Read: Psalm 141 // Focus: Psalm 141:3

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

If you are an average American, researchers have found that you will engage in 30 conversations a day and will spend one-fifth of your life talking. In one year’s time, your conversations could fill sixty-six books at 800 pages each.

How come then, with so much practice speaking, few of us have ever gained complete or even consistent mastery of the content of our communication?

Think about it: Just a few inflammatory words set off a chain of events that look like World War III in your life. You come home from work tired and cranky, and yell at your wife…she yells at the oldest kid…he yells at little sister…she goes out and kicks the dog…the dog bites the cat…the cat comes in and scratches the baby…the baby rips the head off the Barbie doll.

Wouldn’t it be a whole lot simpler if the husband had just ripped off the Barbie’s head himself?

Your words matter! Proverbs 18:21 reminds us that our words can either kill or they can give life: “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” That’s how powerful they are. And more importantly, our words reveal what is going on within us. Matthew 12:34 says that our words only reveal what is already inside our heart: “how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” That is why control our mouth must begin with reforming our heart.

So what does your mouth reveal about your heart? If we were to play back a tape recording of every conversation you’ve had this week, what would we learn about you? That you have a bitter, angry, hurtful, doubtful heart, or that your heart is faithful, hopeful and loving?

David knew he would need supernatural help if he were going to get both heart and mouth in the right place with God. That’s why he prayed for Divine help. You and I need to pray that too, every day! We can’t do it alone. I know I can’t—I’m living proof of that. But I think God will help us if we sincerely ask him. He never encourages us to do something that he is not willing to help with.

And if we get God’s help, there isn’t anything we can’t do…even zipping our lips!