Psalm 141:3 "Set a watch, O LORD, before
my mouth; keep the door of my lips."
The remaining portion of this Psalm expresses David's concern and His prayer that the Lord would watch over him in his actions toward others. This Psalm is especially expressing concern over the manner in which David would treat those who would be against him. We want people to like us. We want people to accept us as we are. I do not think it is the intention of any of God's children to set out that others would not like them; yet, there are those who do not agree with us in all things.
"Set a watch, O LORD." Set a guard against me, Father that my words would be right and appropriate. There are so many sayings that remind us to be careful about our words and actions toward others. Sayings such as, "Before you speak, let your words pass through three gates: Is this true? Is this kind? Is this necessary?" There are words that may be true and we may perceive them as kind, and yet they really are not necessary to speak. Another word of wisdom tells us that we have been given two ears and one mouth. Listen twice as much as you speak. And yet another, God has placed two doors before our tongue: our lips and our teeth. Those are ideas that someone has thought about through the years. God said it this way in James 1:19, "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath" Be swift to hear and slow to speak.
In the remaining portion of the Psalm, David asks the Lord to set a watch and guard his heart that it be not corrupted nor affected by the actions and intentions of others. Protect my heart that anger, envy, jealousy, bitterness, and other such emotions get a foothold in my heart. Protect my thoughts O LORD that my thoughts would not grow into words that might do damage to someone else.
"Set a watch, O LORD. Please protect me from myself that I not harm others nor do damage to my witness for you."
The remaining portion of this Psalm expresses David's concern and His prayer that the Lord would watch over him in his actions toward others. This Psalm is especially expressing concern over the manner in which David would treat those who would be against him. We want people to like us. We want people to accept us as we are. I do not think it is the intention of any of God's children to set out that others would not like them; yet, there are those who do not agree with us in all things.
"Set a watch, O LORD." Set a guard against me, Father that my words would be right and appropriate. There are so many sayings that remind us to be careful about our words and actions toward others. Sayings such as, "Before you speak, let your words pass through three gates: Is this true? Is this kind? Is this necessary?" There are words that may be true and we may perceive them as kind, and yet they really are not necessary to speak. Another word of wisdom tells us that we have been given two ears and one mouth. Listen twice as much as you speak. And yet another, God has placed two doors before our tongue: our lips and our teeth. Those are ideas that someone has thought about through the years. God said it this way in James 1:19, "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath" Be swift to hear and slow to speak.
In the remaining portion of the Psalm, David asks the Lord to set a watch and guard his heart that it be not corrupted nor affected by the actions and intentions of others. Protect my heart that anger, envy, jealousy, bitterness, and other such emotions get a foothold in my heart. Protect my thoughts O LORD that my thoughts would not grow into words that might do damage to someone else.
"Set a watch, O LORD. Please protect me from myself that I not harm others nor do damage to my witness for you."