³ Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;
     keep watch over the door of my lips!
⁴ Do not let my heart incline to any evil,
    to busy myself with wicked deeds
in company with men who work iniquity,
    and let me not eat of their delicacies!”

Psalm 141:1—4, ESV

I’ve gotten feedback, which is great, but it has been suggested that my posts are too long, and that maybe true. But I have decided to cut down the selection of verses handled to make it a bit easier on you. Teachers have a strong tendency to overwork their mules. LOL.

This is one of David’s.  We will just consider a couple of verses in this post.  There is a potency in these first verses. They are like “Miracle Grow” for our hearts and souls. After working it in the soil, everything gets very green, very fast.

Commentary

V. 1, I suppose “call” is the prominent word in this verse. When we decide to intiate contact with the Lord, we think it is we who start the dialogue. (There is a doctrine of Christian theology that teaches the doctrine of prevenient grace, which briefly stated means this, that very often before a man can seek God, God must first have sought the man.)

We are being sought, like a pesky salesman at our door, our Father is incredibly persistent. He wants in, and keeps ringing our bell, and won’t go away. He calls us, before we call Him. Continually throughout scripture, we are commanded to “seek the Lord.” But we are only responding to His efforts to reach us. God is always first.

V. 2, “ Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,
    and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!”

David equates his prayer with what was going on in the temple. Incense and  the sacrifice had a curious equivalence. Also, this would link his prayer life to the very essence of the priesthood. Prayer should be understood in this framework, but quite often we don’t acknowledge this reality. Offer a calf, or say a prayer, it is pretty much the same thing.

V. 3, Perhaps this is a weak point in his life. He is seeking help for guarding his heart and his mouth (don’t we all?)  and He goes directly into the presence of God for help. Quite often we need direct intervention on our tongue. The Almighty has to step in to restrain and guide our words.

V. 4, “Do not let my heart incline to any evil,
    to busy myself with wicked deeds
in company with men who work iniquity,
    and let me not eat of their delicacies!”

Some believers make their own personal holiness there primary life issue. They live to be holy, however this misses the mark. Now don’t get me wrong, holiness of life should be sought, but there is much more. The psalmist realizes that God must take quite a bit of responsibility. He is the active element in v. 4. He is doing the “heavy lifting” here. The desire that David has, all that he wants to happen is God’s action and grace. He works very hard to enable us to get through sin.

ybic, Bryan