Psalm 39:1

I said, “Let me guard my ways so I will not sin with my tongue. I will guard my mouth with a muzzle whilst the wicked are in my presence.

Biblical Context:

            This is the first verse of a psalm of David that speaks of enduring through illness and the consequences of sinful decisions. It might refer to consequences of David’s actions with Bathsheba and the lost of his child with her. It begins with controlled silence and then moves to a very motivated and passionate speech which acknowledges the seeming brevity of human life and significance before the Creator of the universe. All this is in context of the immediate suffering of the author. Finally, the last few verses beg the Lord for deliverance from his sins, guilt, shame, and despair so that he can smile again before his death.

Life application:

            Perhaps the church and Christians are too quick to speak. This Psalm can offer a general pattern for prayer.  The author begins in silence; he is silent before all, including “the wicked”. Then his heart burns and he speaks. But the silence seems to be important for several reasons. First, if one is quiet, then one can listen. Second, being quiet before the God who created the universe gives one time to ponder the God one is speaking to. Finally, silence gave David the appropriate perspective on what he had done. We often fill our lives with stuff and busyness to the point that we cannot take the time to sit in silence and consider our ways and what God might think of them. This verse should also be seen as good advice to take the opportunity to shut up sometimes. 

             The church today is often ridiculed as being full of hypocrites and pretenders. And why should it not be? We are often too careless with our speech and actions. If we are truly new creations, then we should try to speak like new creations, and act like new creations all the time rather than slipping back into our old habits and patterns when other Christians aren’t looking. Leading a double life in the church only leads people to be hurt because we effectively lie to them. Non-Christians especially can be driven from God when they see our inconsistent actions and words thus making us ineffective representatives of God. As with David’s sin with Bathsheba, his mouth and tongue did not only lead him into sin, but led many others there too. By muzzling our mouths we protect ourselves, but also protect others from sinning as well. By muzzling our mouths and being still, we see our sin for what it is, confess it, learn from it, and grow into greater maturity and faithfulness.