Set a watch, Yahweh, before my mouth. Keep the door of my lips.
Parallel translations
- KJV Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
- BSB Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips.
- NKJV Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.
- NASB Set a guard, Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.
- NLT Take control of what I say, O Lord, and guard my lips.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
David asks God to guard his mouth and keep watch over his lips. It is a prayer for self-control in speech under pressure.
Overview
Facing provocation, David recognizes his need for divine help to avoid sinful speech, asking God to post a guard at his lips. This humble request shows awareness that the tongue is hard to tame. The wisdom of restrained speech finds its perfection in Christ, who, when reviled, did not revile in return (James 3:8; 1 Peter 2:23).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Jas 1:26If anyone among you thinks himself to be religious while he doesn’t bridle his tongue, but deceives his heart, this man’s religion is worthless.
- Ps 39:1For the Chief Musician. For Jeduthun. A Psalm by David. I said, “I will watch my ways, so that I don’t sin with my tongue. I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me.”
- Mic 7:5Don’t trust in a neighbor. Don’t put confidence in a friend. With the woman lying in your embrace, be careful of the words of your mouth!
- Ps 34:13Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking lies.
- Jas 3:2For in many things we all stumble. If anyone doesn’t stumble in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also.
- Ps 71:8My mouth shall be filled with your praise, with your honor all day long.
- Ps 17:3–5You have proved my heart. You have visited me in the night. You have tried me, and found nothing. I have resolved that my mouth shall not disobey.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 141:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.