Sometimes the wrong words just pop out. Like recently when a colleague older than myself asked how he was supposed to understand an interactive web page we developed. I replied (in front of a crowd), if you were 30 years younger it would come easily. Oops. Fortunately, my gracious coworker laughed in agreement. But I blurted out the comment without thought and apologized for my rudeness.

King David worried about his choice of words as well. He prayed, Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.

I wonder if David had just said something hurtful to his colleague? Or replied with sarcasm to a well-meaning person in his service? As king, David heard bluster, wild stories, people bragging on themselves, outright lies and whispered accusations. He needed to hold his tongue as he sought wise decisions. Prone to rash behavior at times (think of Bathsheba in her bath), David learned the need to pause his speech.

David’s prayer is good for all of us. Maybe, just maybe, the Lord’s power can tame the tongue when nothing else works. Here’s my prayer today:

Lord, set a guard over my mouth. Keep watch over the door of my lips. Help me keep an appropriately tight hold on my speech as I go through this day. Amen.

Psalm 141 in Through the Bible in 2024

Photo by Joseph Corl