Psalm 19:14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
    be pleasing in your sight,
    Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Verses 7-10 are very enjoyably set to music in both English and Japanese, and verses 12-13 are deep and worthy of much meditation, but this last verse covers it all. “Words” here certainly includes everything we say, but it also includes our lifestyle. Psalm 50:23 in the KJV (also set to music) explicitly uses “conversation” to mean lifestyle, though other translations express it differently. That covers our activity, but those activities start in the mind and heart, and that is dealt with here too. Jesus went so far as to say that our thoughts themselves, if nurtured and dwelt on, are sin. (Matthew 5:27-27) Fleeting thoughts can come from anywhere, but when we take them in and mull them over, they become ours, and we are fully responsible for them. That’s why David here says “meditations.” Only the truth of God is truly worthy of meditation! David is talking about being right before God in every respect, and that is a worthy goal indeed.

This hits me particularly hard because I’m a man of words, both spoken and written. I regularly confess to having “pun disease,” and it can be hard to get me to shut up at times. That in itself isn’t bad, but I have been known to hurt people with my words, and that’s not good. As a pastor I am sometimes called on to say strong words, but they must always be spoken in love. (Ephesians 4:15) If I leave out the love, I’m a “noisy gong or clanging cymbal.” (1 Corinthians 13:1) That said, I too have to remember what I just said, about our actions coming from our thoughts. I need to keep my thought life in line with and in submission to my Lord. That’s an area where I still have room to grow! I just learned of someone I respected greatly having fallen into absolutely stupid sin, and I am reminded that none of us can relax in that area. Overt sin always starts in the heart, and I’ve got to be very careful of that. This verse isn’t a prayer for God to rubber stamp what I say and think, but a plea to be kept right before God. It is one I need to pray regularly.

Father, thank You for this reminder. It was a real shock when I heard of that man’s huge stumble. I pray that few people would learn of it, so that the fruit of his immense good works wouldn’t be poisoned in the hearts and minds of others. May nothing pollute the fruit of my life. May it all rather bring blessing to people and glory to You. Thank You. Praise God!