Psalms 39:1. I said, I will take heed to my ways,
It is not everybody who would like to recollect what he has uttered; but David could remember and dwell upon what he had formerly said: "I said, I will take heed to my ways." That is a good thing to do. He that does not take heed to his ways had need do so. Heedless and careless, and heedless and graceless, are much the same thing. He that does not take heed what he does will be sure to do wrong.
Psalms 39:1. That I sin not with my tongue:
He that does not sin with his tongue usually has his whole nature under government. The tongue is the rudder of the vessel, and if that be managed well, the ship will be rightly steered. "I said, I resolved, I determined and I uttered my determination, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue." Just then David was sinning in his heart, for it was in a great state of ferment, but he said, "I will not sin with my tongue." It was with him as it sometimes is with the captain of a vessel; if someone on board is suffering from the yellow fever, the ship-master will not send a boat to the shore for fear of spreading infection, his vessel will be in quarantine untill all danger is past. It was thus with David; while all within him was seething and boiling in feverish impatience, he said, "I shall not speak for the present, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue."
Psalms 39:1. I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.
The marginal reading is, "with a muzzle for my mouth." David would not speak at all, and herein he was not right. If he had said, "I will keep my mouth with a bridle," as our translation has it, that would have been perfectly proper. We ought never to leave off bridling our tongue, but David muzzled his. He would not speak at all while the wicked were before him, he knew that they would misconstrue his words, that they would make mischief of whatever he said, so he muzzled himself when in their company.
Psalms 39:1. I said, I will take heed to my ways,
It is not everybody who would like to recollect what he has uttered; but David could remember and dwell upon what he had formerly said: "I said, I will take heed to my ways." That is a good thing to do. He that does not take heed to his ways had need do so. Heedless and careless, and heedless and graceless, are much the same thing. He that does not take heed what he does will be sure to do wrong.
Psalms 39:1. That I sin not with my tongue:
He that does not sin with his tongue usually has his whole nature under government. The tongue is the rudder of the vessel, and if that be managed well, the ship will be rightly steered. "I said, I resolved, I determined and I uttered my determination, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue." Just then David was sinning in his heart, for it was in a great state of ferment, but he said, "I will not sin with my tongue." It was with him as it sometimes is with the captain of a vessel; if someone on board is suffering from the yellow fever, the ship-master will not send a boat to the shore for fear of spreading infection, his vessel will be in quarantine untill all danger is past. It was thus with David; while all within him was seething and boiling in feverish impatience, he said, "I shall not speak for the present, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue."
Psalms 39:1. I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.
The marginal reading is, "with a muzzle for my mouth." David would not speak at all, and herein he was not right. If he had said, "I will keep my mouth with a bridle," as our translation has it, that would have been perfectly proper. We ought never to leave off bridling our tongue, but David muzzled his. He would not speak at all while the wicked were before him, he knew that they would misconstrue his words, that they would make mischief of whatever he said, so he muzzled himself when in their company.