[Songs in the Night - February 21]
Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Psalm 34:13
THE Lord's people find the tongue the most difficult
member to bring into subjection, and therefore
may well pray, "Keep the door of my lips."
And if
the prayer be sincere, from the heart, it will imply that
the petitioner is doing all in his power in this direction
himself while seeking the divine aid.
And the divine
aid comes in line with this lesson, and assures
us that the lips are not at fault, that it is the heart that
needs a completion of the regenerative work of the
Holy Spirit, for "out of the abundance of the heart
the mouth speaketh."
The lesson here is that whatever
difficulty we have through our lips needs correction at
the heart.
We need to get our hearts more in accord
with the heart of the Almighty—more in tune with the
gracious elements of the divine character, represented
not only in justice toward others, but additionally in
mercy, love, kindness, and benevolence toward all. Z'06-79 R3739:6 (Hymn 145)