Pray for Wisdom and Forgiveness

Psalms 39:1-13

To the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

1 I said, "I will guard my ways,
Lest I sin with my tongue;
I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle,
While the wicked are before me."

2 I was mute with silence,
I held my peace even from good;
And my sorrow was stirred up.
3 My heart was hot within me;
While I was musing, the fire burned.
Then I spoke with my tongue:

4 "LORD, make me to know my end,
And what is the measure of my days,
That I may know how frail I am.
5 Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths,
And my age is as nothing before You;
Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor.

Selah

6 Surely every man walks about like a shadow;
Surely they busy themselves in vain;
He heaps up riches,
And does not know who will gather them.

7 "And now, Lord, what do I wait for?
My hope is in You.
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions;
Do not make me the reproach of the foolish.
9 I was mute, I did not open my mouth,
Because it was You who did it.

10 Remove Your plague from me;
I am consumed by the blow of Your hand.
11 When with rebukes You correct man for iniquity,
You make his beauty melt away like a moth;
Surely every man is vapor.

Selah

12 "Hear my prayer, O LORD,
And give ear to my cry;
Do not be silent at my tears;
For I am a stranger with You,
A sojourner, as all my fathers were.

13 Remove Your gaze from me, that I may regain strength,
Before I go away and am no more."

This psalm of David is a prayer for God’s wisdom and forgiveness.  He begins by vowing to watch what he says to avoid sinning with his words.  He offered to restrain himself in front of the wicked and set a guard over his lips (Psalm 141:3-4) to honor God by doing what was right.  Unfortunately, he went too far and even kept back speaking good as well, as if truly mute in being incapable of speech.  That just made him sorry and sad until God stirred his heart to speak (Job 32:18-20).  We may also experience this moving of God’s Spirit in us when we hold back speaking His word of the gospel or of wisdom to encourage and exhort others.  Then it is wise not to keep restraining ourselves from speaking good.  When it is not helpful or edifying, of course, we should remain silent (1 Corinthians 10:23).  As we meditate on the motives of our hearts and the hearers, God will move us appropriately if we are attentive according to His word.  Here David spoke out loud to his LORD after meditating on these things.  He asked for wisdom to know what will become of him, how his life would be used for God’s glory in a sense.  He wanted to see how brief his life was to make it matter, knowing he had a relatively short time on this earth, like a vapor of smoke soon dissipating.  This caused a selah pause in this psalm to consider these things, both for him and for us.  Then he further considered the transitory state of all men, running to and fro with much ado about nothing of eternal value to themselves or God.  But these stark realities only drove the psalmist to declare his hope in God alone, and not the dust in the winds of life which many pursue.  He waited on God for answers and direction with correction.  He asked forgiveness and salvation from his sins so that the foolish could not despise and slander him further.  He realized that God had kept watch over his lips to keep him.  Therefore, David accepted his discipline and correction for his sin according to His word (2 Timothy 3:16-17) to restore him on the right path once more.  This again is cause to stop and meditate with consideration of our own lives under the mighty hand of God as we humble ourselves before His correction (1 Peter 5:6-7).  The psalm ends with a cry for help, to be heard by God and answered.  He asked for relief from sorrow and a restored relationship, realizing that his life here is as a sojourner and not a permanent resident.  He journeyed towards the LORD and asked for forgiveness and grace to go on before he gave up in his struggles with sin and in the midst of those set against him.  We can also pray for grace and mercy in our own troubles (Hebrews 4:16).  May we consider all these things and speak the truth in love to the good of others and to the glory of God in Christ.  Selah.