Watch my tongue...

PSALM 17

Hear a just cause, O Lord; attend to my cry!
    Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!
2 From your presence let my vindication come!
    Let your eyes behold the right!

3 You have tried my heart, you have visited me by night,
    you have tested me, and you will find nothing;
    I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.
4 With regard to the works of man, by the word of your lips
    I have avoided the ways of the violent.
5 My steps have held fast to your paths;
    my feet have not slipped.

6 I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
    incline your ear to me; hear my words.
7 Wondrously show[a] your steadfast love,
    O Savior of those who seek refuge
    from their adversaries at your right hand.

8 Keep me as the apple of your eye;
    hide me in the shadow of your wings,
9 from the wicked who do me violence,    my deadly enemies who surround me.

Like my wife says... "It sounds like Job"... proclaiming his innocence and mistreatment by man. True. It does, but it is David, when he was not only being chased down unjustly by Saul, but also plotted against by everyone looking to jump on the bandwagon and get on Saul's good side. Let's just say David had a lot of people doing and saying bad things toward him.  What is our first response?  Say and do bad things back.  David had vowed to not rebel against Saul in retaliation for Saul's pursuit, and he kept good on that promise. But the harder commitment we can often have is verbal retaliation coming from a bitter heart.  This is David's plea here and in many similar songs. While others were "throwing spears" at him with thier tongues, he needed God's help to not throw them back. So do we.  May He set a guard on our hearts, and our mouths, today.