Scripture
1O Lord, I am calling to you. Please hurry!
Listen when I cry to you for help!
2Accept my prayer as incense offered to you,
and my upraised hands as an evening offering.
3Take control of what I say, O Lord,
and guard my lips.
4Don’t let me drift toward evil
or take part in acts of wickedness.
Don’t let me share in the delicacies
of those who do wrong.
5Let the godly strike me!
It will be a kindness!
If they correct me, it is soothing medicine.
Don’t let me refuse it.
But I pray constantly
against the wicked and their deeds.
6When their leaders are thrown down from a cliff,
the wicked will listen to my words and find them true.
7Like rocks brought up by a plow,
the bones of the wicked will lie scattered without burial.[1]
8I look to you for help, O Sovereign Lord.
You are my refuge; don’t let them kill me.
9Keep me from the traps they have set for me,
from the snares of those who do wrong.
10Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
but let me escape.
Translation notes (1)
- 141:7 Hebrew our bones will be scattered at the mouth of Sheol.
3Take control of what I say, O Lord,
and guard my lips.
If you are like me, thinking of the power of our words can feel overwhelming. It can feel daunting knowing the impact that our words can have. After all, using our words wisely is a big responsibility. If you have found yourself with similar thoughts, I have good news! We are not left alone as we seek to build others up with our words. We can turn to God and ask for help.
When asking God for help, David understood the importance of turning to Him. One of the places he asked for help was in Psalm 141. He began the chapter by saying, "O Lord, I am calling to you. Please hurry! Listen when I cry to you for help!" (verse 1). Do you see the urgency in David's words here? He was desperate for God's help! David continued several verses later, saying, "Take control of what I say, O Lord, and guard my lips" (verse 3). David gave the Lord complete control over all of His words. When you give someone control, that means you let go of your control. This request meant that David let go of control over His words so that God could be in control from that moment on. He also asked God to guard his lips. David knew he could not control his words on his own. He needed God's help.
David's example in asking God for help is for you and me. We, like David, need God's help when it comes to our words. Try as we might, we cannot control or guard our words on our own. We need God to aid us as we seek to build others up with our words. Will we have the humility to let go of control and give Him control of the words we speak and say?
Moving toward action
Turn to God today. Ask Him to help you use your words to have a positive, lasting impact for Him in the lives of all people around you. Ask Him to help you encourage the people He has placed in your life, and avoid speaking harmful, destructive words. Thank Him that you are not left alone and that He will help you use your words to have an impact.
Going Deeper
Psalm 141:1-10
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