DUCT TAPE AND DAVID

by Tammy Phillips
August 26, 2020

I said, “I will guard my ways, Lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, while the wicked are before me.” (2) I was mute with silence; I held my peace [even] from good; And my sorrow was stirred up. (3)  My heart was hot within me; While I was musing, the fire burned. [Then] I spoke with my tongue: (Psalm 39:1-3 NKJV)

You know why the Psalms are so comforting?   King David was real and relatable.  He would have been a great country music song writer. I am smiling while I write because I cannot help laughing at him.  

In Psalms 37 he delivered the greatest encouragement about not fretting.  Here is my country version: 

“Do not fret because of bad, broken down people. Don’t burn and be red faced with anger because they done wrong.  Chill with Big Daddy; dance and twirl. Don’t fret when people succeed by doing wicked stuff.  Drop it and Stop it…breathing so hard!  Calm down. Fan those flames. Don’t fret. Don’t be hot.  It’s just gonna’ turn out bad.“

The Hebrew word for “don’t fret” is charah.  Sound familiar? Char? It means to be hot, furious, to burn, to glow warm, to blaze up.  David was trying to talk himself down.  Constance Spicer, my sister in Christ and the traveling Bulldawg baseball family, would say it like this: “Breathe in Jesus.  Breath out Satan.” 

Fast forward to Psalms 39 David said:  
I said, “I will guard my ways, Lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, while the wicked are before me.

David remembered his prior commitment to stand against sinning with his tongue.  He is talking himself down and here is where I relate.  David said that he was going to put a muzzle on his mouth because that would stop his sin.  I concur.  I have said many times that I am was going to apply duct tape to guard my mouth.  Not on social media? You are smart.  I get a little heated by some of the things I read and out comes the tape because I would like to let loose. I follow David’s, maybe immature, example.  I do not say anything.  It doesn’t mean I am not stirred up and pained.

I was mute with silence; I held my peace [even] from good; And my sorrow was stirred up. (Psalm 39:2 NKJV)

David remembered his commitment to be RESOLUTE, not to “tongue sin” and offend God nor anyone else. “We ought steadfastly to resolve that we will take heed in our ways, and frequently renew that resolution.  Having resolved to take heed in our ways, we must upon all occasions, remind ourselves of that resolution, for it is a covenant never to be forgotten, but that which we must always be mindful of.” -Mathew Henry

David confessed in verse three that he was still hot! He had to let it out.  He had to speak, but the next words out of His mouth were,“Lord, make me know….”  David prayed.  When we allow our “enemies” to stir up our passions, we need to follow his example.  Stop and pray.

“The stronger the temptation to a sin is the stronger the resolution must be against it.”- Matthew Henry

I enCOURAGE you to be watchful and RESOLUTE in the strength of God’s grace.  It will help curtail the “tongue sin.”  If that does not work, put a muzzle on it!  Apply duct tape…again.

Create in me a pure heart, O God! Renew a RESOLUTE spirit within me! – Psalm 51:10 NET