JULY 17
Psalm 141:3, “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!”
Remember that humorous scene in A Christmas Story, where Ralphie gets his mouth washed out with soap for saying a bad word? It’s doubtful the soap had much long-term effect. The problem with the tongue runs deeper than a quick external fix.
Psalm 141 is David’s heartfelt cry for help and holiness. Surrounded by evil and temptation, he pleads with God to guard his heart, guide his steps, and—especially—to keep watch over his mouth. “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips” (Psalm 141:3). David understood that the tongue, though small, carries great power to bless or to harm.
Scripture offers a sobering picture of our speech. James likens the tongue to a tiny spark that can ignite a great forest fire—“a restless evil, full of deadly poison” (James 3:6–8). Words wound, linger, and often leave deeper scars than we realize. While we may attempt to manage our speech through sheer willpower, the Bible tells us the root issue lies deeper than that. “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). What flows from our lips reveals the condition of our soul.
Only Jesus can transform the heart—and, with it, the tongue. He alone can tame what no human can. Through salvation and the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit, rebellious tongues are redeemed to do what they were created to do: worship God and bless others. Paul writes that those filled with the Spirit speak “to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs… giving thanks always” (Ephesians 5:19–20).
Jesus, whose words were always full of grace and truth—even when under pressure—calls us to speak as He did: “Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless” (1 Peter 3:9).
If you want your speech to honor God, start by asking Him to shape your heart. Then, like David, pray: “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth.”
“May the mind of Christ my Savior, live in me from day to day, by His love and pow’r controlling all I do and say.” —Kate B. Wilkinson
Application Questions: What situations or relationships tempt you most to speak in ways that are unkind, impatient, or untrue—and how can you seek the Spirit’ help in guiding your words in those moments? Is there someone you’ve hurt with your words—recently or in the past—that God may be prompting you to seek forgiveness from this week?
LookingtoJesus 