What steps can you take to guard against speaking deceitfully, as in Psalm 35:21? Set the context Psalm 35:21 paints a picture of enemies who “open their mouths wide” and falsely cry, “Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen!”. Their words are slanderous, aiming to wound the innocent. The verse warns us that deceitful speech is a real weapon; guarding our own mouths is therefore essential. Recognize the heart issue • Jesus taught that “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34). • Deceitful words reveal a heart not fully surrendered to truth. Guarding the tongue starts with yielding the heart. Practical steps to guard our speech • Submit to God’s standard of truth – “You shall not bear false witness” (Exodus 20:16). – Make a conscious decision each morning that truth will govern every conversation. • Slow down before speaking – “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger” (James 1:19). – A brief pause lets the Holy Spirit filter words that might slip into exaggeration, sarcasm, or half-truths. • Replace deceit with honest, edifying words – “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor” (Ephesians 4:25). – Ask, “Will these words build up or tear down?” (cf. Ephesians 4:29). • Guard conversations prone to gossip – “A perverse man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends” (Proverbs 16:28). – Politely change the subject or refuse to pass along unverified information. • Invite God’s watch over your mouth – “Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips” (Psalm 141:3). – Make this a daily request, acknowledging dependence on divine help. Scripture memory and meditation • Psalm 34:13 — “Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from deceitful speech.” • Proverbs 12:22 — “Lying lips are detestable to the LORD, but those who act faithfully are His delight.” Internalizing these verses equips the mind to resist deceit’s impulse. Accountability and community • Share the commitment to truthful speech with a mature believer. • Encourage one another, “let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24). • Give a trusted friend permission to point out careless or misleading words. Continual dependence on the Spirit • “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). • Staying in step with the Spirit produces “goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23), virtues that keep deceit far from our tongues. Daily self-check • Review the day’s conversations: identify any exaggeration, omission, or unkind spin. • Confess promptly when you catch yourself in deceit (1 John 1:9). • Make restitution if necessary—clarify misinformation, apologize, and restore trust. By taking these intentional, Scripture-anchored steps, we align our hearts and lips with the God who “desires truth in the inmost being” (Psalm 51:6) and we stand guarded against the subtle snare of deceitful speech. |
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