Psalm Devotional
Watch My Mouth!
The Lord (vv. 1, 3, 8) is addressed as the One who by nature is able to help and, in covenant, is willing to help. The need is urgent (hasten, when) and the petition is personal (voice). A timely and favorable response is anticipated (lifted hands) if the Lord will be pleased with the petition (incense; Rev. 5:8). The climax of offerings each evening (v. 2) concludes the picture of the Lord’s daily promise to forgive sins (sprinkled blood/cup) and give righteousness (burned fat/bread) in order that saved sinners may please the Lord with their petitions at the throne of grace (incense). There are many instances of the Lord answering prayer at the evening sacrifice (Dan. 9:21; Ezra 9:4; Luke 1:10; Acts 3:1, 5; 10:3, 30), so it is a picture of confident expectation of a gracious answer.
As the psalmist asked the Lord to watch his mouth in order to answer his cry (vv. 1–2), he now asks Him to watch his mouth and heart (vv. 3–4; Matt. 12:34) in order to keep him from sin (v. 3). The problem is that he has “thin lips” in the moral, not cosmetic sense; that is, lips not strong enough to hold back evil speech (see Jas. 3:2). He laments the pressure of wicked men around him who, with their mouths, would flatter and slander him into participating in their evil words and works (v. 4; see Ps. 1:1; Prov. 1:11). These wicked people endeavor to seduce and persecute him into enjoying the passing pleasures of their sins, which leads to the endless pain of their judgments (v. 4, delicacies; Prov. 1:13; 9:17; Heb. 11:25).
