PSALM 19:14: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.” NKJV

OBSERVATION: Is my speech healthy? What do I find coming out of my mouth? Do my words bare witness to my faith in Jesus Christ? Is my heart filled with God’s Word or with the world’s worry? When was the last time I asked the Lord for a heart and speech checkup?

The words of Psalm 19:14 are familiar words. They are words that I would pray before every sermon that I preached. I would do this in my heart or out loud before the congregation. The awesome responsibility of bringing God’s Word on a weekly basis was something that was not taken lightly. I knew that I needed God to guide my heart and my mouth!

As I read these words this morning I realize that this verse is not just for preachers. It is for everyone. And, it is for me when I am not in the pulpit. It is for me when I am working, engaged in discourse with a neighbor, or taking care of business in the marketplace. And, perhaps even more importantly, it is for me in my relationship with my immediate family and loved ones.

There is an important relationship between the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart. Jesus was very clear in His teaching about this relationship.

• “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Matthew 12:33-37 NKJV

What comes out of our mouth begins in our heart. What we allow into our heart becomes the focus of our life. What we meditate upon becomes the seeds we sow with our words. This is very, very important to understand. And, it makes David’s prayer so much more meaningful and so much more important than just a prayer one utters before they preach.

Most of the mistakes I have made in my life have been through words that I have uttered. Once the words leave our mouth there is nothing we can do to get them back. We will all err in word and deed during our life. However, the rudder that determines the course we set is our tongue. And, our tongue is directed by our heart. Thus, we pray,

• “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.”

David, earlier in this Psalm, gives us the food for our heart. It is the Word of God. As we focus upon His Word, as we meditate upon it in our hearts, it will both direct and transform us and guide our tongue. His Word will become our words. We will begin to speak words of life, hope, peace, and faith. We will have a compassionate ear to listen to the hurting heart. And, we will be continually changed by His Spirit and His Word!

• “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward.” Psalms 19:7-11 NKJV

Lord, thank you for Your Word! Thank you for Your Holy Spirit! Direct my heart to meditate upon Your Word and my feet to follow after Your Spirit. Put a guard over my lips and help me to be slow to speak, quick to listen, and always filled with words of life!

In Jesus Name!