Psalms 39:1

“Sin not with the tongue”

Psalms 39:1, “I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me. I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred.” In the previous several chapters of Psalms: Psalms 35, 36, 37, and 38 one of the themes has to do with the plotting of the wicked, the laying of snares, and the persecution against Christians. Because the real warfare of this world is spiritual it is a battle about the truth of the Word of God. Therefore the things a person says are very important.

For those who are followers of Christ and the Bible the rest of the world will be looking for opportunities to use what you say against you. To sin with the tongue, to say things that you should not say such as taking God’s name in vain or saying a lie, or teaching a lie, or saying wrong words out of haste or out of anger can cause a great deal of damage. The Words a person says are very important. This is why it is important to always speak and teach the truth of the Word of God. James 3:2-8, “For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able too also to bridle the whole body. Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great thiings. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”

How easy it is to the say the wrong thing. Think before you act and think before you speak. If you are Christian the world is listening to the things that you say. They may not be listening to the Word of God but they are listening for an opportunity to use what you say against you. Psalms 39:1 says, “I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.” If you are a Christian take extra care in what you say when you are around the lost people of the world. Be sure to glorify Christ in heaven who died for the sins of the world.

Proverbs 25:11 says, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” To be led of the Spirit of God through the Word of God and to say the right words in a given situation will accomplish a great work for the gospel of Jesus Christ. How important it is to say the right things, things that are true about the Bible and the great things that Christ does in his infinite grace for those that repent of their sins.

Psalms 39:2 says, “I was dumb with silence, I help my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred.” The word dumb that is used here means to be tied. In other words to say, “dumb with silence,” is a way of saying to not speak at all.

Sometimes God does not even want you to say anything. It takes wisdom to know what to say. And it also takes wisdom to know when to be silent even from speaking things that are good. The best example of this is the example of Jesus Christ when He was delivered up to be crucified. Acts 8:32 says, “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth.” Isaiah 53:7 says, “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.” And concerning the delivering up of Jesus unto the religious leaders to be crucified the Bible says in the gospel of Mark 14:60-62, “And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? What is it which these witness against thee? But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”

Notice that at the crucifixion of Christ, Christ kept silent against the lies and the slander that was cast against him. Mark 14:60-61 “And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? What is it which these witness against thee? But he held his peace, and answered nothing.”

When Jesus did speak it was in response to the question of his divinity. Mark 14:61-62, “Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”

There is a time to be dumb in silence and there is a time to speak. Jesus said in Matthew 7:6, “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.” Psalms chapters 35, 36, 37, and 38 speak of the slander and persecutions and traps that come against Christians. Despite these things such plotting and persecution will always result in opportunities for the spreading of the Word of God. We live in the last days. There is great persecution against Christians and great slander. Be careful what you say. Know when to be silent and when to speak. Do not let yourself be distracted by persecution or lies or slander, or even your own sins, but make sure that when you speak you speak as of the oracles of God because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Words of God.

Jesus said in Mark 13:9-11, “But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them And the gospel must first be preached among all nations. But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.” It may be that you find yourself in a situation similar to Jesus, delivered up before rulers and kings and governmental authorities and religious leaders. If you find yourself in such a situation it is more important that you preach the gospel of Christ than that you defend yourself against every slander against you. Do not underestimate the power of the Word of God. The Word of the LORD divideth the flames of fire. Is not my Word like as fire saith the LORD? Like as a hammer that breaketh the rock into pieces. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. The Words of God are what lead men to repent of their sins and turn to Jesus who died on the cross 2000 years ago for the sins of the world.

There is a time to be silent and there is a time to speak. Whether you be silent or speak be sure to speak as of the oracles of God led of the Spirit of God both in silence and in speech. Psalms 38:1-2 says, “I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me. I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred.” The words that you say are very important. Therefore be sure to speak about Christ: his death, his burial, and his resurrection.

John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” If you have never turned from your sins to Jesus do so today.

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