Walk Of Life – Day 22, August 2022 – Thoughts From The Book Of Psalms

Psalm 39 – God’s Heavy Hand Against Sin

This psalm is titled to the Chief Musician referring to the leader of choirs or musicians in David’s time. The worship leaders were Heman, Asaph and Jeduthun and their associates from their families (1 Chronicles 25:1). In this case it is Jeduthun who was responsible for the sounding of the trumpets and cymbals and for the playing of the other instruments for sacred songs (1 Chronicles 16:42).

Don’t let your tongue sin

• David begins this psalm by recounting his prayer made and asks God’s help in not speaking foolishly or sinfully when the wicked are before him. David was not new to enemy attack, but the plots made by his own people made him very upset and angry. He feared that the pressure built within him might vent out some day in form of unpleasant words which can be misunderstood and misused by his subjects.
• Just like in Psalm 38 where David did well not to defend himself by being silent, he did not speak of his doubts and fears while the wicked were before him. This suppression of feeling created great sorrow and turmoil which he poured out to the Lord in form of a humble prayer.

Use your tongue to make humble prayers

• David asked God to give him wisdom to know the shortness and the frailty of his life. His success as a soldier, a leader, skilled musician and a great king did not blind him from understanding that a man’s life on earth is just a shadow living a life of no substance. Life on earth is like a vapor, a puff of steam or smoke, all efforts made by man in becoming rich is in vain for he does not know if he will be able to enjoy it in his lifetime.

Ask God to Forgive your sins

• The only meaning of a man or women’s existence must be in his relationship with God for He alone is eternal. Having right standing and friendship with the Living God, David could understand and prepare for life beyond this life. He looked upon God for forgiveness and cleansing of his sins which stood like a thick cloud between him and God. As God disciplined him, he remained silent and waited for him to bring relief from his affliction.

Prepare yourself to see God

• As his condition worsened, he cried in pain to the Lord to remove the heavy hand of correction before his death. Like the ancestors before him, he looked forward to the city with the foundation whose architect and builder is God.

Therefore, God was not ashamed of David nor was He deaf to his prayers. He healed him and renewed David’s strength so that he could praise God in the great assembly.

Ephesians 4:29 says “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

As children of God, you need to be self-controlled, quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger as it does not produce the righteousness that God desires. You cannot use the tongue to curse someone and then go and offer prayer and blessing to some other. For “we were all baptized by one Holy Spirit. And so, we are formed into one body. The parts of the body will not take sides. All of them will take care of one another. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it. If one part is honored, every part shares in its joy. You are the body of Christ. Each one of you is a part of it.” 1Corintians 12: 13,25,26

You are bought with the precious blood of Christ, now your belonging and identity is with him. Therefore, like David, let us make a habit to put a muzzle on our mouth and not sin against God.