Psalms 141:3-4 (ESV Strong's)
Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;
keep watch over the door of my lips!
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!
Truth: Only God can protect the heart and the lips.
In this Psalm the writer is asking God to protect him from unrighteousness and unrighteous people. The writer knows that one goes with the other. In these two verses in particularly the writer ties those two thoughts together. My lips speak what is in my heart. My heart is affected by those around me. The prayer on his lips is that God will guard the lips and the heart through the contact we have with others. When we surround ourselves with wicked people and with those who practice or entertain us with wickedness, don't be surprise if our heart is affected. And don't be further surprised if our heart affects our lips. If we want to protect our lips we have to protect our heart. If we want to protect our heart we have to have God's protection for those we come in contact with who might lead us from God and from righteousness. Proverbs tells us as a mirror reflects the face so the heart reflects the man:
Proverbs 27:19 (ESV Strong's)
As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man.
If the heart reflects the man, the tongue is the conduit for the heart to be expressed. Note how Solomon confirms this thought:
Proverbs 15:28 (ESV Strong's)
The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
If you want to guard the tongue, the Lord will have to protect you from the influence of the unrighteous on your heart.
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