aBible.com     

Psalm 141:3 - Taming the Tongue.

Psalm 141:3 (NIV) Set a guard over my mouth, 
O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.  

Psalm 141:3 (NLT) Take control of what I 
say, O LORD, and guard my lips.  

COMMENTARY PEARLS

   Do you ever look back on conversations 
you've had and think, "Man, I can't believe I said 
that!" or, "Wow, I thought I was being so funny, 
but it backfired big time. I really hurt my 
friend'? Most of us have plenty of cringe-worthy 
moments that we wish we could take back. Sometimes 
we speak without thinking first, and other 
times we don't realize the way our words reveal 
the motives of our hearts. 
   If you want to build stronger 
relationships with those around you, then you will have to 
ask God to guide your words. I love today's 
verse because it gives me comfort to imagine God 
placing a guard beside my lips to prevent me from 
saying things that don't honor the Lord. 
   He's committed to helping us control what 
we say when we focus on him and his Word. If 
you ask God to help you with what you say, then 
you can relax and trust that his Spirit will 
guide you. There might be a second where you pause 
to think about the impact your next words will 
have on the person hearing them. Or you may not 
talk nearly as much as you once did. Remember, 
our words communicate more than what they're 
literally saying. They reveal who's in control of our 
heart. 
   Lord, I know that you want me to bless 
and build up others with my words. Guard my lips 
and give me your power to control what I say. 
[Daily Power by Craig Groeschel] 

   Ever left a conversation feeling cheated 
because it was so one-way that you might as well 
have not been present? Maybe you know someone who 
has a habit of cutting people off midsentence so 
they can offer their own opinions on a subject. 
Or someone who rattles on with one personal 
story after another, without giving anyone else a 
chance to share. Whew! Some conversations can leave 
us feeling exhausted after trying so hard to 
jump in. 
   We have good reasons to ask the Lord to 
guard our mouths. We also have to control our 
mouths if we want to develop good listening skills. 
When we listen well to others, it communicates 
respect and shows them we care. Jesus demonstrated 
the power of being an effective listener. People 
felt comfortable sharing their needs and sorrows 
with Him: Martha and Mary after their brother, 
Lazarus, died and the woman cured of a long-term 
bleeding illness. People also felt emboldened to ask 
Him questions: the Samaritan woman at the well, 
a Jewish ruler named Nicodemus, His 
disciples. 
   Our failure to listen patiently to others 
can make us miss out on so much: the chance to 
make a new friend or deepen an existing 
relationship, the opportunity to encourage a fellow 
believer, or the chance to share Jesus with someone 
who needs to hear about Him. Even worse, if this 
inability carries over to our prayer lives, we may 
miss out on hearing that still, small voice. Yes, 
a guard over my mouth is something I need for 
sure. by Dianne Neal Matthews 
   Faith Step: How can you improve your 
listening skills? Ask Jesus to help you imitate Him in 
this area. [Mornings With Jesus 2019 Devotional 
by Guideposts and Zondervan] 

LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS TOPIC


http://www.abible.com/devotions/2008/20081204-1031.html 

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2009/20090608-0827.html 

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2009/20090609-0821.html 

EXCELLENT VIDEO SERIES ON 28 REVELATIONS OF 
JESUS 

1st of 28: Divine Dining: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_7j1QIKqmY 
2nd of 28: Pictures of the Divine: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lNI-OQ7-eQ 
3rd of 28: A Dirty Bible: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMkPvBuuFd4 
4th of 28: Cared For: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztXyJVdcCds 
5th of 28: Saved: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HX45kGRe1HI 
6th of 28: You Can Change: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xd0gkvK18fo 
7th of 28: Reprogramming Our Brains: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov36f_RapXc 
8th of 28: Our Holy Father: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XabXLEXsxbY 
9th of 28: Gifts of Service: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtuGZviodkA 
Live ongoing series in progress.

YOUR COMMENTS

If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or 
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either 
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in 
hearing from you.  Thanks in advance and let's keep 
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred 
Gibbs FGGibbs@abible.com