Shut My Mouth! - Psalms 39-41

Shut My Mouth!

Psalms 39:1-3 (ESV)

TO THE CHOIRMASTER: TO JEDUTHUN. A PSALM OF DAVID.

1 I said, “I will guard my ways,

that I may not sin with my tongue;

I will guard my mouth with a muzzle,

so long as the wicked are in my presence.”

2 I was mute and silent;

I held my peace to no avail,

and my distress grew worse.

3 My heart became hot within me.

As I mused, the fire burned;

then I spoke with my tongue. 

Keeping silence is not a gift everyone has been given.   We talk a lot in our world about extrovert and introvert behavior.    It is well documented that introverted behavior prefers a more pensive and thoughtful life, while extrovert behavior gathers energy the more and more they talk.   In the above psalm of David, we have no idea what David prefers in life, but only that at this moment in time he wanted to be quiet.   He states the reason he wants to be quiet is, “... that I may not sin with my tongue ...”.   We don’t know the exact context behind this song David has written, but we do know something has rocked his world.   He was in some distress.  He even states: “I held my peace to no avail, and my distress grew worse.”   We can only conjecture about the cause of this.  We do know he was hotly pursued by Saul for no real reason.  He was on the run for a large portion of his younger days.  On two occasions Saul actually threw a javelin at him.  We also know that later in his life, when his son Absalom overthrew his kingdom, he had many people ridicule him.  He kept his silence (see 2 Samuel 14-15).   David has even made vow to not talk in the presence of the wicked bout this stress.  

In this song, however, David can’t remain silent.  Whatever stress he is in, he can’t stay quiet.  Yet, he made a vow to God.   Because the pain grew hot within him, David must talk.  He DOES NOT attempt to vent toward mankind.  He DOES NOT tell the world his pain.   He DOES NOT go to Facebook and gripe to the world.  He DOES NOT tweet a comment to justify his life.  David does something much better: He goes to God.    This song his David’s venting to the God of the universe.  As Habakkuk vented to God about the injustice in the world, and as Job vented about his pain and suffering, and as Jonah vented about God’s mercy and grace on his enemies, David, here vents.   God invites our venting.  God invites us to talk to him when we burn inside with pain and suffering.   

David ends this cry and prayer toward God in the most unusual manner (not found in any other psalm):

Psalms 39:12-13 (ESV)

12 “Hear my prayer, O LORD,

and give ear to my cry;

hold not your peace at my tears!

For I am a sojourner with you,

a guest, like all my fathers.

13 Look away from me, that I may smile again,

before I depart and am no more!”

David both cries to God for relief and, at the same time, acknowledges that God is in control of his pain.   When we find ourselves in these positions of life, it is best to bring our complaint and pain to God and ask for the God of the universe to give us strength, peace and a listening ear.  To all others, it might just be best to shut our mouth.