Your Daily Slice

ELUL 7

Words

 

“Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, Adonai, You know all about it.” (Ps 139:4, TLV)

 

It was interesting for me to find that the Hebrew word translated as ‘tongue’ is the word lâshôn (Strong’s H3956), a word that many of us are familiar with in connection with lashon hara, or the ‘evil tongue’.  Though ‘tongue’ is an accurate translation of the word, lâshôn also means speech, or language, which is what is implied in our opening verse.

 

King David is the author of Psalm 139, and it bears remembering the high standard to which he was accountable as the leader of the nation of Israel.  We have recorded for us the wrongdoing and mistakes that he made, of which the cost to him was great.  In this Psalm, David is acknowledging the judgement that he is facing, admitting that Elohim is completely justified in His right-ruling.

 

We must focus for a moment on the previous verse in order to understand what is being said here.  Judgment was the focus in verse 3 of this Psalm, and it is still present here as well.  What, exactly, is the word that would be coming out of our mouths?  Excuses, trying to justify the behavior that had taken place, all the while knowing it was wrong.

 

Unfortunately, trying to justify ourselves is something we are all guilty of, at one time or another.  And it begins at a very early age!  I remember not too long ago, watching a short video of two young children, toddlers really, who had been caught playing in an open can of paint.  Everything bore witness to their distribution of said paint: all over their bodies, all over the walls, and if I am remembering correctly, this took place in a bathroom, so it was also over the shower stall and commode.  When asked why they had done this, the standard reply of ‘I dunno’ was the initial response.  When questioned further, each toddler blamed the other: ‘He/she made me do it’.

 

Though this video was cute and funny at the time, in reality, it isn’t.  How often do we push the blame for what we have done or said somewhere else?  Looking at my own life, I see that it is far too frequent.  Taking ownership and responsibility of our mistakes and wrongdoings is a sign of maturity, and excuses are no longer acceptable.

 

Father, forgive me, for I have sinned.  Forgive, please, all the puny, paltry excuses I have made trying to justify behavior that I knew was wrong.  Help me, Father, to ‘admit it, and quit it’, and to stay on the path of righteousness that You have directed me towards.  Amein.

 

“Create in me a clean heart, O Elohim, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Set-apart Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your deliverance, And uphold me, Noble Spirit!  Let me teach transgressors Your ways, So that sinners turn back to You.” (Ps 51:10-13)

 

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