Psalm 12:3
"May the Lord cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue"
I like to talk. Mostly this is good. I can use the gift of talk to serve God. But talking can also be a highway to failure. There are many ways to sin while talking.
I am not the first to recognise this. David understood it (Ps. 5:9) as did Solomon (Prov. 17:20), Isaiah (Isa. 3:8), Jeremiah (Jer. 9:8), Micah (Mic. 6:12) and James (Jam. 3:6).
My Danger
The Psalmist has an interesting insight (Ps. 12:1-8). The problem, as he sees it, is ownership – who owns my lips. It is easy to mistake location for possession. They are on my face, so they must be mine. Taken to its prideful conclusion we have the following boast: “We will triumph with our tongues; we own our lips – who is our master?” Ps 12:4 (NIV)
Do I own my lips? One solution is to give them away. I can give them to God. As my creator he has a claim on every part of my life. I can yield my talk to God in prayer.
And second, I can give them to other people whom I love. (I am promoting a metaphor; don’t ask your soul mate if she or he wants your lips, they’ll think you’ve lost the plot!)
I can potentially change my behaviour by thinking of my lips as borrowed.
Do you know that sensation you get when the dentist freezes your gums. Your lips feel fat and numb. It is as if they don’t belong on your face. What if that were adopted as a way of life - not a physical sensation, but a spiritual decision? They are not my lips. They are on loan from God and I use them to serve Him and other people.
My Resolve
Here is where it gets practical for me. I don’t promise to succeed always, but my best intentions are expressed in what follows. I resolve to:
1. Talk less. This would produce some great side effects. More time to think, less pressure to speak, more opportunity to listen and above all, less chance to sin unawares. “Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.” (Proverbs 17:28)
2. Not lie. Lies erode trust, undermine friendship, sow seeds of deep pain and rob us of community. “Everyone lies to their neighbour…”, says Ps 12:2 with sorrowful resignation. This angers God. I purpose to speak the truth (in love Eph 4:15) as an act of obedience to God and service to others.
3. Not boast. I don’t mind celebrating my achievements. I have a healthy pride in my kids. I’ll tell you what I love about my church. But there is a line here somewhere. I know when I cross it. I don’t want to be one of those people who “boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage” (Jude 1:16). David’s prayer in Ps 12:3 gets my attention: “May the Lord cut off … every boastful tongue”. Not pretty!
4. Filter my words for the sake of God’s work. It is a sobering thought that we will give account on the day of judgment for every careless word spoken (Matt 12:36). "Is this helpful?" is a good test to apply before I speak.
5. Help the needy find their voice. The groaning of the needy stirs God to action (Ps. 12:5). Rather than use my lips to get my way, I should “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute” (Prov. 31:8). Perhaps this is one reason why I have these “lips-on-loan” from God.
6. Hear and repeat God’s words. “The words of the Lord are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace…!” (Ps. 12:6) My words are usually not. I would like to be a conduit of God's communication.
7. Learn in silence. There is a time to be still and much can be learned in that silence. (Ps. 46:10, Eccl. 3:7)
My lips are a powerful gift. My tongue has great capacity. The same is true for you! It is wise that we choose to give these away - to God and others whom we love. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Prov. 18:21). Resolve to use that power well.
Questions
How do you keep your talk in check?
What have you resolved to do concerning your lips and tongue?
And just for fun ...
Veggie Tales, Silly Songs with Larry: "I Love My Lips"
You can check out this and other Veggie Tale products at Big Idea.
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