Psalms 39:1

The Bible says in 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.” Every believer should “take heed” to his ways. This means that your goal is to do the right thing. We know that God says, “Be ye holy for I am holy,” and therefore, He wants us to improve our lives and to grow in Christ. A good place to start is where David started: the tongue. David knew that he had to be careful about what he said. Christians are told in James 3:2-10, “For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.[3] Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.[4] Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.[5] Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth![6] 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.[7] 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:[8] But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.[9] Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.[10] Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.”

But a believer cannot shut his mouth too tightly around the unbelievers. Jesus wants us to be witnesses for Him. Notice that David wrote on this subject in Psalms 39:2-3, “I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred.[3] My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue.” The answer to the problem of speech is not to never say anything. The answer is to speak less, but when we speak to say what ought to be said. That is one of the great challenges of life. But if you have success at it, the reward will be very great. You will be used of God to change people’s lives. It says in Proverbs 25:11, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.”

The Bible says in Psalms 39:4-6, “LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.[5] Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.[6] Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.” Life is very short, and none of us know how much time we have left. Compared to eternity, it is a very short time. People tend to either not think about death or to think about it in the wrong way. Paul said in Philippians 1:21, “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” That is because Christians are going to heaven. Before we go to heaven, we need to understand that we only have a short time. Accomplish today what you can accomplish because tomorrow might not come. It says in Proverbs 27:1, “Boast not thyself of tomorrow because thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” Jesus said in John 9:4, “I must work the work of Him that sent me while it is day; the night cometh when no man can work.” Verse six tells us that some people waste their labor. If all that they work for is material things and the things of earthly life, then it is all in vain. This life will soon be past: only what you do for Christ will last.

The Bible says in Psalms 39:7, “And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in thee.” David is saying that he is not going to wait another minute. David has an urgency to turn to the Lord immediately. Everyone needs to be like that. As we quoted above, it says in Proverbs 27:1, “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” It also says in Second Corinthians 6:2 quoting Isaiah 49:8, “For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee; behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

The Bible says in Psalms 39:8, “Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish.” When you turn to the Lord Jesus, first ask for forgiveness of your sins. Then once you have access to Him, you can ask for all the other things that you need Him for such as helping you with the enemies that you will surely have: the foolish people of the world who have not turned to Jesus.

The Bible says in Psalms 39:9-11, “I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it.[10] Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of thine hand.[11] When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah.” When you are right with the Lord, the Spirit of God will give you the freedom to speak and to say what you ought to say. Some people miss great opportunities because they opened not their mouth. The problem is sin in the life of a believer. God will “correct man for iniquity” because that is what God does as Judge. Jesus wants to make our lives better and so He “scourgeth every son whom he receiveth” as it says in Hebrews 12:6.

The Bible says in Psalms 39:12-13, “Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my father were.[13] O spare me that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more.” In this prayer David puts a lot of emotion and desire. So will we, if we really long for God and His help. It says in James 5:16, “…the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

David felt that he would die without God’s intervention in his life. That is why David said in verse thirteen, “before I go hence, and be no more.” Christ is our life. There is no life without being in fellowship with Him and walking with Him. Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life…” The Apostle Paul wrote, “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

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