How does Psalm 12:4 challenge our understanding of the power of speech? Setting the Scene Psalm 12 opens with David lamenting a society where truth has evaporated and flattering, deceptive words dominate. Verse 4 captures the internal boast of those corrupt voices: “They say, ‘With our tongues we will prevail. We own our lips—who can be our master?’ ” Observing the Boast - “With our tongues we will prevail” • Speech is weaponized; words become the means to gain advantage. - “We own our lips” • They claim absolute autonomy over what they say. - “Who can be our master?” • They deny any higher authority, implicitly rejecting the LORD who “formed the mouth” (Exodus 4:11). How the Verse Confronts Us 1. Words reveal the heart. - Jesus confirms: “For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.” (Matthew 12:34) 2. Words create real impact. - “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” (Proverbs 18:21) - The wicked imagine their persuasive speech will “prevail,” shaping outcomes as surely as swords shape battlefields. 3. Words are never autonomous. - God hears every syllable: “There is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O LORD, You know it completely.” (Psalm 139:4) - Accountability is inevitable: “By your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:37) New Testament Echoes - James 3:5-8 underscores the same warning: the tongue, though small, “boasts of great things” and can “set the whole course of one’s life on fire.” - Romans 3:13-14 lists destructive speech as evidence of humanity’s universal sinfulness. Practical Takeaways - Submit your tongue to the true Master. Recognize that lips are not “our own” but entrusted to us by God. - Measure words by truth, not advantage. Reject flattery, spin, and manipulation. - Cultivate speech that blesses. Ephesians 4:29 directs us: “Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up…” - Remember final accountability. Every conversation is ultimately spoken in the hearing of the LORD. A Closing Picture Psalm 12:4 shows arrogant lips proclaiming self-rule. Yet the very next verse answers them: “Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says the LORD (Psalm 12:5). God always has the last word, and His word is pure (Psalm 12:6). Let that certainty shape every sentence we utter today. |
    |