises from the heart.
Profanity, insults, condemnation, crude jokes, or just plain foolishness…we are measured by the words we speak. Do we build up or tear down, do we speak God’s Truth stored up in our hearts or draw false conclusions?
Isaiah 50:4 “The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of discipleship, to sustain the weary with a word. He awakens Me morning by morning; He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple.”
True believers are those who are disciples of Christ. They listen to His instruction and then encourage others with what they have been given.
A good Word comes only from a Good God. The wise listen and when it is time to speak, it is worth hearing.
U.T. 