The Best And The Worst

Psalm 140:1-8

For the choir director: A psalm of David.

1O LORD, rescue me from evil people.

Preserve me from those who are violent,

2those who plot evil in their hearts

and stir up trouble all day long.

3Their tongues sting like a snake;

the poison of a viper drips from their lips.

Interlude

4O LORD, keep me out of the hands of the wicked.

Preserve me from those who are violent,

for they are plotting against me.

5The proud have set a trap to catch me;

they have stretched out a net;

they have placed traps all along the way.

Interlude

6I said to the LORD, “You are my God!”

Listen, O LORD, to my cries for mercy!

7O Sovereign LORD, my strong savior,

you protected me on the day of battle.

8LORD, do not give in to their evil desires.

Do not let their evil schemes succeed, O God.

Interlude

According to one of his fables, Aesop was a servant for a philosopher named Xanthus. The master had invited some honored guests to a feast, and so the whole household prepared for the occasion. Aesop was sent to the market with orders to bring home the best meat money could buy.

What did he buy? Tongue. The meal consisted of nothing but tongue, course after course of tongue.

As might be expected, Xanthus became angry. “Didn’t I tell you to get the best you could buy?”

“I did,” replied Aesop. “The tongue is truly a wonderful thing, the bond of society, the organ of reason, the instrument of praise and of worship.”

The next day the frustrated employer, determined not to repeat his mistake, sent Aesop to buy the worst thing in the market. What did he buy this time? Tongue, again.

When Xanthus pressed him to explain, Aesop responded, “The tongue was surely the worst thing in the market. It is the instrument of strife and contention, the organ of lying and deceit, and the vehicle by which Deity is defamed and denied.”

We see this duality even in Psalm 140, where the psalmist uses his tongue to cry out to God for relief from the persecution he faces from the tongues of others. How will your tongue be used today? What can you do to make sure it is used to bless and benefit instead of inflicting pain and distress?

Through all the changing scenes of life,

In trouble and in joy,

The praise of my God shall still

My heart and tongue employ.

NAHUM TATE

Fascinating Fact

In ancient times a man was being interrogated and refused to give answers. “Are you holding your tongue because you don’t know what to say or because you’re a fool?” his questioners demanded. “A fool cannot hold his tongue,” he replied.

Bible Networking

For another picture of human depravity read Romans 3:10-18 (especially compare Psalm 140:3 with Romans 3:13).