Psalm of the Week - 39:1 - Week of 18 August, 2014

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David. I said, "I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth while in the presence of the wicked."

NIV

This verse reminds me of my mom. My mom always says, " If you cannot say anything nice, then do not say anything at all." I imagine King David's mother always said,"David, if you cannot say anything nice, then do not say anything at all." Anyway, King David knew he had to watch his ways and keep his tongue from saying the wrong thing. (sin) 

As a coheir of the kingdom of God, it is my job to watch my ways and keep my tongue from saying the wrong thing. (sin) 

Now I have some questions for you. 

How many times have you been in the presence of an unpleasant person - your boss, project manager, police officer, cashier..? Did you keep quiet because you knew anything you said would just make the situation worse? Then you "put a muzzle on your mouth in the while in the presence of the wicked."

The word wicked applies to more than evil, vicious, unscrupulous, and criminal people. Nasty, harsh, unpleasant, bad, disagreeable, irksome, troublesome, irritating, hateful, and annoying are also synonyms for wicked. Reading through this list was an eye opening experience for me. Truly, most of us find ourselves in the "presence of the wicked" every day.

Psalm 39:1 is as applicable to me when I am at the grocery store, at work, and at church as it was to King David's life. The word "wicked" has a much wider range of meaning than I believed it did. 

Personal Application in Prayer

Help me Lord. I want to live in a way that reflects your presence in my life. Help me to keep my tongue from sin. Help me to muzzle my mouth when I am in the presence of annoying, irritating, hateful, nasty people. If I unmuzzle my mouth, let calm, healing words issue from my tongue. Amen.