I said, “I will guard my ways,
Lest I sin with my tongue;
I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle,
While the wicked are before me.”
2 I was mute with silence,
I held my peace even from good;
And my sorrow was stirred up.
3 My heart was hot within me;
While I was musing, the fire burned.
Then I spoke with my tongue:
Lest I sin with my tongue;
I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle,
While the wicked are before me.”
2 I was mute with silence,
I held my peace even from good;
And my sorrow was stirred up.
3 My heart was hot within me;
While I was musing, the fire burned.
Then I spoke with my tongue:
4 “Lord, make me to know my end,
And what is the measure of my days,
That I may know how frail I am.
5 Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths,
And my age is as nothing before You;
Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah
6 Surely every man walks about like a shadow;
Surely they busy themselves in vain;
He heaps up riches,
And does not know who will gather them.
And what is the measure of my days,
That I may know how frail I am.
5 Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths,
And my age is as nothing before You;
Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah
6 Surely every man walks about like a shadow;
Surely they busy themselves in vain;
He heaps up riches,
And does not know who will gather them.
7 “And
now, Lord, what do I wait for?
My hope is in You.
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions;
Do not make me the reproach of the foolish.
9 I was mute, I did not open my mouth,
Because it was You who did it.
10 Remove Your plague from me;
I am consumed by the blow of Your hand.
11 When with rebukes You correct man for iniquity,
You make his beauty melt away like a moth;
Surely every man is vapor. Selah
My hope is in You.
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions;
Do not make me the reproach of the foolish.
9 I was mute, I did not open my mouth,
Because it was You who did it.
10 Remove Your plague from me;
I am consumed by the blow of Your hand.
11 When with rebukes You correct man for iniquity,
You make his beauty melt away like a moth;
Surely every man is vapor. Selah
12 “Hear
my prayer, O Lord,
And give ear to my cry;
Do not be silent at my tears;
For I am a stranger with You,
A sojourner, as all my fathers were.
13 Remove Your gaze from me, that I may regain strength,
Before I go away and am no more.”
And give ear to my cry;
Do not be silent at my tears;
For I am a stranger with You,
A sojourner, as all my fathers were.
13 Remove Your gaze from me, that I may regain strength,
Before I go away and am no more.”
I was
mute with silence
The psalmist starts out with a good idea. He says that he is
not going to speak so that he can’t use his tongue for evil. But, he realizes
that the silence keeps him from doing good also. As Christians, we try to
separate ourselves from the world. It’s not a bad goal. It can keep us from
doing wrong. However, many people take it too far. They won’t interact with
non-Christians at all. They refuse to put their kids in public schools, they
won’t spend time with their non-Christian coworkers, and they certainly wouldn’t
be caught dead in any non-Christian establishment. I understand the desire to
be above the things of the world, but we’re not running a cult here. We should
be interacting with the world because 1) we’re part of it and we have to live
here and participate in society and 2) how in the world are we supposed to
spread our good influence and God’s light if we don’t interact with people who
don’t believe as we do?
And
now, Lord, what do I wait for?
The psalmist is tired of playing the games of the world. He’s tired of trying to gather up riches for himself for some unexpected day. He knows that life is short and that God will supply all his needs. He doesn’t want to keep silent and be the “reproach of the foolish,” but he thought that he should keep silent in situations because “it was You who did it.” But, he realizes that God sometimes wants him to speak up. Just because the mouth has the potential to do bad doesn’t mean that he shouldn’t use it at all. Instead, he turns to God for strength and guidance. He no longer wants to be a stranger to God’s will. He will take the opportunities to speak for good, for God when they arise and not be afraid that his tongue might accidentally lead him into evil.
The psalmist is tired of playing the games of the world. He’s tired of trying to gather up riches for himself for some unexpected day. He knows that life is short and that God will supply all his needs. He doesn’t want to keep silent and be the “reproach of the foolish,” but he thought that he should keep silent in situations because “it was You who did it.” But, he realizes that God sometimes wants him to speak up. Just because the mouth has the potential to do bad doesn’t mean that he shouldn’t use it at all. Instead, he turns to God for strength and guidance. He no longer wants to be a stranger to God’s will. He will take the opportunities to speak for good, for God when they arise and not be afraid that his tongue might accidentally lead him into evil.
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