KEEP ME AWAY FROM EVIL
Psalms 141:3-5 NKJV
3 Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;
Keep watch over the door of my lips.
4 Do not incline my heart to any evil thing,
To practice wicked works
With men who work iniquity;
And do not let me eat of their delicacies.
5 Let the righteous strike me;
It shall be a kindness.
And let him rebuke me;
It shall be as excellent oil;
Let my head not refuse it.
Depending on the Bible you read, the book of Psalms will often list the author of each Psalm. As I read this Psalm, it seemed to me to be one that David would write. And I was correct. After spending time reading the Psalms, you can get a feel for the Psalms and especially the Psalms written by David.
Here we see David's heart to stay away from everything evil. And staying away is no small matter to him. So David asks the Lord to help him with two key areas, his heart and his mouth.
Set a guard over my mouth and keep watch over the door of my lips. David knew that words matter. He knew that words could be used for good or for evil. So he wanted the Lord's help in making sure his words were right. I am convinced that David was aware of the spiritual power of words. Later, his son Solomon would write that death and life are in the power of the tongue. Solomon was considered the wisest man who lived until Jesus, and Solomon was heavily influenced by his father, David.
David prayed that the Lord would help him with words, but he also asked for help with his heart. David wanted to make sure his heart was going in the right direction. We know that the Lord would never steer our heart toward evil, so when David said do not incline my heart to any evil thing, this was a plea for help. David trusted that the Lord was good and righteous and wanted to make sure his own heart stayed free from evil. So when David says, "do not let and do not incline," a clearer picture is from the NLT version. "Don't let me drift toward evil or take part in acts of wickedness. Don't let me share in the delicacies of those who do wrong." That is a better reading-Lord, don't let me is a cry for help, knowing that the flesh is bent toward doing wrong.
David was serious about staying away from evil. Let the righteous strike me, and it shall be a kindness. David knew that when the righteous were striking him, it was because he was in the wrong. And being corrected when going in the wrong direction may be painful, but ultimately it is kind. If someone tackles you before you run off a cliff, it may sting a bit, but it's better than plunging into destruction. And if the righteous rebukes or sharply corrects him, David saw that as excellent oil or soothing medicine.
David's desire to avoid evil is worth noting. And his prayer is worth praying.
PRAYER
Lord, help me guard my words and keep my heart turned towards you. Thank You for correcting me when I am venturing off the right path. I accept Your correction even if it stings.