Key Verse: Psalm 141:3 

“Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips.” 

One of the easiest ways to sin is with our speech. It’s so easy to gossip about others, it’s easier to tear people then it is to lift them up, it’s easy to use foul language, and it’s also easy to get carried away talking about things which don’t really matter. For these reasons and others the Bible has a lot of to say about the tongue. One of the most detailed passages on the tongue and our speech is found in James 3. There James proves that even though the tongue is one of the smaller parts of our bodies it can destroy our lives and the lives of others. It appears that David also understood both the power and danger of speech. As a result of this, after He begs God to hear his prayer in V.1-2, he know pleads with God to put a guard over his mouth. There are usually only two reasons to put guards in around something or someone. Either because that something or someone is very dangerous, or it is in danger. If someone is a wanted criminal and has committed very terrible deeds sometimes they will be assigned a ‘guard’ (often more then one) to make sure they don’t try anything or attempt escape. On the other hand is someone is attempting to attack someone the police or government can assign a detail or guard to keep this person safe. I believe that David has both of these things in mind when he asks God set a guard over his mouth. He understands that the enemy wants to use his speech to tear others down and sin against God. He also understands that his mouth his dangerous and needs to kept in line. We should also notice the second half of V.3. David doesn’t just ask God to help him watch his tongue once, he asks twice! 

David understood the power of the tongue, but he also understood the power of prayer. He didn’t just ask once and move on with his life. He asked twice, because he knew that God works through prayers. He was persistent and consistent in His prayer life. Perhaps another reason David was so persistent in his prayer is because knew just how dangerous the tongue was, and here he is seeking God’s assistance because He knows that without God’s assistance he will fall into sin. If the sin in our life is big, our prayer life be bigger. David was worried he would sin with his speech, so he continually prayed that God guard his speech! Lord guard our speech today and help us consistently pray that you transform our speech!